I drove to North Start Training Center in Chapel Hill on Saturday, stopped the car, got out and wondered what that noise was. The 13 year cicadas are in full voice in that part of the state and they spent the day dive bombing us and landing on everything. The sound they make is incredible!
Henk van Bergen did a magnificent job both talking over the cicadas and sharing his training concepts. The symposium’s title was “Achieving Throughness” which as Henk explained is not one concept but a combination of many. Henk also shared many insights and much wisdom with a very appreciative audience. For me it was another opportunity to affirm that the training scale is the correct approach to progressing dressage horses through the levels.
After a brief introduction Henk explained the importance of the warm up with horses at all levels. “The horse must be in front of the rider’s leg and there must be contact with the reins. It is the combination of responsiveness to the leg aid and the feeling with the hands that creates balance.” Henk went on to explain the importance of the warm as a diagnostic for the training session. “The warm up should be as short as possible and as long as necessary. The rider must look for that feeling from the horse that he is ready to work. Once you have control of the rhythm and the body position by influencing the neck through the reins you have balance, then you can teach whatever you like.”
Henk is a strong believer in the use of transitions to develop the horse. He calls the gaits the building blocks and the transitions the cement between the blocks. “Transitions increase the strength in the hind leg” he said. He asked each demonstration rider no matter what level they were riding to start with transitions within the gaits before doing transitions between the gaits. “If you practice transitions between the gaits before the horse is supple you create tension. Practicing transitions within the gait also reduces anticipation and loss of balance. You reward by allowing the horse to change gaits when he is balanced and soft.”
For the warm up Henk wanted each horse to demonstrate a relaxed, forward stretch at the trot. The riders were instructed to maintain contact in the stretch and not allow the horse to lower his head much below the point of the shoulder as this tips the horse on the forehand and blocks the shoulder. “Horses that are unwilling to stretch are often scared or not trusting. You cannot have relaxation with tension so using artificial aids to tie their head down just does not work they must be relaxed through their back.” Henk said, “Stretching allows the hind leg to step under the body. When you take a break allow the horse total freedom of his neck but maintain the activity of the walk. When the break is over the only thing you need to reestablish is the contact.” Henk advised not to ask for more energy and power than the horse’s level of relaxation can handle. He observed that horse’s that are fussy in the mouth are showing us that there is a problem behind the saddle often related to the hind leg not being sufficiently active.
Henk had thoughts on sitting the trot. He observed that it is difficult to sit the trot if the horse is not using its back correctly. “It is not good for the horse or the rider” he said. “Once the back is relaxed sitting trot becomes a lot easier, sitting trot without stirrups can be bone jarring for horse and rider unless the horse is using his back correctly.”
Henk cautioned riders to be very aware of what their horses were communicating with them. “You can be firm with a horse if he understands the meaning of the aids. If he does not understand or does not want to his reaction is very similar, but the rider’s reaction would be very different in each case.” Henk used the image of someone typing to illustrate how the aids must be applied one at a time to make sense to the horse. “An accomplished typist appears to be using multiple keys at one time but in reality they are only using one key at a time. That is how it must be when we ride - one aid at a time.”
Development through the levels was illustrated by each demonstration rider being a level higher than the previous one. Henk said that development can be very slow and likened it to grass growing. “You don’t see the grass grow but every Saturday people are out there cutting it” he said. “As the horse develops his balance improves. It is like someone learning to walk a tight rope. Initially, he uses his arms a lot for balance and his body may waiver. The accomplished rope walker can walk the rope with his hands down.” As Henk explained this he demonstrated the concept much to the delight of the crowd. “Transitions improve balance, but there is a fine line between not doing enough and doing too much” Henk said. “There is also a fine line between good training and abuse!”
Throughout the day, Henk shared his ideas on teaching and coaching. He advised instructors to identify what a horse and rider combination can do well. “The horse maybe capable of FEI work but this is only possible if the rider is educated too” he said. “We must find what the pair can do together.” Henk also observed that breeders are producing horses that are built for dressage who can often compensate for the rider’s lack of feel. On the flip side he also noted that these well bred horses often have temperaments that are more difficult to deal with.
Henk noted that it is important for riders to enjoy the level they are at and enjoy the process. He suggested that the teacher is a translator for the horse and helps the student to understand the feedback the horse is giving him. Personally, I really liked this and it makes a strong case for instructors to be active riders whenever possible. “The good teacher does not give too much information at once” said Henk. “The teacher selects which mistakes impede progress and development the most and works on these first. It is not even necessary to mention the other problems that are going on until the student understands the concepts you are trying to teach.”
I was impressed by Henk’s approach to training. He understands horses and is practical pointing out that not every horse is built for dressage and that riders need to recognize this if they plan to work their way up the levels. His training philosophy reflects the training scale and he did a magnificent job of explaining why the training scale works and how to use it in the development of the dressage horse.
Now about those cicadas – they kept up their noise all day, I guess if you only emerge every thirteen years you have a reason to celebrate!
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Expanding our Capabilities
With the horses almost ready for summer camp, the tack packed and the decision as to which horse goes to which camp made, we finally have time to develop some new skills or brush up on some old ones! For me this includes making my riding a priority. I am riding every day which is a big change from when school was in session and I was lucky if I got to feed Max an apple each day!
In the office I am working on integrating our social media to make it work together as much as possible and trying to keep up with this ever changing medium. Don't laugh, but it has taken me quite a while to figure out how to embed YouTube videos into facebook and the blog. I am so proud of the achievement that I'm using this post as a practice. If you have not seen Max's Guided Tour of the SAPC Equestrian Center take a look now. Max has shot more footage for his future videos and is waiting for his editor to piece it together. Next up Max's Guided Tour of the Ride-Like-A-Knight Therapeutic Horsemanship Program.
In the office I am working on integrating our social media to make it work together as much as possible and trying to keep up with this ever changing medium. Don't laugh, but it has taken me quite a while to figure out how to embed YouTube videos into facebook and the blog. I am so proud of the achievement that I'm using this post as a practice. If you have not seen Max's Guided Tour of the SAPC Equestrian Center take a look now. Max has shot more footage for his future videos and is waiting for his editor to piece it together. Next up Max's Guided Tour of the Ride-Like-A-Knight Therapeutic Horsemanship Program.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Where Did They Go?
Saturday May 7th, we said goodbye to 120 seniors as they take the next step forward in the journey that is their life. They are all special people with strong connections at St. Andrews having survived four years with the cloud of accreditation issues hanging over their heads. Many of them came to St Andrews because of the Equestrian program and have spent four years riding horses, organizing horse shows, participating in horse shows, volunteering for Therapeutic Horsemanship, participating in non equine activities such as choir or theater and fitting in some study time to earn a degree in Business Administration, Biology, Psychology, or Sport and Recreation.
The Therapeutic Horsemanship (TH) majors are headed into a TH or an equine related job. Kathryn Sorgenfrei will be joining December graduate Laura Dyer at Heads Up! Therapeutic Riding Center in Pittsboro NC. Heads up! is a NARHA premier accredited center. Laura and Kate will be working to build the program. Fiona Lindsey Delfino is going to Florida to serve as Director of Horses Helping People (HOPE) in Archer, Florida. “I am so excited,” said Fi “I found this job doing research for my equine business management project. I called them up and it has turned out to be a perfect fit. It is 20 minutes from my Dad’s house and as I turned in the driveway I just had a great feeling about the facility and after I met everyone I felt even better about it.” Liz Dulski is taking her considerable teaching skills to Camp Seafarer in Arapahoe, NC. The campers are lucky to have such a talented teacher on the staff. All these graduates were student leaders in the Ride-Like-A-Knight Therapeutic Riding program as well as participating in other campus activities.
Students in the Business Administration program some doing straight business and some with a Specialization in Equine Business Management are headed in several different directions. Audrey Bolte is serving as Equestrian Director with Rockbrook Camp for Girls in Brevard, NC. St. Andrews sends several horses to this camp which Audrey will be responsible for as well as running the equestrian part of the camp. Audrey’s good friend Audrey Hayden is taking a different path she is going to work for EMO Equine Insurance Agency in Warrenton, VA. “I already sent them a new customer,” said Audrey, “Bri bought a new horse and needed insurance. I was able to refer her to EMO.” Both Audreys contributed a lot to the equestrian program, serving as Riding Council Officers riding on the ANRC and IHSA teams and both are very tall! Amanda Ligouri accepted a position as barn manager at Stepping Stone farm in Andover, NJ. “It is fairly close to my home and is exactly what I was looking for out of college.” said Amanda. “I can't believe that four years have gone by so fast, but they will never be forgotten, that's for sure. “ Amanda was a member of the IHSA hunter seat team and spent many hours at the barn taking care of the horses.
