The Road to Young Riders

Passing the Torch...

2010-07-14T13:32:00.000-07:00

I'd like to encourage everyone interested in following the 2010 NAJYRC (Junior Equestrian Olympics) this year to follow Jessie's teammate's blog...Heather Beachem is writing about the experiences of Region 3!

Heather's blog can be found at:

http://bigheartsmallhorse.blogspot.com/

Third Time's a Charm?

2010-07-02T10:11:00.000-07:00

This was a pivotal year for Jess. She and Coda have worked really hard on the Young Rider tests but between the demands of Senior Year, applications to colleges and graduation, things didn’t start to really come together for them until the end of the qualifying season.

And the hard work paid off. They have qualified and will be on the NAJYRC Region 3 Team…Jess’ 3^rd showing! The girls on her team are very strong and talented riders, although two of them are new to the competition. Both Heather Beachem, 21 years old, and a barn mate of Jess’s, and Erica Marino, 20 from Alabama, are attending their first NAJYRC. Bryn Cahill, 18 and from Florida, was a part of the 2008 Junior Region 3 Team.

Even before they were sure they would make the team, the girls have been busy securing sponsorships. Part of this process also involves making decisions about the clothing that will be worn…you want to look like you are a team. Part of it is also acting like your fellow teammates are on your team. Dressage is not a team sport, but making it so helps the participants to connect and recognize their common goals. I remember the first time Jess rode on a team in 2007, it was really hard to be friends with your competition. But over the years I think she has learned that it is a good thing to be friends with her fellow riders. It isn’t always easy when you are riding against each other, but, in fact, they are some of the few people who can empathize with your experiences on a horse! And, being on a team doesn’t necessarily mean you are going to be friends, but it does mean that you have to be supportive of each other and work to promote your region by having a positive attitude.

This is also going to be Jess’ last time at the NAJYRC because in the fall she will be attending The University of the South: Sewanee. She is going to hang up her dressage boots and hopefully don some chaps for the Sewanee Hunter Jumper Team. We’ll see! So, this Championship is a little bittersweet. We will find Coda a new rider and Jess will go to College and things will be different in our world.

It's a Whole New Test

2010-03-14T08:26:00.000-07:00

Jess and Coda attended the Good Horseman Foundation’s Three Horsemen Dressage Show recently in Conyers, Georgia. Although it “doesn’t count” for the Festival of Champions or North American Junior and Young Rider Championships qualifying scores, it was a good opportunity for Jess and Coda to get some show practice at the Young Rider’s level.

The warm up, prior to the test, was wild! We were all unsure if it was the excitement of being at a show, or the warmer weather, or maybe, just Coda being Coda…but he was very, very fresh! In their first test, the Young Rider team, Jess scored a 72.895%! They have NEVER scored so high before. And, it wasn’t a perfect test, either. They missed their last “4” and Coda had a “bonus” change in his entry. The Extended Canter was described as “a brave effort” by the judge…they went for it! But you can make a few mistakes like that when you get 8’s on your shoulder-ins and half passes and 8’s and 9’s on canter pirouettes (co-efficient, no less)!

The next day Coda was still a Fresh Mess! The Individual Test didn’t go as well with Jess scoring a 61%. Jess was disappointed, especially after having such a strong showing the day before. But, that’s what it’s like at a horse show riding a “hot” horse…some days are fabulous and others aren’t.

Jess’s barn-mate and friend from Top Hat, Heather Beacham, is also vying for a spot at both Championships as a Young Rider. Heather is 21, so this is her last year to qualify. Her horse, “Puff” is an adorable chestnut…much smaller than Coda, but they could definitely do a Pas de Deux! Heather was very stressed her first day and it showed…she and Puff were “stiff”. But the next day, she was so relaxed and that translated into a different partnership for the test. Heather and Puff scored a 68% and everyone was thrilled for them!

Part of competing with your friends is sometimes being beat by them…and sometimes beating them. But, I think the benefit of this experience is that these young women learn to be there for each other…learning to juggle a range of emotions and do so being completely genuine.

The lessons my daughter is learning from showing and loving horses, being a part of the world of Dressage, is something that can’t be replicated anywhere else, definitely not in any classroom. Where else can a young woman, a teenager, really, sit atop a 1500-pound animal and know that anything is possible; this is a new day, a new test, and a new opportunity to be their best together?

The First Show on the Road to Young Riders (2010)

2010-02-11T19:10:00.000-08:00

The Wellington Classic is Jess’s first CDI as a Young Rider. I decided, rather than write a narrative about our adventures since yesterday morning at 7:20 a.m., I’d write my Top Ten List…

What I love about horse shows…and what I’ll remember (So Far) about this one…

1. 1. driving 10 hours with 2 horses through crazy windy conditions…with one horse snapping his halter and the other’s halter not even being “leashed”

2. 2, stopping on the side of the road with cars and trucks whizzing by at 70 mph while we crawl into the trailer to put on a new halter (thank God for back ups) and “leash” the other one

3. 3. our horse friends who run out of gas with 20 minutes before they arrive at the overnight barn (Love ya, Laura and Heather!)

4. 4. the exhausting process of unloading the trailer and setting up the stalls and tack rooms (with a cart with flat tires…)

5. 5. the emotional upheaval during schooling and before the jog

6. 6. drama…lots of drama

7. 7. waiting for the ride times…especially the 8:20 a.m. slot

8. 8. dinner celebrating #52 with a friend who is far from her family on her birthday (Love you, Kathy!)

9. 9. getting pulled over by the police because Wellington has crazy medians and we can’t figure out how to get out of the shopping center going the right direction (SO much fun, Jody and Kathy!!!)

10. 10. Dedication, commitment, sacrifice, optimism, support, LOVE….PASSION!

Officially a Young Rider

2010-01-21T15:07:00.000-08:00

Today I mailed all the paperwork to the USDF…Jess is officially a Young Rider!

This past weekend Jess rode in a clinic with Axel Steiner and the change in her was evident. She is no longer a Junior rider…she is a young woman ready for new challenges. So Monday morning I went to the USDF website, downloaded all the forms to fill out to declare her a Young Rider and got to work. It isn’t a simple task…there are lots of forms and lots of numbers (USDF, USEF, FEI, Passport). Then there’s making sure the horse’s passport is current and all the shots and Coggins are up to date. And picking the shows (who are the judges, are they CDI’s or not, how far away are they) to attend and finding their prize lists on the web can sometimes be a frustrating endeavor! Jess ordered herself a new Shad Belly…I have no idea what that cost! And we worked on writing her bio. Seeing all my daughter’s accomplishments put down in writing took my breath away…and solidified how truly ready she is for this new test of her riding ability.