Jesse Elliot and Kate Hollingsworth chose to get “regular” jobs to support their horse habit. Jesse has been offered a job as Marketing Assistant for Atlantic Seaboard Corporation in Wilmington, NC and Kate has accepted a position at Stage Stores as an Executive Trainee in South Hill, VA. After training Kate will become a store manager.
Kelsey Moody who served as Riding Council President and a team leader for the western team studied psychology at St. Andrews. Kelsey came to school with considerable equestrian experience and has been a motivator and supporter of her team mates and fellow equestrians. During her time at school Kelsey rode on the IHSA western and hunter seat teams and would do Reining demonstrations at various events sometimes bridle less! Kelsey has accepted a job with the Children’s Special Services for occupational therapy in Atlanta, GA. Her plans also include going to Brenau University’s graduate school to pursue a masters in occupational therapy.
Marisa Hughes who graduated with honors with a degree in Biology with a Specialization in Equine Science has a job as a veterinary assistant at Crofton Veterinary Center in Maryland. “I need to do the small animal stuff as well as the horses to get into Vet school so this is a great job for me.” Marisa rode on both the hunter seat and western IHSA teams at St. Andrews.
Philip Ratchford is not going anywhere. He graduated with a degree in Sport and Recreation Studies and has been hired by St. Andrews to serve in Sports Information. Phil was an officer of the Therapeutic Horsemanship club, rode western, sang in the choir, performed in college productions, assisted with scoring at college games and just like all the students in this article was active in supporting his peers in all their endeavors both on and off a horse.
The Therapeutic Horsemanship (TH) majors are headed into a TH or an equine related job. Kathryn Sorgenfrei will be joining December graduate Laura Dyer at Heads Up! Therapeutic Riding Center in Pittsboro NC. Heads up! is a NARHA premier accredited center. Laura and Kate will be working to build the program. Fiona Lindsey Delfino is going to Florida to serve as Director of Horses Helping People (HOPE) in Archer, Florida. “I am so excited,” said Fi “I found this job doing research for my equine business management project. I called them up and it has turned out to be a perfect fit. It is 20 minutes from my Dad’s house and as I turned in the driveway I just had a great feeling about the facility and after I met everyone I felt even better about it.” Liz Dulski is taking her considerable teaching skills to Camp Seafarer in Arapahoe, NC. The campers are lucky to have such a talented teacher on the staff. All these graduates were student leaders in the Ride-Like-A-Knight Therapeutic Riding program as well as participating in other campus activities.
Students in the Business Administration program some doing straight business and some with a Specialization in Equine Business Management are headed in several different directions. Audrey Bolte is serving as Equestrian Director with Rockbrook Camp for Girls in Brevard, NC. St. Andrews sends several horses to this camp which Audrey will be responsible for as well as running the equestrian part of the camp. Audrey’s good friend Audrey Hayden is taking a different path she is going to work for EMO Equine Insurance Agency in Warrenton, VA. “I already sent them a new customer,” said Audrey, “Bri bought a new horse and needed insurance. I was able to refer her to EMO.” Both Audreys contributed a lot to the equestrian program, serving as Riding Council Officers riding on the ANRC and IHSA teams and both are very tall! Amanda Ligouri accepted a position as barn manager at Stepping Stone farm in Andover, NJ. “It is fairly close to my home and is exactly what I was looking for out of college.” said Amanda. “I can't believe that four years have gone by so fast, but they will never be forgotten, that's for sure. “ Amanda was a member of the IHSA hunter seat team and spent many hours at the barn taking care of the horses.
Jesse Elliot and Kate Hollingsworth chose to get “regular” jobs to support their horse habit. Jesse has been offered a job as Marketing Assistant for Atlantic Seaboard Corporation in Wilmington, NC and Kate has accepted a position at Stage Stores as an Executive Trainee in South Hill, VA. After training Kate will become a store manager.
Kelsey Moody who served as Riding Council President and a team leader for the western team studied psychology at St. Andrews. Kelsey came to school with considerable equestrian experience and has been a motivator and supporter of her team mates and fellow equestrians. During her time at school Kelsey rode on the IHSA western and hunter seat teams and would do Reining demonstrations at various events sometimes bridle less! Kelsey has accepted a job with the Children’s Special Services for occupational therapy in Atlanta, GA. Her plans also include going to Brenau University’s graduate school to pursue a masters in occupational therapy.
Marisa Hughes who graduated with honors with a degree in Biology with a Specialization in Equine Science has a job as a veterinary assistant at Crofton Veterinary Center in Maryland. “I need to do the small animal stuff as well as the horses to get into Vet school so this is a great job for me.” Marisa rode on both the hunter seat and western IHSA teams at St. Andrews.
Philip Ratchford is not going anywhere. He graduated with a degree in Sport and Recreation Studies and has been hired by St. Andrews to serve in Sports Information. Phil was an officer of the Therapeutic Horsemanship club, rode western, sang in the choir, performed in college productions, assisted with scoring at college games and just like all the students in this article was active in supporting his peers in all their endeavors both on and off a horse.
Monday, May 9, 2011
The End of the Academic Year
Wow! Have we had a busy weekend with the IHSA hunter seat team and western individuals in Kentucky at Nationals, Baccalaureate Friday and Commencement Saturday. Half the staff travelled to the Kentucky Horse Park to either coach or learn how to run the National Championships that we will be hosting next year for Zone 4 Region 3. (The region is the actual host, but I am pretty sure SAPC is going to do the majority of the work!) At home the rest of us pulled together to take care of the horses, attend the end of year ceremonies and honor our graduates with a lunch in the party palace (also known as the TH indoor arena).
So IHSA first, a great weekend for Coach Duda and the hunter seat team. Early results had the team in 2nd place. After three days of competition the team placed 7th overall. A great achievement for the first time SAPC has sent a hunter seat team to the National Championships. Contributing to team points were Sami Cram in novice over fences in 5th place and intermediate flat 4th place, and Jen Callahan novice on the flat 4th.
Senior Rob Jacobs represented SAPC extremely well in the USEF/Cacchione Cup which is awarded to the National Individual Hunter Seat High Point Rider. After the first over fences phase Rob was in sixth place. During the flat phase he moved up to third place and held onto that placing following a ride off. Only 1.5 points separated the top three riders. What a great way to end a college career!
Saturday afternoon the four seniors dressed in blue gowns and hats participated in their own graduation ceremony conducted by program director Peggy McElveen. Missing graduation at SAPC is a sacrifice and Peggy made sure the seniors were recognized for their academic achievements. During graduation at SAPC Dean Hopkins made special mention of the seniors that were competing at IHSA.
Sunday our two individuals for western took the stage and both ended up as Reserve National Champions in their divisions! Brittany Powell in Intermediate Horsemanship and Leah Davison in Walk/Jog. Leah’s family was on hand to celebrate with her and handed her the keys to a new F150 as a graduation gift!
Speaking of graduation, SAPC does a terrific job with one of the prettiest graduation ceremonies anywhere. The pipe band leads the faculty, trustees and graduates across the cause walk to the library terrace for the ceremony. It is a great photo opportunity for parents and friends. Several times the graduating class was recognized for their courage to stick with SAPC during the tough times with our accrediting agency SACS. This class were freshmen when the dispute began and have stuck with the school for their entire college career. With the partnership with Webber International moving forward the classes’ commitment has paid off for both the graduates and the school.
Alexandra Hartner was remembered by her classmate Dani Buchanan during the ceremony. Alex was tragically killed in a car accident in January of 2008. Alex was at SAPC for a short time but she is greatly missed by all who knew her.
As is our tradition the Equestrian staff hosted lunch for the graduates and their families. About 100 people joined us in the party palace for some home made goodies and an opportunity to wind down after the earlier formalities. Family members also have an opportunity to see the equestrian center as many grandparents, aunts, uncles and siblings have never visited. Graduation is always bitter sweet. We don’t want to see our friends move on but at the same time we are proud of their accomplishments and know they will go out into the world as servant leaders to give back to the greater community.
So IHSA first, a great weekend for Coach Duda and the hunter seat team. Early results had the team in 2nd place. After three days of competition the team placed 7th overall. A great achievement for the first time SAPC has sent a hunter seat team to the National Championships. Contributing to team points were Sami Cram in novice over fences in 5th place and intermediate flat 4th place, and Jen Callahan novice on the flat 4th.
Senior Rob Jacobs represented SAPC extremely well in the USEF/Cacchione Cup which is awarded to the National Individual Hunter Seat High Point Rider. After the first over fences phase Rob was in sixth place. During the flat phase he moved up to third place and held onto that placing following a ride off. Only 1.5 points separated the top three riders. What a great way to end a college career!
Saturday afternoon the four seniors dressed in blue gowns and hats participated in their own graduation ceremony conducted by program director Peggy McElveen. Missing graduation at SAPC is a sacrifice and Peggy made sure the seniors were recognized for their academic achievements. During graduation at SAPC Dean Hopkins made special mention of the seniors that were competing at IHSA.
Sunday our two individuals for western took the stage and both ended up as Reserve National Champions in their divisions! Brittany Powell in Intermediate Horsemanship and Leah Davison in Walk/Jog. Leah’s family was on hand to celebrate with her and handed her the keys to a new F150 as a graduation gift!
Speaking of graduation, SAPC does a terrific job with one of the prettiest graduation ceremonies anywhere. The pipe band leads the faculty, trustees and graduates across the cause walk to the library terrace for the ceremony. It is a great photo opportunity for parents and friends. Several times the graduating class was recognized for their courage to stick with SAPC during the tough times with our accrediting agency SACS. This class were freshmen when the dispute began and have stuck with the school for their entire college career. With the partnership with Webber International moving forward the classes’ commitment has paid off for both the graduates and the school.
Alexandra Hartner was remembered by her classmate Dani Buchanan during the ceremony. Alex was tragically killed in a car accident in January of 2008. Alex was at SAPC for a short time but she is greatly missed by all who knew her.
As is our tradition the Equestrian staff hosted lunch for the graduates and their families. About 100 people joined us in the party palace for some home made goodies and an opportunity to wind down after the earlier formalities. Family members also have an opportunity to see the equestrian center as many grandparents, aunts, uncles and siblings have never visited. Graduation is always bitter sweet. We don’t want to see our friends move on but at the same time we are proud of their accomplishments and know they will go out into the world as servant leaders to give back to the greater community.
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| Rob Jacobs, 3rd in the USEF/Cacchione Cup |
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| Seniors Audrey Bolte, Jen Callahan, Leah Davison & Rob Jacobs |
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| Leah with her parents and Reserve Champion Ribbon |
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| Graduation at SAPC, crossing the Cause Walk |
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Congratulations Lindsey Agaliotis 6th in Nation at Upper Training!
The University of Florida hosted the IDA National Championships at Canterbury Show Place in Newberry, Florida April 30 – May 1.
Lindsey Agaliotis represented St. Andrews in the Upper Training division riding test 3. “Lindsey is a great student and takes her horsemanship very seriously” said coach Jackie Dwelle. “On Saturday, she watched every horse go, recorded all of the scores and talked to as many people as possible to learn as much as she could about the horses she could potentially draw. The individual draw was on Sunday at 7:00 a.m. and right after the draw she was talking to riders that rode the horse the day before and found a local person who knew the horse well. By the time she got on the horse we had a game plan and strategy for our 10 minute warm up.” Dwelle continued, “In my opinion she achieved her goal of showing off the horse to the best of his ability. The horse could be tense and a little stiff. During the warm up Lindsey worked on stretching and transitions to relax and supple him. During her test she said he felt a little less relaxed but I did not see that.”
Lindsey placed 6th overall with a score of 63%, the horse she rode placed 12th with his second rider. “We were all very please with this result” said Dwelle. “Lindsey’s parents were there the entire weekend and could not have been more supportive. They pitched in to help wherever we needed it, putting up banners and organizing the awards presentation on Saturday. They were fantastic, I’m so grateful for their help and support.”
Unlike previous hosts the University of Florida does not have a large equestrian program. The Gators ride with their coach Bridgette Boland at her home in Newberry. Bridgette, nine very dedicated University of Florida students, and some wonderful volunteers planned and organized the show. Bridgette’s clients and friends very kindly lent their horses and served as parade riders and horse handlers. “I was amazed at how organized the show was” said Dwelle “I thought Bridgette was crazy when she offered to host last year, but I was so impressed with the organization of the show and how everyone worked together so well.”
Dwelle coaches the St. Andrews Dressage Team and serves as National Secretary and Treasurer for the IDA and also is filling in as the web liaison.
Lindsey Agaliotis represented St. Andrews in the Upper Training division riding test 3. “Lindsey is a great student and takes her horsemanship very seriously” said coach Jackie Dwelle. “On Saturday, she watched every horse go, recorded all of the scores and talked to as many people as possible to learn as much as she could about the horses she could potentially draw. The individual draw was on Sunday at 7:00 a.m. and right after the draw she was talking to riders that rode the horse the day before and found a local person who knew the horse well. By the time she got on the horse we had a game plan and strategy for our 10 minute warm up.” Dwelle continued, “In my opinion she achieved her goal of showing off the horse to the best of his ability. The horse could be tense and a little stiff. During the warm up Lindsey worked on stretching and transitions to relax and supple him. During her test she said he felt a little less relaxed but I did not see that.”
Lindsey placed 6th overall with a score of 63%, the horse she rode placed 12th with his second rider. “We were all very please with this result” said Dwelle. “Lindsey’s parents were there the entire weekend and could not have been more supportive. They pitched in to help wherever we needed it, putting up banners and organizing the awards presentation on Saturday. They were fantastic, I’m so grateful for their help and support.”
Unlike previous hosts the University of Florida does not have a large equestrian program. The Gators ride with their coach Bridgette Boland at her home in Newberry. Bridgette, nine very dedicated University of Florida students, and some wonderful volunteers planned and organized the show. Bridgette’s clients and friends very kindly lent their horses and served as parade riders and horse handlers. “I was amazed at how organized the show was” said Dwelle “I thought Bridgette was crazy when she offered to host last year, but I was so impressed with the organization of the show and how everyone worked together so well.”
Dwelle coaches the St. Andrews Dressage Team and serves as National Secretary and Treasurer for the IDA and also is filling in as the web liaison.
Lindsey on the Equisense horse
Lindsey and Coach Dwelle
Joanne Agaliotis, Lanier Cordell and Lindsey helping set up the Awards Presentation
Lindsey with parents Bobby and Joanne
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Intercollegiate National Championships
St. Andrews has qualified riders for three National Intercollegiate Championships this spring. These competitions are the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) at the Kentucky Horse Park, May 5 -8 for hunter seat and western and the Intercollegiate Dressage Association (IDA) National Championships at Canterbury Show Place in Florida April 30 – May 1.
Hunter Seat Team members are Audrey Bolte, Rob Jacobs, Katie Hansen, Kali Cram, Sami Cram, Jennifer Callahan, Miranda Wright and Blake Liljestrand. Rob Jacobs will also be competing for the Cacchione Cup and Katie Hansen will be representing St. Andrews as an individual in the Open Fences division. Coach Ashley Duda said that the team’s goal at the beginning of the year was to place in the top five at Nationals. She believes this is possible. “This is a much stronger team than I had at Nationals five years ago when I coached for Kansas State. These students really want to win, they are self-motivated and I don’t have to tell them to work hard. If all the riders are “on” and everything falls into place we can bring everything home. We have placed second and third at two National tournaments and like I said they really want to win,” then she added with a laugh, “and the coach is more knowledgeable than five years ago!”
Coach Duda will continue with the regime of no stirrup work, lunge lessons and continual improvement of the rider’s positions in the saddle. “I am working with eight different personalities and each one needs something different. Some need more pumping up than others.” Coach Duda said that confidence in one’s ability to perform well at Nationals is really important. “This group has competed together all year and should feel very confident but it can be hard convincing people at this level that they can win. At the end of the day our riders will be much stronger because of this experience. Once they are in the ring all I can do is trust that our practices have given them the tools to react to whatever comes up with the horse they are riding. It is totally up to them, I find it hard to watch the over fences and usually watch the horse’s footprints to see if they are straight on course and have a good distance to the fence.”
Rob Jacobs is competing in the Cacchione Cup which is awarded to the National Individual Hunter Seat High Point Rider. “Most of the riders in the Cacchione Cup have a background in the 3’6” medal classes prior to coming to college,” said Coach Duda. “Rob’s background prior to college was jumping 2’6” courses on well trained horses and his position was not solid. He has come a long way in four years! He has the ability to lay down a beautiful over fences ride.” Coach Duda’s final comment was that given all the preparation the competition has an element of luck because you draw for the horse you ride.
Coach Carla Wennburg has two riders headed to IHSA Nationals to represent St. Andrews as individuals in western. They are senior Leah Davison in Beginning Walk/Jog and Brittany Powell in Intermediate Horsemanship. Coach Wennburg’s strategy is similar to Coach Duda’s when it comes to preparing her riders. “We have been working on body position, strengthening and correct design of position all year. Confidence is important at this point, winning is more about your mental approach than your physical approach. The horses can be good or bad and you have to be ready to deal with every situation. The patterns will be more intricate at Nationals plus the riders must convince the judge that they have a beautiful position and can ride softly. For Leah especially being 6’1” she stands out in the ring so that first impression is really important. The riders have to draw a horse that they can ride well, have a consistent performance on the rail and demonstrate an excellent pattern while exhibiting poise and confidence.”
Coach Wennburg is also a judge and she said that when she is watching her riders compete she thinks and reacts like a judge. “I analyze everything and know what is going on. It gets to be emotional too when you have worked so hard to get to this point and then the element of luck from the horse draw might help you or not. It sets you up for a lot of turmoil. I have to keep it in perspective and remind myself that neither my rider or I trained the horse.”