Jess and Karen have choreographed her freestyle and we’ve chosen a new company to put it together for us. Selecting the music isn’t as straight-forward…Jess took advantage of having the time with Mr. Steiner and asked him for some guidelines when selecting music. He was very helpful…especially in making it clear what was not appropriate. Next week I will video her riding the test and mail it off with our ideas for the music. She won’t worry about riding the freestyle until April.

For now, Jess’s sights are set on February in Wellington, Florida. We’ll be trailering down with her horse, Coda, for her first show as a Young Rider. It’s a CDI…with tough but fair judges…and lots of great competition!

The Road to Young Riders

2009-09-14T08:18:00.000-07:00

This weekend my daughter rode her first Prix St. Georges at the Good Horseman Dressage Show in Conyers, GA. Although she has been learning and practicing the new movements off and on this past year, since returning from the NAJYRC in July, she and Karen have really focused on perfecting them.

One thing I have learned as a "Show Mom" is that there is no such thing as "perfection" in a dressage test. However, this weekend, Jess had a high and a low in her first PSG performances.

On Saturday, she rode down the center line, halted and saluted. The test was incredible...every thing she and Karen knew she was capable of. Almost perfection!

On Sunday, riding for Axel Steiner, she went in to the warm up a little too early and both Jess and Coda seemed tired when they rode their test. It wasn't effortless. Not perfection...

This show "didn't count" towards qualifying for Young Riders. It was a practice run and Jess learned what she is capable of in the ring with this test. She was also reminded that nothing comes easy and you always have to give your all and be your best to get the scores you want.

I'm excited for Jess and Coda as they embark on this journey and I'm especially proud that they put so much into making their dreams come true. Good things come to those who work hard...

2009-07-28T09:15:00.000-07:00

Footnotes

2009-07-28T08:52:00.000-07:00

Update on Megan Davis:

In spite of an incredibly scary fall from her horse during her Freestyle on Saturday, Megan is going to be fine. She split her lip and it required some stitches to repair and her face was sore and swollen, but NO broken bones! We are all so grateful that Megan is fine! Thanks to everyone for thinking good thoughts!

Immediately after the Junior Freestyle on Sunday, the awards ceremony was held for the top 10 girls. Afterwards, the grooms (ME!) had to take the horses from the riders and take them back to the barn as the Medals ceremony was to be held immediately afterwards. I have never walked Coda back to any barn let alone a 15 minute walk to THIS barn. I was very intimidated...and I chickened out...Thankfully, Sarah Crosier (a Junior rider from Atlanta who was there as Ellen Wall's groom) came to my rescue and walked him back with me. I was lucky to get Coda untacked, sponged off, watered, fed and make it back to the Arena before the Closing medals ceremony began! Whew!

It was a fantastic event with our girls linking arms and synchronizing their march up the podium to receive their Silver Team medal. As soon as the ceremony was over at 7 p.m. trailers were hitched, horses loaded and folks headed for home. It was an emotionally exhausting day so we chose to stay one more night and get an early start for home on Monday. We were at the barn by 6 and on our way by 6:30. It was an easy drive back to Atlanta and as we pulled into Top Hat Dressage Coda was greeted by all his barn mates! It was a great Welcome Home!

What's next? I think Jess will probably do the Regional Championships so she can ride her Freestyle without any technical glitches...and then I think she and Karen will get started on schooling for the Young Rider tests. After three years of Juniors, Jess is ready for a new challenge. So in 2010, Jess will graduate from High School, there will be a new group of riders vying for a spot on the Junior Team and a new group of riders vying for a spot on the Young Rider team. Wish us luck in our new adventure!

What do you do when the music stops?

2009-07-26T19:26:00.000-07:00

Crazy day...the ride times kept changing...1:40 to 3:40 to 5: 40 to 4:40...it kinda messes with you. The riders are braiding, grooming and for a few, warming up when the times change again.

There is so much that goes into the Freestyle ride...choreographed by the trainer and rider, it is a chance to show your personality through your music selection. The "test" is practiced until the movements sync with specific aspects of the music. It is creative and fun. At least it is supposed to be.

Jess and Coda entered the ring and rode down the center line. It was perfect! Everything was going amazingly well...high scores. Then, the music started to do something strange...it was almost like someone was turning the volume up and down. Technical difficulties...was it the CD or the sound system or the CD player...who knows? All I know is that my amazing daughter switched off the music she was hearing over the speakers and "danced to the music in her head". She rode her entire freestyle...flawlessly...to music only she could hear. And it was magnificent. I cried, as did Karen, for the failure of the CD...but later, when I really thought about what Jess did in the ring, I wanted to cry because I am so incredibly proud of her ability to overcome something so difficult and unnerving and still put in such a fabulous performance scoring a 66.75 and placing 7th.

All the riders this week at the NAJYRC deserve to be recognized for the achievement of making it here...they also need to be recognized for what it took to compete here. Nerves of steel...

Terrifying moments...

2009-07-25T14:31:00.000-07:00

The Young Riders were nearly done with their Freestyle tests when Megan Davis was bucked off her horse in the middle of her test. She was taken away by ambulance. Please keep her and her family in your thoughts and prayers.

2009-07-25T14:24:00.000-07:00

Ellen Wall braiding Tivo

Jess and Coda (In the Test!!!)

Individual Accomplishments

2009-07-25T13:57:00.000-07:00

After an hour delay because of severe thunderstorms early this morning, the sun finally came out, the puddles mostly dried and the temperature started to soar. It got hot! And the Junior Individual tests were under way.

An hour delay doesn't seem like a big deal, but when you are already at the barn getting your horse groomed, braided and your "head in the game", it can be a little unnerving...but, ultimately it means more time to sit around and wait for your ride time.

Three of the four Junior Riders scores qualified them to be in the Freestyle on Sunday. Only the Top 15 get to Show. Ellen Wall placed 11th, Jess placed 9th and Lauren Knopp was awarded the Silver Medal for her Individual Test! A super showing by all our Region 3 girls!

The girls are physically and emotionally exhausted at this point in the competition and today was tough. They were competing against each other. And all of them wanted to be the winner.

Tomorrow it will happen again. Although, each girl's freestyle is choreographed by them (and their trainers), the music often reflects their likes and personality and it is just plain, downright, FUN! They are all competing for a medal...Gold, Silver or Bronze...but this time they are judged on a number of required movements, their music, originality and the execution of the choreography.

It is a huge accomplishment to be in the Top 15 and get to ride the Freestyle. This competition started with 36 Riders and the field has now narrowed to 15...what an honor!