The IDA National Championships hosted by the University of Florida are where sophomore Lindsey Agaliotis and coach Jackie Dwelle are headed at the end of April. “I really thought we would qualify our team this year,” said Coach Dwelle. “When Averett University beat us by a tiny margin for the team title I was really disappointed because I believed we were strong enough to come out on top. They showed me! I am really excited to be travelling to Nationals with Lindsey representing SAPC in the Upper Training division. She has worked really hard to develop her horsemanship on all levels and has been a true leader for our team. Lindsey has been riding every day on as many different horses as possible to refine and hone her skills. Probably the biggest unknown for us is how Lindsey will cope with the pressures of competing at Nationals. It is different than a regular show and she has never been under that kind of pressure before. We have talked about it and discussed ways I can help her on competition day to stay calm and focused on her riding. Once she is in the competition ring I will be riding along with her and holding my breath! That is the hardest part of coaching because there is nothing I can do if things go wrong it is all up to the rider.”
Coach Dwelle went on to talk about her plans for the 2012 National competition. “When our regular season was over before spring break I started to look forward to 2012 and tried to figure out how we could be better next year. I came up with the Secret Squirrel Training Squad (there is a story behind the name) which required team members to submit applications for admission into the squad. I accepted eight riders and with the help of my two graduating seniors we have met consistently on Fridays and Saturdays to do lunge lessons and ride in halters bareback. The squad was also required to compete at Showing Under the Stars and several of them also competed at Antares to get more time in the competitive arena. It has been very successful, not only have the riders improved but we have developed several of the dressage horses into solid lunge horses.”
All three coaches agree that National Championships create a goal for a team to work towards. In addition this type of competition helps riders become more comfortable in a pressure situation and ultimately develops them to be effective stylish horsemen.
Hunter Seat Team members are Audrey Bolte, Rob Jacobs, Katie Hansen, Kali Cram, Sami Cram, Jennifer Callahan, Miranda Wright and Blake Liljestrand. Rob Jacobs will also be competing for the Cacchione Cup and Katie Hansen will be representing St. Andrews as an individual in the Open Fences division. Coach Ashley Duda said that the team’s goal at the beginning of the year was to place in the top five at Nationals. She believes this is possible. “This is a much stronger team than I had at Nationals five years ago when I coached for Kansas State. These students really want to win, they are self-motivated and I don’t have to tell them to work hard. If all the riders are “on” and everything falls into place we can bring everything home. We have placed second and third at two National tournaments and like I said they really want to win,” then she added with a laugh, “and the coach is more knowledgeable than five years ago!”
Coach Duda will continue with the regime of no stirrup work, lunge lessons and continual improvement of the rider’s positions in the saddle. “I am working with eight different personalities and each one needs something different. Some need more pumping up than others.” Coach Duda said that confidence in one’s ability to perform well at Nationals is really important. “This group has competed together all year and should feel very confident but it can be hard convincing people at this level that they can win. At the end of the day our riders will be much stronger because of this experience. Once they are in the ring all I can do is trust that our practices have given them the tools to react to whatever comes up with the horse they are riding. It is totally up to them, I find it hard to watch the over fences and usually watch the horse’s footprints to see if they are straight on course and have a good distance to the fence.”
Rob Jacobs is competing in the Cacchione Cup which is awarded to the National Individual Hunter Seat High Point Rider. “Most of the riders in the Cacchione Cup have a background in the 3’6” medal classes prior to coming to college,” said Coach Duda. “Rob’s background prior to college was jumping 2’6” courses on well trained horses and his position was not solid. He has come a long way in four years! He has the ability to lay down a beautiful over fences ride.” Coach Duda’s final comment was that given all the preparation the competition has an element of luck because you draw for the horse you ride.
Coach Carla Wennburg has two riders headed to IHSA Nationals to represent St. Andrews as individuals in western. They are senior Leah Davison in Beginning Walk/Jog and Brittany Powell in Intermediate Horsemanship. Coach Wennburg’s strategy is similar to Coach Duda’s when it comes to preparing her riders. “We have been working on body position, strengthening and correct design of position all year. Confidence is important at this point, winning is more about your mental approach than your physical approach. The horses can be good or bad and you have to be ready to deal with every situation. The patterns will be more intricate at Nationals plus the riders must convince the judge that they have a beautiful position and can ride softly. For Leah especially being 6’1” she stands out in the ring so that first impression is really important. The riders have to draw a horse that they can ride well, have a consistent performance on the rail and demonstrate an excellent pattern while exhibiting poise and confidence.”
Coach Wennburg is also a judge and she said that when she is watching her riders compete she thinks and reacts like a judge. “I analyze everything and know what is going on. It gets to be emotional too when you have worked so hard to get to this point and then the element of luck from the horse draw might help you or not. It sets you up for a lot of turmoil. I have to keep it in perspective and remind myself that neither my rider or I trained the horse.”
The IDA National Championships hosted by the University of Florida are where sophomore Lindsey Agaliotis and coach Jackie Dwelle are headed at the end of April. “I really thought we would qualify our team this year,” said Coach Dwelle. “When Averett University beat us by a tiny margin for the team title I was really disappointed because I believed we were strong enough to come out on top. They showed me! I am really excited to be travelling to Nationals with Lindsey representing SAPC in the Upper Training division. She has worked really hard to develop her horsemanship on all levels and has been a true leader for our team. Lindsey has been riding every day on as many different horses as possible to refine and hone her skills. Probably the biggest unknown for us is how Lindsey will cope with the pressures of competing at Nationals. It is different than a regular show and she has never been under that kind of pressure before. We have talked about it and discussed ways I can help her on competition day to stay calm and focused on her riding. Once she is in the competition ring I will be riding along with her and holding my breath! That is the hardest part of coaching because there is nothing I can do if things go wrong it is all up to the rider.”
Coach Dwelle went on to talk about her plans for the 2012 National competition. “When our regular season was over before spring break I started to look forward to 2012 and tried to figure out how we could be better next year. I came up with the Secret Squirrel Training Squad (there is a story behind the name) which required team members to submit applications for admission into the squad. I accepted eight riders and with the help of my two graduating seniors we have met consistently on Fridays and Saturdays to do lunge lessons and ride in halters bareback. The squad was also required to compete at Showing Under the Stars and several of them also competed at Antares to get more time in the competitive arena. It has been very successful, not only have the riders improved but we have developed several of the dressage horses into solid lunge horses.”
All three coaches agree that National Championships create a goal for a team to work towards. In addition this type of competition helps riders become more comfortable in a pressure situation and ultimately develops them to be effective stylish horsemen.
Friday, April 22, 2011
ANRC Results and Rider Comments
It took a while to tabulate the final ANRC results but here they are. Riders Jen Callahan and Allie McGraw share their experience. This is what Jen said about the weekend.
ANRC is more than an intercollegiate horse show. It was hours of work, dedication, sweat, and tears, but every minute was worth it in the end. Over the course of a semester it has broadened my horsemanship skills, improved my riding, and created undeniable bonds with my teammates and my horse. It truly was a once in a lifetime experience and a fabulous way to conclude my senior year at SAPC.
Here are Allie's comments.
The ANRC experience was an eye opener for me to a National Competition, and finally all of the hard work we put forward boiled down to three events in the ring in a two day span. It was nerve- racking but I felt very confident going into the ring after all the help from my trainer Lindsey Crowther and my teammates, placing 8th overall individually in the Junior Varsity division was a great accomplishment, but what was even more rewarding was to see how far my horse Rodin and I had come, and how much of an improvement we had made together from day one.