Photos from the YR Individual Awards Ceremony

2009-07-24T13:52:00.000-07:00

Mary Cameron Rollins and Rose Noir 2

Individual Young Rider Gold Medalist

"MC" during the National Anthem

The Victory Gallup!

2009-07-24T12:50:00.001-07:00

Everyone is tired. It is day 5 for us...not enough sleep, lots of emotion, some drama, riding, mucking, late nights and early mornings and right about now is when all that hard work starts to get to you.

The Juniors schooled at nine while the first Region 3 Young Rider was putting in her individual test at 9:15. Caroline Roffman received an impressive 65.421% and was followed by Amanda Stearns at noon, who scored a 63.053%. At exactly 12:08 p.m. Mary Cameron Rollins rode down the centerline and put in a gorgeous, elegant, impressive ride and was rewarded by the judges with a 70.263%!!! The stands erupted into applause and the huge smile and tears on MC's face showed she was thrilled with her performance! Mom, Jo Hyer, Trainer, Patrick Burssens and boyfriend, Werner couldn't have been more proud!

Both Mary Cameron and Caroline qualified to ride their Freestyles! Unfortunately, Amanda was 16th and the Top 15 riders advance to the Freestyle.

Tomorrow the Juniors ride their Individual tests and are going for the Individual Medals: Gold, Silver and Bronze. Although the girls are still a team, they are also now competitors...a very weird place to be. They will be supportive of each other, as they have been all week, but will hope their ride will be the winning ride.

My wish is that all of the Region 3 girls have their best rides of the week and come out of the ring knowing they did their best...regardless of how they place...

Junior Individual Ride Times:

7:54 Kati Dagge

11:29 Jessica Deimler

11:58 Lauren Knopp

12:22 Ellen Wall

Photos from Team Test (Silver Medal)

2009-07-23T20:06:00.001-07:00

Heading to the Awards Ceremony

The Junior Team

The Awards

Hamming it up...

Leaping for Joy!

...and one more time!

Region 3 Juniors win the Silver Medal!!!!!

2009-07-23T14:37:00.001-07:00

They did it! Our region 3 girls started the day off with Ellen Wall and her horse, Tvuari, at 7:30 this morning riding in the very first time slot of the day! She had nerves of steel and put in a pretty terrific ride earning a 64.342. Next up was Kati Dagge and it was probably the most difficult ride she has ever had. Her beautiful stallion, Dream of Love, spooked repeatedly...but she did a wonderful job of getting him through the test and didn't get eliminated. Unfortunately her score reflected the difficulties she had and would end up being the team's drop score. Jess went down the center line at 10:25 this morning with a very tight Coda, but put in a very solid ride with a score of 62.811. Our final rider for the team, Lauren Knopp, had her turn in the ring with Rho Dance and also had a very solid ride. Her score of 63.459 secured the girls a spot in the medals... but we wouldn't know until nearly an hour and a half later when the remaining Junior riders completed their rides! Finally, back in the barn awaiting the news from our Chef, Sue Bender, we got the call! The girls got the Silver medal behind the Canadian team!!!! There was tons of hooting and hollering and hugs and woo-hoo's! Now we had to get the horses tacked back up for the awards ceremony and back to the arena in 15 minutes...Everyone kicked into high gear and each horse had a posse' of folks putting on their polos, saddle pads, saddles, and finally the bridles. The girls quickly wiped down their boots and put back on their show hats and jackets. In a flash, the four girls were mounted and walking off together towards the Main Arena...the moms and dads left behind, all incredibly proud and in awe of their girls and trainer's accomplishments.

Excitement and terror...those two words pretty much sum up the Awards Ceremony. Everything went smoothly, as it usually does, until the victory lap. Coda started jumping around and rearing and backing up and we were all absolutely terrified for Jess. She was so strong and focused and tried so hard to get him under control, but it just wasn't working. Finally, she took him out of the ring, but he was already spooled up and still a little crazy. Karen ran over to Jess from the stands in her flip flops to grab him, but she didn't get there until Jess had taken Coda out. Jess and Coda made it back to the barn safely with the other girls and their mounts, but it really shook us all up quite a bit. That was the last victory lap Jess will ever do on Coda...

Back in the stalls the horses went and off the girls went to be interviewed, leaving the "posse" to once again untack the horses and get them watered and give them hay. I think the horses were as exhausted as the parents, trainers and grooms!

I can't think of any other way to explain how I feel...kinda surreal and totally magical. Did my kid really win a Silver Medal in Dressage at the NAJYRC?

Other than supporting Jess with trailering, our time and financial resources, this accomplishment is something she did solely with the commitment of time, talent and love of her trainer, Karen Lipp. Karen is an amazing woman and an even more amazing rider and trainer.

But, there are lots of other people who have supported Jess in this goal including all of her barn friends at Top Hat Dressage in Canton, GA (Christi, Lori, Kayce, Kris, Sydney, Lara, Melody, Alyssa, Rick, Cathy, Elizabeth, Michelle, Heather, Jessica, Sarah, Carol, Anne...Heather, our barn manager and Jose, our assistant barn manager), our farrier, Andy Snell and our vets, Dr. Nash and Dr. Patterson, in addition to all our friends and family (near and far). To get to the NAJYRC you have to have a village helping you to achieve your goals. And, it helped a lot that our girls were truly a team today...supportive, affectionate, encouraging and above all good sports!

It ain't over! Saturday Jess will compete for an Individual medal and hopefully, she will place to ride her Freestyle on Sunday. But, for tonight, we are going back for a Pizza Party and to celebrate a super day at the Kentucky Horse Park!

Photographs from the Young Rider Team Test

2009-07-22T12:54:00.000-07:00

Photos from Tuesday

2009-07-22T12:24:00.000-07:00

Young Riders (McKenzie, MC, Amanda and Caroline) before the jog.

Junior, Lauren Knopp and Rho Dance

Katrin Dagge and Dream of Love

Ellen Wall and Tvuari

Jess and Coda (Ragtime V)

Kati, Jess, Ellen and Lauren

The Region 3 Young Riders and their biggest cheerleaders...Moms!

The Juniors...Kati, Jess, Lauren and Ellen

Region 3 Young Riders are Victorious and take the Bronze Medal!