OFFICIAL 2011 ANRC CHAMPIONSHIP SCORE AND RESULTS
NOVICE DIVISION
Written Phase
1. 134 – Jennifer Callahan 96 SAPC
2. 110– Addie Jabin 93 Goucher
3. 132 – Ali McGraw 90 SAPC
4. 154 - Bailey Cone 89.1 VIC
5. 133 – Alexandra Fullerton 89 SAPC
6. 155 – Taylor Brown 83 SCAD
7. 111 – Charlotte Kellogg 82 Goucher
8. 123 – Annie Patterson 81 SCAD
9. 126 - Hayley Bolton 80 SCAD
10. 149 – Mary-Ashley Marable 79 VIC
Dressage Sportif
1. 112 –Alison Born 32.56 Midway College
2. 154 - Bailey Cone 32.08 Virginia Intermont College
3. 125 – Erin Hickey 30.96 SCAD
4. 134 – Jennifer Callahan 30.04 SAPC
5. 114 - Erinn Born 29.68 Midway College
6. 132 - Ali McGraw 28.80 SAPC
7. 126 - Hayley Bolton 28.48 SCAD
8. 133 - Alexandra Fullerton 28.0 SAPC
9. 147 – Caroline Minchew 27.120 Sewanee
10. 155 – Taylor Brown 26.96 SCAD
Hunter Trials
1. 112 – Alison Born 25.60 Midway College
2. 149 – Mary-Ashley Marable 25.50 Virginia Intermont College
3. 154 – Bailey Cone 24.60 Virginia Intermont College
4. 123 – Annie Patterson 23.55 SCAD
5. 113 – Kalena Richards 23.55 Midway
6. 126 - Hayley Bolton 22.50 SCAD
7. 148 – Lillibet Motion 21.45 Sewanee
8. 125 - Erin Hickey 20.86 SCAD
9. 132 – Ali McGraw 20.85 SAPC
10. 114 – Erinn Born 20.01 Midway College
Novice Individual Medal Round
1. 112 – Alison Born 25.50 Midway College
2. 114 - Erinn Born 24.90 Midway College
3. 155 - Taylor Brown 24.30 SCAD
4. 123 – Annie Patterson 23.40 SCAD
5. 113 – Kalena Richards 23.10 Midway College
6. 126 - Hayley Bolton 22.50 SCAD
7. 143 – Linnea Carver 22. 20 Sewanee
8. 134 – Jennifer Callahan 21.90 SAPC
9. 133 – Alexandra Fullerton 21.60 SAPC
10. 149 – Mary-Ashley Marable 20.40 VIC
NOVICE TEAM RESULTS WRITTEN
1. St. Andrews Presbyterian College 186
2. Goucher College 175
3. Virginia Intermont College 167.1
4. SCAD 163
5. Midway College 148
6. Sewanee 141
7. UGA 74
NOVICE TEAM RESULTS DRESSAGE SPORTIF
1. Midway College 62.24
2. SCAD 59.44
3. St. Andrews Presbyterian College 58.84
4. Virginia Intermont College 58.32
5. Sewanee 51.76
6. Goucher College 26.16
7. UGA 17.04
NOVICE TEAM RESULTS HUNTER TRIALS
1. Virginia Intermont College 50.10
2. Midway College 49.05
3. SCAD 43.30
4. Sewanee 41.25
5. St. Andrews Presbyterian 40.35
6. UGA 18.30
7. Goucher College 17.80
NOVICE TEAM RESULT MEDAL
1. Midway College 50.40
2. SCAD 46.80
3. St. Andrews Presbyterian College 43.50
4. Sewanee 42.15
5. Virginia Intermont College 37.80
6. Goucher College 20.70
7. UGA 18.00
NOVICE DIVISION TEAM RESULTS-OVERALL
1. Midway College 161.69
2. Virginia Intermont College 146.22
3. SCAD 144.57
4. St. Andrews 142.69
5. Sewanee 135.18
6. Goucher College 64.66
7. UGA 53.34
NOVICE INDIVIDUAL RESULTS- OVERALL
1. 112 – Alison Born 83.56 Midway College
2. 114 - Erinn Born 74.68 Midway College
3. 154 – Bailey Cone 74.08 VIC
4. 126 – Hayley Bolton 73.48 SCAD
5. 149 – Mary-Ashley Marable 72.14 VIC
6. 123 – Annie Patterson 71.63 SCAD
7. 125 – Erin Hickey 71.11 SCAD
8. 132 – Ali McGraw 69.15 SAPC
9. 113 – Kalena Richards 69.13 Midway College
10. 133- Alexandra Fullerton 69.10 SAPC
OFFICIAL 2011 ANRC CHAMPIONSHIP HORSESHOW RESULTS:
NATIONAL DIVISION
Written Phase
1. 109 – Amory Brandt 98 Goucher College
2. 152 - Laura Hannink 97.2 VIC
3. 127 - Audrey Hayden 97.1 SAPC
4. 107 – Taylor Marcus 97 Goucher College
5. 136 - Lauren Perhala 94.1 SBC
6. !02 – Samantha Whitley 94 Centenary College
7. 130 – Robert Jacobs 93.1 SAPC
8. 122 – Kels Bonham 93 SCAD
9. 138 – Elizabeth Hansbrough 92.1 SBC
10. 100 – Marissa Cohen 92 Centenary College
Dressage Sportif
1. 103 – Katie Haley 36.08 Centenary College
2. 118 – Henrietta Armstrong 35.92 SCAD
3. 122 – Kels Bonham 34.48 SCAD
4. 100 – Marissa Cohen 34.48 Centenary College
5. 120 – Paul Frederick 34.32 SCAD
6. 137 – Olivia Smith 33.44 SBC
7. 102 – Samantha Whitley 32.16 Centenary College
8. 101 – Kelsey Barnini 32.08 Centenary College
9. 136 – Lauren Perhala 30.96 SBC
10. 108- Karli Postel 30.88 Goucher College
Hunter Trials Phase
1. 122 – Kels Bonham 26.4 SCAD
2. 118 – Henrietta Armstrong 25.35 SCAD
3. 108 – Karli Postel 25.275 Goucher
4. 129 – Kimberly Graves 25.2 SAPC
5. 137 – Olivia Smith 25.2 SBC
6. 121 – Caroline Ingalls 24.75 SCAD
7. 152 - Lauren Hannink 24.525 VIC
8. 136 – Lauren Perhala 24.3 SBC
9. 153 – Jordan Shelburne 24.15 VIC
10. 138 – Elizabeth Hansbrough 23.775 SBC
Medal Phase
1. 108 – Karli Postel 26.70 Goucher College
2. 152 – Lauren Hannink 26.55 VIC
3. 119 – Lydia Todd 26.4 SCAD
4. 103 – Katie Hayley 26.25 Centenary College
5. 121- Caroline Ingalls 26.1 SCAD
6. 109 – Amory Brandt 25.95 Goucher College
7. 129 – Kimberly Graves 25. 80 SAPC
8. 145 – Caroline Willis 25.65 Sewanee
9. 101 – Kelsey Barnini 25.50 Centenary College
10. 137 – Olivia Smith 25.20 SBC
National Team Written Results
1. Goucher College 195
2. Virginia Intermont College 187.2
3. Centenary College 185
4. Sweet Briar College 183.1
5. SCAD 182
6. St. Andrews 181.1
7. UGA 160.0
8. Florida International 159.0
9. Sewanee 152.0
National Team Dressage Results
1. SCAD 68.8
2. Centenary College 68.24
3. Sweet Briar College 63.36
4. Virginia Intermont College 60
5. Goucher College 59.2
6. St. Andrews 58.08
7. Sewanee 52.08
8. Florida International University 45.68
9. UGA 40.8
National Team Hunter Trials Results
1. SCAD 51.15
2. Sweet Briar College 48.975
3. VIC 48.675
4. Goucher College 48.075
5. Sewanee College 46.20
6. St. Andrews 44.1
7. Centenary College 42.3
8. Florida International University 39.45
9. UGA 38.25
National Team Medal Results
1. Goucher College 52.65
2. Centenary College 51.75
3 VIC 51.6
4. Sewanee 50.55
5. SCAD 50.40
6. SAPC 49.65
7. Sweet Briar 45.60
8. FIU 42.0
9. UGA 40.50
National Overall Team Results
1. SCAD 170.35
2. Centenary College 162.29
3. VIC 160.28
4. Goucher College 159.93
5. Sweet Briar College 157.94
6. St. Andrews 151.83
7. Sewanee 148.83
8. FIU 127.13
9. UGA 119.55
National Overall Individual Results
1. 122 – Kels Bonham 85.18 SCAD
2. 118 – Hennrietta Armstrong 84.07 SCAD
3. 103 – Katie Hayley 83.93 Centenary College
4. 137 – Olivia Smith 83.84 Sweet Briar College
5. 108 – Karli Postel 82.86 Goucher College
6. 121 – Caroline Ingalls 81.17 SCAD
7. 152 – Lauren Hannink 81.08 VIC
8. 136 – Lauren Perhala 79.26 Sweet Briar
9. 153 – Jordan Shelburne 79.20 VIC
10. 101 – Kelsey Barnini 78.28 Centenary College
ANRC is more than an intercollegiate horse show. It was hours of work, dedication, sweat, and tears, but every minute was worth it in the end. Over the course of a semester it has broadened my horsemanship skills, improved my riding, and created undeniable bonds with my teammates and my horse. It truly was a once in a lifetime experience and a fabulous way to conclude my senior year at SAPC.
Here are Allie's comments.
The ANRC experience was an eye opener for me to a National Competition, and finally all of the hard work we put forward boiled down to three events in the ring in a two day span. It was nerve- racking but I felt very confident going into the ring after all the help from my trainer Lindsey Crowther and my teammates, placing 8th overall individually in the Junior Varsity division was a great accomplishment, but what was even more rewarding was to see how far my horse Rodin and I had come, and how much of an improvement we had made together from day one.