2009-07-22T12:08:00.001-07:00

Sometimes you don't know what you are capable of doing until you do it. Amanda Stearns, the first rider for the Region 3 Young Riders had probably one of the best rides of her young career. She scored an impressive 67.316! I was talking to her mom after the awards ceremony and learned that Amanda is off to Elon University in North Carolina right after the Championships and she isn't taking her horse with her. The Championships are the last time Amanda and Reva will be a team...what a wonderful way to end your career together...a Bronze medal! Of course, there's still the Individual test and hopefully, the Freestyle! Mary Cameron Rollins and Rose Noir had a wonderful ride, today, also scoring 66.474. Both McKenzie Jenkins (60.737) and Caroline Roffman (60.526) had difficult rides today, but their scores helped lift the team into the Bronze Medal! Yay, Region 3 Young Riders!

The day started off with overcast skies and the Juniors schooling time was 8 a.m. Luckily, the rain held out until after they rode. Then, slowly, the rain began to intensify until by the time we left after the awards ceremony, it was absolutely pouring. Most of the Young Riders had to do their tests in the rain, because, although the stadium seating is covered, the ring is not. Everyone and every thing is soaked! Deja vous...Gladstone!

Kati, Jess, Ellen and Lauren have spent the day hanging out together and leading the cheering section in the stands for Region 3. It was wonderful to see them all together supporting their Young Riders. They were soooooo loud, the Young Riders each looked up into the stands and waved to them after their rides!

Shortly, we'll be heading back to the barn to get ready for the Opening Ceremonies...

2009-07-21T20:51:00.000-07:00

Me and Karen! I exist!

Team Players=Life Lessons

2009-07-21T19:31:00.000-07:00

The hardest part about being on a Dressage Team is being on a Team. Learning to share, support and encourage one another, demonstrate leadership, compassion and empathy...these are tough attributes for adults, let alone 17 and 18 year old young women! The NAJYRC is a crash course in sportsmanship and I will tell you this, it is a successful program! Our Region 3 girls are friends, but not everything goes smoothly here...and learning to communicate your frustrations and disappointments is how we learn to be good sports. It is also how we learn to be supportive of our fellow human beings. Life lessons!

Teamwork. Who would be with Jess when she was schooling in the main arena today? Karen arrived at 11:35 this morning and the Region 3 schooling time in the main arena was from 11:45-12:30. Hmmmm....this was going to be complicated. Stacy Jenkins, McKenzie's mom, stepped in as "mom" while I picked Karen up at the airport and Trainers Tami Crawford and Melissa Taylor kept on eye on Jess and Coda to make sure their schooling was going as planned. Karen arrived with 10 minutes to work with Jess and Coda before their time in the Show arena expired!

The "Jog" has everything to do with presenting your horse. Hand walking the horses to the lower arena took 10 minutes and upon arrival, the the girls and their horses were put in a holding pattern, much like what the airport does with airplanes when they don't have a gate for them or there is bad weather...they had to circle...circle...circle until their "go" time! Coda was fabulous until he had to line up for his "go" and then he started up with the "bad horse" behavior. Jess was getting frustrated with him, which only made him act up more. We gave Jess a break and had Lauren Knopp's wonderful groom, Alberto, walk Coda until he calmed down. It worked, and when Jess took over she did a fantastic job "jogging" Coda for the Vets. He passed!

Following the Jog, the Chef d'Equipes get together and do the "Draw" for the ride times. It seemed like it took an eternity (and in reality, it did!), but finally our "Chef", Sue, arrived to report the outcome. Our order of go was a tough draw with the Junior Team riding first beginning on Thursday at 7:30 a.m. No one wants to be the first rider out for the judges...Ever! However, Ellen Wall was randomly drawn to ride first in the competition. She is confident, a tough competitor and, bolstered by her team, can do anything she BELIEVES she can do. Competition is 1/3 confidence, 1/3 skill and 1/3 luck! Go Ellen!

One final thought before I (finally) take a shower and crawl into bed:

Teamwork is all about putting your needs behind someone else's needs. It is recognizing that achieving YOUR goals depends on your team mates achieving THEIR goals. Sometimes the "winners" are the ones who learn the lessons along the way...

Monday's photos

2009-07-20T20:10:00.000-07:00

Coda (Ragtime V) staring down "the enemy"...plant material in the center of the new Show arena!

The Kentucky Horse Park's new Show arena

Young Rider, McKenzie Jenkins and Jess

Teresa Knopp and her Junior daughter, Lauren

Region 3 Chef d'Equipe, Sue Bender and her Juniors

"I've walked 10,000 miles..."

2009-07-20T19:11:00.000-07:00

The Kentucky Horse Park, with roots dating back to 1777, was established in 1978 and is the only "living" museum dedicated to the relationship between man and horse. It is a beautiful facility with on-going renovations due to be completed in 2010, just in time for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Today, the girls from Region 3 (and many other riders from other zones and regions) got to experience one of the new arenas...a huge stadium with covered seating! And to many of the horses...Coda (Ragtime V) included, it was a scary place! My stomach leapt into my throat on several occasions as he spooked at the plant material in the center of the wide open arena (no dressage arena was set up, yet), spun as he trotted towards the stands, or just decided not to go forward and backed up instead...I'm sure these shows shave months, if not years off my life, as well as adding to my growing collection of gray hairs! And, of course, Jess handled the entire adventure like the seasoned rider she is, with grace, confidence and maturity. She has her trainer, Karen Lipp, to thank for that! Hopefully, she has gotten over my pleas to, "take him back to the barn", and is now just a little annoyed at her mom's anxiety!

Our entire Team of Juniors and Young Riders are now here in Lexington with the arrival of Ellen Wall and Kati Dagge, just after lunch. The girls got into the spirit of being on the team by handing out many of the logo-ed items they received from sponsors, and began the decorating of their shared tack stall and golf carts. They even discussed and planned what they will wear as a team tomorrow for the in-barn inspections in the morning, their first warm up in the arena and of course, they already selected their outfits for the Jog. Jess and I got adorable sterling silver "3" necklaces for each of the Juniors, and after Kati got here, gave them to everyone. The number "3" RULES this week!

Our Chef d'Equipe, Sue Bender, also was in full swing today figuring out warm up and schooling times, the location of the warm up rings, the requirements for the new health cards each rider must have on their person when he or she rides, as well as attending a continual string of meetings. Sue is the girl's advocate and our liaison with the FEI staff. Over the coming days she will work very hard for our riders.

Why did I title this blog, "I've walked 10,000 miles"? Because it sure feels like it! As I mentioned previously, the Kentucky Horse Park is a HUGE facility and until you get a golf cart (Boy, do you need a golf cart!), you walk EVERYWHERE! It is easily a 15 minute walk from the barn to the Show Arena...a longer walk to the warm up ring, and a 20+ minute walk to where the trailer is parked! And, since I am always in a hurry, I do my "Airport Walk", as Jess calls it, which further exhausts me! I'm looking forward to a great night's sleep with my feet propped up on a pillow!