OFFICIAL 2011 ANRC CHAMPIONSHIP SCORE AND RESULTS
NOVICE DIVISION
Written Phase
1. 134 – Jennifer Callahan 96 SAPC
2. 110– Addie Jabin 93 Goucher
3. 132 – Ali McGraw 90 SAPC
4. 154 - Bailey Cone 89.1 VIC
5. 133 – Alexandra Fullerton 89 SAPC
6. 155 – Taylor Brown 83 SCAD
7. 111 – Charlotte Kellogg 82 Goucher
8. 123 – Annie Patterson 81 SCAD
9. 126 - Hayley Bolton 80 SCAD
10. 149 – Mary-Ashley Marable 79 VIC
Dressage Sportif
1. 112 –Alison Born 32.56 Midway College
2. 154 - Bailey Cone 32.08 Virginia Intermont College
3. 125 – Erin Hickey 30.96 SCAD
4. 134 – Jennifer Callahan 30.04 SAPC
5. 114 - Erinn Born 29.68 Midway College
6. 132 - Ali McGraw 28.80 SAPC
7. 126 - Hayley Bolton 28.48 SCAD
8. 133 - Alexandra Fullerton 28.0 SAPC
9. 147 – Caroline Minchew 27.120 Sewanee
10. 155 – Taylor Brown 26.96 SCAD
Hunter Trials
1. 112 – Alison Born 25.60 Midway College
2. 149 – Mary-Ashley Marable 25.50 Virginia Intermont College
3. 154 – Bailey Cone 24.60 Virginia Intermont College
4. 123 – Annie Patterson 23.55 SCAD
5. 113 – Kalena Richards 23.55 Midway
6. 126 - Hayley Bolton 22.50 SCAD
7. 148 – Lillibet Motion 21.45 Sewanee
8. 125 - Erin Hickey 20.86 SCAD
9. 132 – Ali McGraw 20.85 SAPC
10. 114 – Erinn Born 20.01 Midway College
Novice Individual Medal Round
1. 112 – Alison Born 25.50 Midway College
2. 114 - Erinn Born 24.90 Midway College
3. 155 - Taylor Brown 24.30 SCAD
4. 123 – Annie Patterson 23.40 SCAD
5. 113 – Kalena Richards 23.10 Midway College
6. 126 - Hayley Bolton 22.50 SCAD
7. 143 – Linnea Carver 22. 20 Sewanee
8. 134 – Jennifer Callahan 21.90 SAPC
9. 133 – Alexandra Fullerton 21.60 SAPC
10. 149 – Mary-Ashley Marable 20.40 VIC
NOVICE TEAM RESULTS WRITTEN
1. St. Andrews Presbyterian College 186
2. Goucher College 175
3. Virginia Intermont College 167.1
4. SCAD 163
5. Midway College 148
6. Sewanee 141
7. UGA 74
NOVICE TEAM RESULTS DRESSAGE SPORTIF
1. Midway College 62.24
2. SCAD 59.44
3. St. Andrews Presbyterian College 58.84
4. Virginia Intermont College 58.32
5. Sewanee 51.76
6. Goucher College 26.16
7. UGA 17.04
NOVICE TEAM RESULTS HUNTER TRIALS
1. Virginia Intermont College 50.10
2. Midway College 49.05
3. SCAD 43.30
4. Sewanee 41.25
5. St. Andrews Presbyterian 40.35
6. UGA 18.30
7. Goucher College 17.80
NOVICE TEAM RESULT MEDAL
1. Midway College 50.40
2. SCAD 46.80
3. St. Andrews Presbyterian College 43.50
4. Sewanee 42.15
5. Virginia Intermont College 37.80
6. Goucher College 20.70
7. UGA 18.00
NOVICE DIVISION TEAM RESULTS-OVERALL
1. Midway College 161.69
2. Virginia Intermont College 146.22
3. SCAD 144.57
4. St. Andrews 142.69
5. Sewanee 135.18
6. Goucher College 64.66
7. UGA 53.34
NOVICE INDIVIDUAL RESULTS- OVERALL
1. 112 – Alison Born 83.56 Midway College
2. 114 - Erinn Born 74.68 Midway College
3. 154 – Bailey Cone 74.08 VIC
4. 126 – Hayley Bolton 73.48 SCAD
5. 149 – Mary-Ashley Marable 72.14 VIC
6. 123 – Annie Patterson 71.63 SCAD
7. 125 – Erin Hickey 71.11 SCAD
8. 132 – Ali McGraw 69.15 SAPC
9. 113 – Kalena Richards 69.13 Midway College
10. 133- Alexandra Fullerton 69.10 SAPC
OFFICIAL 2011 ANRC CHAMPIONSHIP HORSESHOW RESULTS:
NATIONAL DIVISION
Written Phase
1. 109 – Amory Brandt 98 Goucher College
2. 152 - Laura Hannink 97.2 VIC
3. 127 - Audrey Hayden 97.1 SAPC
4. 107 – Taylor Marcus 97 Goucher College
5. 136 - Lauren Perhala 94.1 SBC
6. !02 – Samantha Whitley 94 Centenary College
7. 130 – Robert Jacobs 93.1 SAPC
8. 122 – Kels Bonham 93 SCAD
9. 138 – Elizabeth Hansbrough 92.1 SBC
10. 100 – Marissa Cohen 92 Centenary College
Dressage Sportif
1. 103 – Katie Haley 36.08 Centenary College
2. 118 – Henrietta Armstrong 35.92 SCAD
3. 122 – Kels Bonham 34.48 SCAD
4. 100 – Marissa Cohen 34.48 Centenary College
5. 120 – Paul Frederick 34.32 SCAD
6. 137 – Olivia Smith 33.44 SBC
7. 102 – Samantha Whitley 32.16 Centenary College
8. 101 – Kelsey Barnini 32.08 Centenary College
9. 136 – Lauren Perhala 30.96 SBC
10. 108- Karli Postel 30.88 Goucher College
Hunter Trials Phase
1. 122 – Kels Bonham 26.4 SCAD
2. 118 – Henrietta Armstrong 25.35 SCAD
3. 108 – Karli Postel 25.275 Goucher
4. 129 – Kimberly Graves 25.2 SAPC
5. 137 – Olivia Smith 25.2 SBC
6. 121 – Caroline Ingalls 24.75 SCAD
7. 152 - Lauren Hannink 24.525 VIC
8. 136 – Lauren Perhala 24.3 SBC
9. 153 – Jordan Shelburne 24.15 VIC
10. 138 – Elizabeth Hansbrough 23.775 SBC
Medal Phase
1. 108 – Karli Postel 26.70 Goucher College
2. 152 – Lauren Hannink 26.55 VIC
3. 119 – Lydia Todd 26.4 SCAD
4. 103 – Katie Hayley 26.25 Centenary College
5. 121- Caroline Ingalls 26.1 SCAD
6. 109 – Amory Brandt 25.95 Goucher College
7. 129 – Kimberly Graves 25. 80 SAPC
8. 145 – Caroline Willis 25.65 Sewanee
9. 101 – Kelsey Barnini 25.50 Centenary College
10. 137 – Olivia Smith 25.20 SBC
National Team Written Results
1. Goucher College 195
2. Virginia Intermont College 187.2
3. Centenary College 185
4. Sweet Briar College 183.1
5. SCAD 182
6. St. Andrews 181.1
7. UGA 160.0
8. Florida International 159.0
9. Sewanee 152.0
National Team Dressage Results
1. SCAD 68.8
2. Centenary College 68.24
3. Sweet Briar College 63.36
4. Virginia Intermont College 60
5. Goucher College 59.2
6. St. Andrews 58.08
7. Sewanee 52.08
8. Florida International University 45.68
9. UGA 40.8
National Team Hunter Trials Results
1. SCAD 51.15
2. Sweet Briar College 48.975
3. VIC 48.675
4. Goucher College 48.075
5. Sewanee College 46.20
6. St. Andrews 44.1
7. Centenary College 42.3
8. Florida International University 39.45
9. UGA 38.25
National Team Medal Results
1. Goucher College 52.65
2. Centenary College 51.75
3 VIC 51.6
4. Sewanee 50.55
5. SCAD 50.40
6. SAPC 49.65
7. Sweet Briar 45.60
8. FIU 42.0
9. UGA 40.50
National Overall Team Results
1. SCAD 170.35
2. Centenary College 162.29
3. VIC 160.28
4. Goucher College 159.93
5. Sweet Briar College 157.94
6. St. Andrews 151.83
7. Sewanee 148.83
8. FIU 127.13
9. UGA 119.55
National Overall Individual Results
1. 122 – Kels Bonham 85.18 SCAD
2. 118 – Hennrietta Armstrong 84.07 SCAD
3. 103 – Katie Hayley 83.93 Centenary College
4. 137 – Olivia Smith 83.84 Sweet Briar College
5. 108 – Karli Postel 82.86 Goucher College
6. 121 – Caroline Ingalls 81.17 SCAD
7. 152 – Lauren Hannink 81.08 VIC
8. 136 – Lauren Perhala 79.26 Sweet Briar
9. 153 – Jordan Shelburne 79.20 VIC
10. 101 – Kelsey Barnini 78.28 Centenary College
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Local Horse Farm Destroyed by Tornado
The Pellitier family lost everything in the tornado that wiped out Misty Creek Ranch in Sanford Saturday. Dany, Tania and their two small boys are fine but they lost everything, their home, ranch, and many wonderful reining horses. Other horses have been transported to NCSU Veterinary School for treatment and care. The tornado left nothing standing. To learn more about Misty Creek Reining Horses visit http://mistycreekranch.net/default.aspx
To help out go to http://danyandtania.tadalist.com/lists/1908264/public
I am keeping the Pellitier family in my prayers.
To help out go to http://danyandtania.tadalist.com/lists/1908264/public
I am keeping the Pellitier family in my prayers.
ANRC 2011
Eight riders, nine horses, one chef d’equip, three coaches, one Veterinarian, numerous parents and one surprise visitor made the trip to Savannah College of Art and Design to compete in the American National Riding Commission (ANRC) National Intercollegiate Equitation Championships April 13 – 17. “The Ronald C. Waranch Equestrian Center is absolutely beautiful.” said Coach Ashley Duda.
As with most intercollegiate competition the coaches meet to discuss logistics etc. for the event prior to the start of competition. This meeting ran until about 7:15 on Friday evening after which the coaches returned to the barn to meet up with the riders and check on the horses. They found Rob tending to Ozzie who had ripped open his right bottom eyelid. Fortunately with SAPC’s Veterinarian Dr. Kellam in attendance the injury was quickly sutured. The SCAD staff even allowed Ozzie to stay in the main barn which was described by Coach McElveen as the horse Taj Mahal with luxury horse suites.
This is the first year that ANRC has offered two divisions. The Novice division competes at 2’6” and the National division at 3’. All competitors are allotted schooling time for the three phases giving the riders and coaches the opportunity to plan their strategies for each of the three ridden phases. The competition starts with a theory test. In the novice division Jennifer Callahan won this phase with a score of 96%. In the National division senior Audrey Hayden scored 97.1% to earn third place and senior Rob Jacobs placed 7th with a score of 93.1%.
Long time friend of the St. Andrews equestrian program and frequent clinician for hunter seat riders Scot Evans made a surprise visit to the competition. “I was talking to Scot on the phone Friday and asking about his plans for the weekend,” said Coach McElveen. “He said, I thought I’d spend the weekend in Savannah! What a wonderful surprise! He was so helpful with the riders. Rob has ridden with Scot for four years and Katie, Kim, Audrey and Jenn the last two years. Scot was able to give Coach Duda some great advice and gave all our competitors a great pep talk.”
The dressage sportif phase is ridden in a large arena with dressage letters, a trot fence and a canter fence. Junior Kim Graves riding her own horse for the National team had an absolutely stunning ride which would have probably been in the top placings in the division had she not made a walk transition in the wrong place in the ring and lost her counter canter lead. For the Novice division Alexandra Fullerton had a challenging ride on Glenn “who was in the grumpiest mood I have ever seen” said Coach McElveen. “Alexandra had to be conservative and tactful so as not to make him angry.”
The hunter trials equitation phase started early Sunday morning followed by the hunter seat equitation medal course in the afternoon. Kim Graves earned the highest St. Andrews score in the hunter trials equitation putting her in the top five for that phase, she also earned a top ten placing in the medal phase. “Stage fright” was an unexpected problem for Rob who has represented St. Andrews many times in competition. While Rob and Katie each had some issues in the hunter trials phase, they came back strong in the Medal phase and this competition is a great primer for IHSA Nationals the first week of May where Rob will compete as part of the St. Andrews hunter seat team and ride for the prestigious Cacchione Cup and Katie will compete in the Individual Open Fences.”
Many of the rider’s families came to the competition including Alie’s parents, Katie’s parents and brother, Rob’s parents, Audrey Bolte’s Mom and Audrey Hayden’s Mom who was excited to let Coach McElveen know that she was willing to serve as the IHSA Awards Coordinator in 2012 when St. Andrews hosts IHSA Nationals. “I am so grateful for the support of the parents, staff, and Scot.” said Coach McElveen. “I also want to thank Karen Gruninger who is here as our Chef d’Equip. She has worked 12 – 14 hour days and done a fantastic job. She was the backbone of the team, planning horse feedings around competitive ride times, getting all the barn management done on time and knowing the rules of the competition to make sure everyone was in compliance. She was fabulous.”
Coach McElveen must have done a pretty good job too as she was awarded the United States Hunter Jumper Association Affiliate ANRC Instructor of the Year Award. This award recognizes an outstanding riding instructor who is dedicated to teaching the Forward Riding System, a dedicated teacher who has spent time “in the ring” encouraging love and growth of forward riding to entry level riders, primarily at unrecognized competition level. Not expecting to receive an award Coach McElveen was caught with a plate of food in her hand at the awards luncheon. Ever resourceful she used the silver tray that she was awarded to carry the food back to her table.
Calculating the final results can be a complicated process which led to some mix-ups at the end of the competition when errors occurred with the calculation. However, even this challenge did not diminish the wonderful competition. The St. Andrews novice team of Jen Callahan, Alie McGraw and Alexandra Fullerton placed 4th in their division, the Nationals team Rob Jacobs, Kim Graves and Katie Hansen placed 6th along with Nationals individual riders Audrey Hayden and Audrey Bolte.
The Novice Team - L to R Jen Callahan with Jojo, Alexandra Fullerton with Glenn and Allie McGraw with Rodin
Rob with Royal at the bank
Audrey Hayden with Daniel
As with most intercollegiate competition the coaches meet to discuss logistics etc. for the event prior to the start of competition. This meeting ran until about 7:15 on Friday evening after which the coaches returned to the barn to meet up with the riders and check on the horses. They found Rob tending to Ozzie who had ripped open his right bottom eyelid. Fortunately with SAPC’s Veterinarian Dr. Kellam in attendance the injury was quickly sutured. The SCAD staff even allowed Ozzie to stay in the main barn which was described by Coach McElveen as the horse Taj Mahal with luxury horse suites.
This is the first year that ANRC has offered two divisions. The Novice division competes at 2’6” and the National division at 3’. All competitors are allotted schooling time for the three phases giving the riders and coaches the opportunity to plan their strategies for each of the three ridden phases. The competition starts with a theory test. In the novice division Jennifer Callahan won this phase with a score of 96%. In the National division senior Audrey Hayden scored 97.1% to earn third place and senior Rob Jacobs placed 7th with a score of 93.1%.
Long time friend of the St. Andrews equestrian program and frequent clinician for hunter seat riders Scot Evans made a surprise visit to the competition. “I was talking to Scot on the phone Friday and asking about his plans for the weekend,” said Coach McElveen. “He said, I thought I’d spend the weekend in Savannah! What a wonderful surprise! He was so helpful with the riders. Rob has ridden with Scot for four years and Katie, Kim, Audrey and Jenn the last two years. Scot was able to give Coach Duda some great advice and gave all our competitors a great pep talk.”
The dressage sportif phase is ridden in a large arena with dressage letters, a trot fence and a canter fence. Junior Kim Graves riding her own horse for the National team had an absolutely stunning ride which would have probably been in the top placings in the division had she not made a walk transition in the wrong place in the ring and lost her counter canter lead. For the Novice division Alexandra Fullerton had a challenging ride on Glenn “who was in the grumpiest mood I have ever seen” said Coach McElveen. “Alexandra had to be conservative and tactful so as not to make him angry.”
The hunter trials equitation phase started early Sunday morning followed by the hunter seat equitation medal course in the afternoon. Kim Graves earned the highest St. Andrews score in the hunter trials equitation putting her in the top five for that phase, she also earned a top ten placing in the medal phase. “Stage fright” was an unexpected problem for Rob who has represented St. Andrews many times in competition. While Rob and Katie each had some issues in the hunter trials phase, they came back strong in the Medal phase and this competition is a great primer for IHSA Nationals the first week of May where Rob will compete as part of the St. Andrews hunter seat team and ride for the prestigious Cacchione Cup and Katie will compete in the Individual Open Fences.”
Many of the rider’s families came to the competition including Alie’s parents, Katie’s parents and brother, Rob’s parents, Audrey Bolte’s Mom and Audrey Hayden’s Mom who was excited to let Coach McElveen know that she was willing to serve as the IHSA Awards Coordinator in 2012 when St. Andrews hosts IHSA Nationals. “I am so grateful for the support of the parents, staff, and Scot.” said Coach McElveen. “I also want to thank Karen Gruninger who is here as our Chef d’Equip. She has worked 12 – 14 hour days and done a fantastic job. She was the backbone of the team, planning horse feedings around competitive ride times, getting all the barn management done on time and knowing the rules of the competition to make sure everyone was in compliance. She was fabulous.”