One final thought before I let my head hit the pillow...

Each and every rider here has worked incredibly hard to achieve this level of performance from themselves and their horse. And, they have had a lot of folks "lifting them up" along the way...very dedicated moms and dads, trainers, fellow barn mates (who often give up days of their own training with the trainer),vets and farriers, boyfriends and girlfriends, grandparents, aunts and uncles, friends. So to all of us "behind the scenes", congratulations on helping YOUR rider achieve a dream...I've personally never been ranked at any thing in my life! But it sure feels amazing that my child is...

Kentucky Horse Park history link: http://www.kyhorsepark.com/sub.php?pageid=31&sectionid=2

2009-07-19T19:01:00.000-07:00

Jess and fellow Junior, Lauren Knopp enjoying dinner Sunday night.

It's the journey not the destination...

2009-07-19T18:31:00.000-07:00

It's the moments like these I cherish the most...6 hours trapped in an F-250 with my 17 year old daughter! Seriously, they are some of the most fun-loving, care free moments I have with her!

Picture this...I'm driving this HUGE truck and hauling a goose neck trailer with a 1500 pound very expensive, very loved horse it in. Meanwhile, as I am clutching the wheel, white knuckled that I may blow a tire, swerve into the seemingly endless array of concrete construction walls (is this our bailout money at work???), or worse, hit a pot hole and upset the equilibrium of the horse...I'm rocking out to the likes of Li'l Wayne, The Beach Boys (remember them?), The Black Eyed Peas, Ziggy Marley, David Bowie, Feist and Kanye West, accompanied by none other than the likes of Lady Gaga! (A big thank you to Elizabeth Kane and William Bell for the awesome CD's!) Am I a "hip" mom, or what? Seriously, I'm having a BLAST! I get to hang out with my kid and talk and sing at the top of my lungs...crazy, seriously crazy, lyrics! When and where else can I do that???

As you can imagine, given the amazing fun we were having, the six hours passed very quickly! Kentucky is an absolutely gorgeous State and The Kentucky Horse Park is a beacon in the midst of a beautiful green sea of grass. We quickly found the Region 3 stalls and were greeted by our wonderful Young Riders who arrived yesterday and today...hugs and laughter and lots of excitement!

This is going to be a super week!

Jess rides for the Equestrian Aid Foundation

2009-07-18T07:44:00.000-07:00

Jess and her trainer, Karen Lipp, recently had a discussion about how fortunate Jess is with her success in riding. For the third year in a row (on a different horse each year) she has qualified for and been invited to the National Championships and for the second time is participating in the North American Junior and Young Rider Championships (NAJYRC). Jess and Karen decided it was time for Jess to give back to her Equestrian Community.

So Jess wrote a letter to family and friends and her fellow riders and asked them to donate to the Equestrian Aid Foundation in recognition of her participation in the NAJYRC. (You can read more about EAF at their website: www.equestrianaidfoundation.org.)

To date, Jess has raised $1000 for EAF!

If you would like to donate, please send your check made out to EAF to Jess (so she can write you a thank you note!) at:

92 Golf Circle NE

Atlanta, GA 30309

2009 NAJYRC: Heading to Lexington

2009-07-18T06:48:00.000-07:00

It seems like yesterday we were trailering home from the Festival of Champions in Gladstone, New Jersey...where did the month go?

Jess and Coda have worked hard since arriving home...lots of attention has been paid to fine tuning their movements. Karen has tirelessly coached Jess to improve the connection with Coda, perfect the walk pirouettes and transitions and focus on lots of little details that translate into higher points from the judges. Jess was fortunate to ride with Michelle Gibson in her clinic, too. Michelle and Jess have a fun-loving relationship and Michelle really likes to push Jess to find solutions within herself that translate into a better ride with Coda. I think Jess and Coda have never looked more in sync!

There is lots that goes on between the National Championships and the NAJYRC. The girls were each required to obtain sponsors and sponsorships. Our four girls each wrote letters, made phone calls or cold called individuals and businesses asking for donations. It is a hard thing for any one to do, especially the first time you do it...but, the process of raising money and in kind donations really strengthens you individually and, especially, as a Team. These girls now KNOW they can do it! They received fantastic donations...including very generous financial support and in kind donations including Gum Bits and saddle pads, fabulous shirts and warm up outfits, coolers and stall guards, show gloves, stall guards and hat boxes!

I think being involved in this level of competition also encourages the girls to become more independent and self reliant. This past Thursday I was running late to meet up with Jess and help load the trailer, so, on my way, I called to check in with her. I turned the car around and came home...Jess had already loaded the trailer. For the first time since we have been trailering ourselves to shows, my baby didn't need my help after all...

Jess was in my bedroom one evening this week. We were talking about the upcoming Championship and I told her I thought she and Coda were "magic" together and that they had a real shot at placing this year. Jess told me (emphatically) her only goal was for her team to medal...any thing else she accomplished would be icing on the cake! I could barely speak...pride and emotion got the best of me.

I think that's what the NAJYRC does really well...and especially well for the 2009 Region 3 Junior Team. Ellen, Lauren, Kati and Jessie all care about each other as friends, team mates and fellow riders. Any achievements at the NAJYRC will truly be icing on the cake.

Photos from Saturday

2009-06-20T19:04:00.001-07:00

The Juniors from Region 3!

Alyssa Eidbo, Reserve Champion for the Brentina Cup!

Soaked to the core, but really, really happy!

2009-06-20T18:15:00.000-07:00

In the pouring rain they groom and tack up their horse, they get their "game day" face on and they walk the 8 minutes to the schooling arena. Their trainers "coach" them and help fine tune a few movements. The Technical Delegate (TD) calls them up. Whips are dropped and the walkie talkie or other communication device is removed. The coach murmurs words of encouragement and reminders. They exit the warm up and head up the hill to the main arena. They enter the arena completely alone and ready to do their test...

I am in awe. I don't know how else to express it. There is so much determination in these young people to succeed and be the best they can be. And some days they are rewarded. Today, our Region 3 Team was rewarded! The Junior girls received Reserve Champion (Lauren Knopp), 4th place (Katie Dagge), 7th place (Jessica Deimler) and 9th place (Ellen Wall). The Brentina riders received Reserve Champion (Alyssa Eidbo, from our own barn!), 3rd place (Kim Schisler), and 5th place (Devon Kane). We will know tomorrow how our Young Riders fare. McKenzie Jenkins, Mary Cameron Rollins and Caroline Roffman are amazing young women ready to be recognized for their abilities.

With the Festival of Champions nearly over, the girls are turning their sites on the NAJYRC titles in Lexington, Kentucky! We are so proud that Lauren, Katie, Jessica, and Ellen will represent the Juniors from Region 3! They are a group with deep connections and friendships: they were incredibly supportive of each other here in Gladstone and have already turned their excitement and attention to the new competition and challenges looming before them.

Meanwhile, we were organizing for the trip home. In the pouring rain, we packed the trailers, organized our soaked belongings into bags and staged the various items to be packed in the wee morning hours before dawn. My trailer was surrounded by a sea of mud and a wonderful man from the USET helped me to hitch and maneuver my trailer from the grass parking lot to the temporary tents. It made packing so much easier to have it at the edge of the stalls!

Jess and I plan to be on the road before 6 a.m. with a 14 hour drive ahead of us to Atlanta. My husband, Michael, will go with us to the barn and help us with the final loading before he heads back to the hotel to pick up Karen and go to the airport for their flight back to Atlanta. Jess and I already have our book on CD to listen to, but this time we will have to plan our stops to include gas AND food, since we won't have breakfast and lunch packed.

Being at Gladstone and the Collecting Gaits Festival of Champions has been a wonderful experience, again! How incredibly fortunate we are to have experienced this three times with our amazingly talented daughter, Jessica. We are so proud of her and all the young people who were here this week. We leave here tomorrow with heads held high.

And for Alyssa's dad:

A big "shout out" to the folks from Fox Glen! I'm thrilled to hear you have all been enjoying my blog from Gladstone!

Awards pix

2009-06-19T18:52:00.000-07:00

Jess and Karen

The Region 3 Junior Riders!
Kati Dagge, Ellen Wall, Lauren Knopp and Jessica Deimler

2009-06-19T18:45:00.000-07:00

Jess, Karen and Michael

Jess, warming up in the morning

Annaliese Vogt-Harber, Ellen Wall and her mom, Emily Mays

Jess in the awards ceremony! 4th Place!

Winners: Each and Every One

2009-06-19T17:43:00.000-07:00

Game Day! The emotions take over on the first day of competition for the Junior Riders. The girls attend to their horses...grooming and bathing, running through their tests. They are friendly and talkative with each other, but a little more reserved than previous days. The clock ticks slowly by while they wait for their class to begin. It is almost painful because all the girls can do is wait.

Thankfully, the sun came out today and attempted to dry out the footing and the grounds. It partially succeeded. The USET headquarters is such a beautiful place...mud or no mud!

Part of the morning was spent watching the Young Riders. The rides were terrific to watch! I think I find the Junior and Young Riders to be especially inspirational, as they come to a Show of this magnitude with such pride and awe for where they are and for the opportunity to literally "rub shoulders" with the riders of the Grand Prix and I1. They are wide-eyed with hope and expectation...these young people are the future of the sport of dressage!

Nerves! Moms, dads, grandparents, friends, riders, grooms, owners, and trainers...we all experience it at that moment of entry into the Arena. It is excruciating...a painful and physical reaction to something completely out of our control! We want everyone's ride to be their best...but we also want "our rider" to be "the best".

My rider, Jessica, had a terrific day placing 4th with a 64.7%. Of course, she wishes she hadn't made those little mistakes... and tomorrow she will work hard to make the corrections her trainer and the judges pointed out to her.

I know this for sure: I am so proud! My child and every one else's child today had strength of character, will power, determination, and hope. They got on their horses and rode into the ring with the hope that today would be "their" day. I think every rider here is a winner just because they are competing at the Collecting Gaits Festival of Champions!

2009-06-18T11:00:00.000-07:00

USET Headquarters...Drenched!

Alyssa Eidbo and Johnny Cash

Pouring, unrelenting rain!

Raindrops keep falling on my head...

2009-06-18T10:49:00.001-07:00

Soggy, soggy, soggy! National Championships and pouring rain are not meant to go together! It has been pouring since early this morning...and everything is wet and muddy! The Brentina riders were incredible troopers and started their tests at 9 a.m. with our own, Alyssa Eidbo from Atlanta and Top Hat Dressage riding first. Alyssa had a clean test and scored a 64.974 which, after all the other riders rode, put her in 4th place. The top 4 riders are only separated by a point and a half, so anything is possible on Saturday, when the Brentina riders go again.

The rain is so hammering and the arena's footing so bad, that the officials cancelled the remaining competition for today. They will start an hour earlier tomorrow and the entire schedule has changed. Jess is now riding at 1:45 tomorrow...Game On!

2009-06-17T20:44:00.000-07:00

Region 3 Juniors

Region 3 Girls

Jess in the Show Arena for warmup

Adrienne Lyle

Terri Kane and Mike

2009-06-17T20:29:00.000-07:00

What a terrific day! Jess had an amazing ride this morning in a crazy busy arena. I don't know how they didn't all run into each other...busy, busy, busy! Coda seems really settled and confident. And so does Jess....

After lunch at a super diner in Chester, NJ we headed to Bevel Saddlery to pick up a few necessities. We got back to the barn and realized it was much later than we thought...2:30! The Jog was to begin at 4! Jess didn't have her jog outfit on, let alone with her! We HAD to go back to the hotel!

What a depressing trip back...we saw a "Bambi" deer on the side of the road...newly struck by a car. (Bambi = infant deer....) Then, when we pulled into the parking lot at the hotel we saw a beautiful Crow with something pinned. We thought it was eating trash....WRONG!!! Oh My God, it had attacked and had pinned a sweet little sparrow. Jess jumped out of the truck to try to save it...and just as she approached, the Crow took off with the Sparrow in it's beak. We were devastated!

We rushed up to our rooms and I frantically hemmed and ironed Jess's jog pants. She looked absolutely adorable. We flew out of the hotel and drove like mad to the barn only to realize they had extended the start time for the jog from 4 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Whew! We had a little more time than we realized! Jess braided Coda and then the Region 3 girls got a little crazy...some serious Bonding was to commence. (Check out the photos!) I gotta tell ya, that the Region 3 Girls ROCK! They are friends, supportive of each other, teammates, crazy fun, full of life, and amazingly talented young women. I am in awe of them all!

The jog was the most frightening I've even attended. There was serious testosterone surging and some very scary Stallion moments! It is wonderful that no one and no horse was injured today during the jog!

The crazy day ended with a terrific dinner at the Gladstone Tavern with Annaliese Vogt-Harber, Ellen Wall and her mom, Emily, Kati and Birgitt Dagge, Karen Lipp, and our family (myself, Mike and Jessie). We had a blast!

Tomorrow, our own, Alyssa Eidbo, starts the entire competition off with her ride at 9 a.m. in the Brentina Cup Championship! Wish them lots of luck!

2009-06-16T19:23:00.000-07:00

Karen and her girls: Alyssa Eidbo (Brentina Cup Rider) and Jess, (her Junior) at the Gladstone Tavern

Karen and Jess outside the Gladstone Tavern

Jess and Coda riding over the ridge

Jess and Coda: The Meadow

More photos from Gladstone

2009-06-16T18:57:00.000-07:00

Devon Kane

Jess riding Coda! Check out that mane!

Debbie McDonald

Stacy and Jimmy Jenkins (McKenzie's parents)

Karen Lipp and Michelle Gibson

Michelle (tired of me taking pictures...)

The trailers came marching one by one...

2009-06-16T18:31:00.000-07:00

The wind shifted today and everything started to change. It wasn't so quiet and peaceful anymore. It didn't feel like we were on a camping trip...Trailers arrived all day long, unloading horses and riders. Folks set up their horse's stalls and their tack stalls. Riders tacked up their horses and got them accustomed to their new surroundings. Everyone rode up in the Show arena. There was lots and lots of activity!

Kristina Wang, a young rider this year, and her mom, Tracy came over to say "hi". We met them in Gladstone for the 2007 Festival of Champions. It was great to see them back with Kristina's beautiful mare, Belladiva. Kristina has been working with the Barteau's in Illinois while taking a year off from college.

Jess rode up in the Show arena at 10 am. It is about a 10 minute walk from the tent stalls to the Show arena. A beautiful walk through an amazingly lush and green meadow. There are bleachers surrounding the arena and the usual judges huts. There are plants and flowers and banners. It is a lot for a horse to take in and not be freaked out by! Jess entered the arena and because we have been here since Saturday night, Coda has been in that arena 2-3 times a day walking around and exploring all the stimuli. He was terrific today! Karen schooled Jess surrounded by the likes of Debbie McDonald, Adrienne Lyle, and other riders and trainers from Juniors to Grand Prix riders. It was fun and interesting and humbling. Karen, Jess and I were reminded of how incredibly fortunate Jessie is to be here for the third year in a row.

Alyssa's lesson was after Jess, so we headed back to the tent stalls to give Coda a bath. We iced him and hung out and talked. Melody decided she had to find one of my amazingly versatile portable electric generators. So, after feeding Coda lunch, we headed for the nearest Home Depot to get one for Melody and one for Karen. We all enjoyed a fun lunch together and then Karen announced it was time for us to "entertain her". We went shopping at the mall! It was actually lots of fun and Jess found an adorable dress and really cute shoes for the Competitor's Party tomorrow night.

After having about a half an hour at the hotel, we headed back to the barn to feed and do our chores. Fellow Junior rider, Ellen Wall and her mom, Emily and trainer, Annaliese Vogt-Harber had arrived, so we greeted them and heard about their trip from Atlanta to New Jersey. We had dinner reservations at the Gladstone Tavern, so we rounded up Melody and Alyssa and made our way to the main barn to check in and get out registration materials before we went to dinner. We had such a fun time at dinner! We laughed, told goofy stories and enjoyed delicious food.

Night check was quick! We picked the stall, gave Coda a few flakes of hay, put on his blanket (it is still only in the mid 50's at night...brrrrrr!), and filled his water buckets. Then we headed back to the hotel for alone time.

Tomorrow is the Jog and Competitor's Party! A Huge Day!

Trainer "High"

2009-06-15T18:38:00.000-07:00

I slept like a rock last night! Nothing like lots of fresh air and hard physical work to help you sleep!

Jess and I made a Starbuck's run (thank God it is across the street from the hotel) before we headed to the barn to feed, walk and graze Coda. He had a super night...ate all his hay, drank another bucket and a half of his water, played with his lickit, and laid down again (we could tell because of all the shavings attached to his blanket-it got cold last night!). Jess walked Coda with our friend and fellow Atlanta barn mate, Alyssa Eidbo and her horse, Johnny Cash. Afterwards, Jess and McKenzie Jenkins piled in my car and Alyssa and her mom, Melody Moore-Jackson, followed us to Bevel Saddlery. What a super tack store! We had fun browsing and buying...but not too much! Then, Jess, McKenzie and I headed to the grocery store to stock up on apples, carrots and bananas, Coda's new favorite fruit!

We headed back to the barn to unload and meet up with McKenzie's parents, Stacey and Jimmy. We toured the main barn with the Jenkin's family...took photos with the Show Secretary, Patsy Albers, and then headed to lunch at the Gladstone Tavern. YUM! This was our favorite restaurant when Jess and Sion's Shadow competed here in 2007. It didn't let us down!

When we got back to the barn, we hung out chatting with fellow riders and their moms until Karen arrived. (Karen Lipp is Jessie's trainer.) About 2:00 Michelle Gibson pulled in followed closely by Karen! Jess had Coda in the cross ties tacked up and ready to ride, but we weren't sure if she was going to have to lunge him first. Often at Shows, Coda gets pretty wild and crazy. If he is "hot", we need to find him an outlet for some of that energy. It is like having a three year old child that needs to go the park, or swim, or do something physical so he or she can be in control again. But, Coda was terrific and Jessie had a super ride and a great lesson. I think Coda feels comfortable and doesn't have a lot of pent up energy and anxiety because Jess has been hand walking him three times a day, all around the grounds.

Karen, Michelle, Devon Kane and I hung out talking while Coda was being iced. Jess caught up with her "people". This is what I love about Shows...you get to connect with people. No one is in a hurry, running to a meeting, needing to do this, that or the other thing. Folks are on "barn time" and happy to sit and chat.

At 5 we departed for the hotel to get cleaned up for dinner. It was just Karen, Jessie and I, but we had a great time and had a delicious dinner at the hotel restaurant, T Bones. Afterwards, Jess and I did night check for Coda and Johnny Cash. We filled their water buckets, gave them hay, put on their blankets (it is only going to be in the mid 50's tonight!) and gave them a treat. Sleep tight, boys!

Tomorrow we get to sleep a little later because Alyssa and Melody are doing breakfast!

more photos

2009-06-15T18:27:00.001-07:00

Alyssa Eidbo (Brentina Cup rider from our barn in Atlanta) and Jessie coming out of the Show Arena.

Jessie and McKenzie Jenkins just outside the Show Arena.

Alyssa stringing a power cord to have electricity for Johnny's fan!

Photos!

2009-06-15T15:18:00.000-07:00

Jess in front of the United States Equestrian Team's sign at the Entrance.

Young Rider, McKenzie Jenkins with Jess and Patsy Albers, the Show Secretary for Nationals.
Karen Lipp and Michelle Gibson (Trainers Extraordinaire!!!)

Sunday...not exactly a walk in the park!

2009-06-14T19:23:00.000-07:00

Jess and I rewarded ourselves a little and slept until 7:30 this morning. We also got room service for breakfast...which ended up being a mistake. Oh well!

We drove the brief 15 minutes to the USET headquarters and found Coda covered in shavings, a sure sign he was down during the night. A great thing! Lying down to sleep means a horse feels comfortable and safe. He had consumed much of one water bucket and 1/2 of the other one! Also a great sign! There were lots of "buried treasures" to discover, too! (Coda has a lovely habit of burying his potty in the shavings...Jess and I like to joke that they are "buried treasure", as we have to hunt for them.)

Following breakfast, Jess took Coda on his first walk of the USET warm up arenas, grounds, and main Show arena. He was full of energy and whinnied in search of other horses during the entire walk. He actually got lucky and got a few return whinnies! The grounds are absolutely beautiful...lush and green. Coda also greatly enjoyed munching on the grass and clover. And the walk through the grounds is quite a workout for the horse and the person doing the hand walking!

Jess came across Adrienne Lyle in the warm up barn. We met Adrienne at the Festival of Champions in San Juan Capistrano, CA last year. Adrienne has trained with and been the assistant to Debbie McDonald, who retired from competition earlier this year. Adrienne won the Brentina cup (named for Debbie's famous mare, Brentina) at last year's championships and this year is competing as a professional. She is a terrific rider and a really sweet young woman.

Coda is housed in temporary tent stalls. Nothing fancy, but they work! The bad part about them is that we aren't near any electrical source, so plugging anything in isn't possible. There are lights strung through the tent that are run off a generator, but the generator can't really support much else. So, we went in search of a portable generator. God, I love Home Depot! You can always find one and the people are so incredibly helpful! We had this wonderful woman helping us figure out which size we needed and settled on a very basic model that was rechargeable and I could plug our Game Ready icing machine into it directly. It didn't break the bank, either. (I only spent $100, Michael!)

We headed back to the USET to ice Coda's legs. This is a ritual we do after every ride. Coda has "wind puffs" and the icing is really helpful in reducing the swelling he experiences in his legs. (I have no idea what "wind puffs" are other than that they are little pockets of fluid in his legs that feel squishy. I do know they don't hurt him or cause him any difficultly...probably because we take such good care of him by wrapping his legs at night and icing him after work.) Coda LOVES being iced. He gets lots of attention because we hang out with him! And, today, we actually were IN his stall with him cleaning the inside of the tent walls. He was so happy to have the company!

I think the long trip got the best of us this afternoon. We came back to the hotel to take a break and I fell asleep for about an hour. Jess texted me at 5 to see if I was ready to go back and feed Coda dinner. While we were doing our evening routine, our friends, Jimmy, Stacey and McKenzie Jenkins arrived from Tennessee. I helped them get their stall set up, while McKenzie walked Tsarina around the "barn". McKenzie is competing as a Young Rider this year.

After we fed Coda, we headed straight to dinner at Maggiano's, across the street from our hotel. Who knew there'd be a wait at 6:45 on a Sunday evening? Luckily, Mary Cameron Rollins and her mom, Jo, Molly (M.C.'s trainer), and Caroline Roffman were there and had been waiting for a table. They invited us to join them! We had so much fun! We talked, shared pictures of our dogs (of course!!!), laughed, told stories and enjoyed a yummy dinner. Then, we all headed back to the barn for night check. It is supposed to be in the 50's tonight so we decided to put a cooler on Coda. We didn't bring a proper sheet (who would have thought it would be so cool...), so we used the cooler because it has a belly strap. We did our chores, gave Coda a few treats and headed back to the hotel for a shower and good night sleep!

Karen arrives tomorrow after lunch!

A long day...

2009-06-14T04:34:00.001-07:00

The alarm sounded and it felt like I had just closed my eyes...but, there it was beeping, and when I looked at the time, it was 4 a.m. Time to get up! I rolled out of bed, brushed my teeth, got dressed and grabbed my toiletry bags. (Yes, bags! After 40 it takes two to carry all the things I need to save my skin and make myself look presentable! Haha)

Jess and I were in the SUV for the 45 minute drive to Top Hat Dressage. We were MACHINES! We loaded the hay we soaked overnight to help Coda stay hydrated, transfered our stuff from the SUV and loaded Coda. We were on our way in 30 minutes! Now that's teamwork!!!

We decided to bring along Jessie's summer reading books from Woodward, although we got the on CD to listen to in the car. What a great idea! We listened to the first book the entire way and really enjoyed it. Tortilla Curtain by T. C. Boyle, is the book. It is a terrific exploration of illegal and non illegal immigrants (mostly Mexican and other Central and South American folks) and their efforts at survival in Southern California. The book is a fictionalized story of several American's and their encounters with these folks. I will tell you this, it really opened my eyes to the struggle these people go through when they choose to come illegally into our country. It is heartbreaking and heartwarming!

Jess and I drove straight through with only stops for gas/potty breaks and to adjust Coda's hay. We made it in 14 hours and arrived at the USET headquarters before dark. That was our goal! Karen will be proud of me, because I FINALLY used those 60 plus pounds of rubber mats in Coda's stall! I'm glad I brought them, because the ground is all crush and run and gravel and Coda is a digger! As soon as we got him in his new stall he began pawing the ground to see what kind of a mess he could make...HA! Fooled him! He gave up and played with his lickit(hanging horse treat), instead! We were relieved that after that many hours in the trailer, Coda drank, pooped, pee-ed and ate his hay and grain like it was just another day at home! What a good traveler!

We worked till after dark unloading and setting up the tack stall and then I parked and unhitched the trailer in the dark. It was 9:30 when we finally left to go check in a the hotel. Thankfully, the hotel was only a 15 minute drive away! What a day!

The night before departure

2009-06-12T12:26:00.000-07:00

The truck and trailer are loaded and hitched and we are ready to go! Tomorrow morning we depart for Gladstone, New Jersey and the Collecting Gaits Festival of Champions. Jess will be competing against 11 other girls in the Junior division on Saturday, June 20th and Sunday, June 21st. This will be my first foray into the world of blogging...my high tech attempt to let you all know what we are up to, what a show of this magnitude is like and how Jess and Coda do in their quest.