Coach McElveen must have done a pretty good job too as she was awarded the United States Hunter Jumper Association Affiliate ANRC Instructor of the Year Award. This award recognizes an outstanding riding instructor who is dedicated to teaching the Forward Riding System, a dedicated teacher who has spent time “in the ring” encouraging love and growth of forward riding to entry level riders, primarily at unrecognized competition level. Not expecting to receive an award Coach McElveen was caught with a plate of food in her hand at the awards luncheon. Ever resourceful she used the silver tray that she was awarded to carry the food back to her table.
Calculating the final results can be a complicated process which led to some mix-ups at the end of the competition when errors occurred with the calculation. However, even this challenge did not diminish the wonderful competition. The St. Andrews novice team of Jen Callahan, Alie McGraw and Alexandra Fullerton placed 4th in their division, the Nationals team Rob Jacobs, Kim Graves and Katie Hansen placed 6th along with Nationals individual riders Audrey Hayden and Audrey Bolte.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Weekend Update
We were fortunate that the devastating storms that hit North Carolina yesterday did relatively little damage in Scotland County. Our prayers go out to those who lost their homes and the families of the people killed in the Fayetteville, Raleigh and Sanford areas.
The ANRC Squad competing at the Savannah College or Art and Design were lucky with the weather mostly bypassing the event. After the dressage sportif phase of the competition the Novice team is standing in 3rd and the National team is standing in 6th with only a 10 point difference between them and SCAD who stands in first. Sounds like the competition is wide open going into the outside and medal courses today. On Thursday senior Jennifer Callahan scored 96% on the written test leading the Novice team to win the written phase of the competition.
Today, the competition begins at 8:18 with Allie McGraw and Rodin on the outside course. The competition will wrap up this afternoon with the medal course.
At home we also had to reschedule the Ride-Like-A-Knight therapeutic horsemanship show for today. The fun starts at 12:00 with demos from the Natural Horsemanship class, the dressage team and reiner Kelsey Moody. The change in schedule allowed Lenny and I to finish up a project Max and I had been working on. You can view Max’s Guided Tour of the SAPC Equestrian Center at,
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/video/video.php?v=1952659703179&comments
The ANRC Squad competing at the Savannah College or Art and Design were lucky with the weather mostly bypassing the event. After the dressage sportif phase of the competition the Novice team is standing in 3rd and the National team is standing in 6th with only a 10 point difference between them and SCAD who stands in first. Sounds like the competition is wide open going into the outside and medal courses today. On Thursday senior Jennifer Callahan scored 96% on the written test leading the Novice team to win the written phase of the competition.
Today, the competition begins at 8:18 with Allie McGraw and Rodin on the outside course. The competition will wrap up this afternoon with the medal course.
At home we also had to reschedule the Ride-Like-A-Knight therapeutic horsemanship show for today. The fun starts at 12:00 with demos from the Natural Horsemanship class, the dressage team and reiner Kelsey Moody. The change in schedule allowed Lenny and I to finish up a project Max and I had been working on. You can view Max’s Guided Tour of the SAPC Equestrian Center at,
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/video/video.php?v=1952659703179&comments
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
What is ANRC and Why Does it Matter?
Every year St. Andrews fields a team at the ANRC National Championships. Historically, we have been very successful at this competition yet outside of college circles only the most dedicated horsemen understand what ANRC is all about. As we prepare to send our eight representatives to Savannah this weekend for this year’s competition it is a great time to share with the greater community what ANRC is and why we take it so seriously.
ANRC stands for The American National Riding Commission. ANRC has a rich history reaching back more than 60 years and undergoing various name changes but never losing its strong focus on correct hunter seat equitation. The theories and techniques that are taught reflect the teaching on one very determined Russian Calvary officer who came to America in the 1920s with literally nothing including no understanding of the English language. Captain Vladimir Littaur developed a riding system focusing on position, control and schooling. His system became known as the forward system of riding and at the three levels he defined offers a system of riding and training to everyone from the casual recreational rider up to the serious professional trainer. Horsehold names such as George Morris, Joe Fargis and Lendon Gray embrace the forward system for its simplicity and effectiveness.
The Forward System of Riding focuses on cooperation between horse and rider developed through a systematic approach to riding and training. The system starts with communication between horse and rider that focuses on gross motor skills and clear aids such as a tapping leg. As the horse and rider progress they learn refined aids for example the squeezing leg. With the development of the aids comes improved balance, timing and coordination leading to the appearance of horse and rider moving as one.
ANRC has developed a rider certification system to allow riders to track their progress starting with an Introductory level through nine progressive levels to National Judge. The certification process offers participants professional credentials as well as a clearly defined progression. Events called Equitrials are held for evaluation purposes and riders competing in the National Championships can earn a rating if they sufficient scores.
Why is this important to the instructional program at St. Andrews? Simply put it provides a logical framework for teaching. As riders progress from the elementary level of control into the intermediate level of control they develop refinement and grace in the saddle as well as becoming effective on a variety of horses. The system develops horsemen not just riders. At St. Andrews we teach the forward system to all riders including those in our western and dressage programs. The students that take this training to heart often graduate to become successful trainers or instructors. Daniel Geitner, SAPC alum, is an example in the competitive world of show jumping who came through the system.
The ANRC National Championships are hosted every year by different colleges. The strongest riders in the SAPC program are selected to represent their peers in this challenging competition. They must complete a written test on theory and stable management. The riding phases of the competition consist of a dressage sportif test (similar to a dressage test but including a trot and a canter fence), an outdoor course (think hunter trails) and a medal course (stadium). All riding phases are judged on equitation (defined as the art or act of riding a horse –we judge artistry or style). The quality of the horse certainly does come into the judging which can be advantageous for students with deep pockets who can afford a high quality equine. A couple of our riders have their own horse but the others are competing on school owned horses.
So it is a big deal! This is what we teach every day not just in the riding ring but in the classroom too. It is a system that we embrace to develop our riders into horsemen and our horses into solid equine professors that do the brunt of the teaching for us!
Tomorrow the 2011 squad leaves for Savannah College of Art and Design for this year’s competition. Good luck to all!
National Division – 3’
Audrey Bolte
Audrey Hayden
Rob Jacobs
Katie Hansen
Kim Graves
Novice Division – 2’6”
Jen Callahan
Alexandra Fullerton
Alexandra McGraw
Coaches
Peggy McElveen, Ashley Duda, Lindsey Crowther
Chef d’Equip – Karen Gruninger (Karen’s job is to organize everything, people, horses, meals, logistics etc.)
ANRC stands for The American National Riding Commission. ANRC has a rich history reaching back more than 60 years and undergoing various name changes but never losing its strong focus on correct hunter seat equitation. The theories and techniques that are taught reflect the teaching on one very determined Russian Calvary officer who came to America in the 1920s with literally nothing including no understanding of the English language. Captain Vladimir Littaur developed a riding system focusing on position, control and schooling. His system became known as the forward system of riding and at the three levels he defined offers a system of riding and training to everyone from the casual recreational rider up to the serious professional trainer. Horsehold names such as George Morris, Joe Fargis and Lendon Gray embrace the forward system for its simplicity and effectiveness.
The Forward System of Riding focuses on cooperation between horse and rider developed through a systematic approach to riding and training. The system starts with communication between horse and rider that focuses on gross motor skills and clear aids such as a tapping leg. As the horse and rider progress they learn refined aids for example the squeezing leg. With the development of the aids comes improved balance, timing and coordination leading to the appearance of horse and rider moving as one.
ANRC has developed a rider certification system to allow riders to track their progress starting with an Introductory level through nine progressive levels to National Judge. The certification process offers participants professional credentials as well as a clearly defined progression. Events called Equitrials are held for evaluation purposes and riders competing in the National Championships can earn a rating if they sufficient scores.
Why is this important to the instructional program at St. Andrews? Simply put it provides a logical framework for teaching. As riders progress from the elementary level of control into the intermediate level of control they develop refinement and grace in the saddle as well as becoming effective on a variety of horses. The system develops horsemen not just riders. At St. Andrews we teach the forward system to all riders including those in our western and dressage programs. The students that take this training to heart often graduate to become successful trainers or instructors. Daniel Geitner, SAPC alum, is an example in the competitive world of show jumping who came through the system.
The ANRC National Championships are hosted every year by different colleges. The strongest riders in the SAPC program are selected to represent their peers in this challenging competition. They must complete a written test on theory and stable management. The riding phases of the competition consist of a dressage sportif test (similar to a dressage test but including a trot and a canter fence), an outdoor course (think hunter trails) and a medal course (stadium). All riding phases are judged on equitation (defined as the art or act of riding a horse –we judge artistry or style). The quality of the horse certainly does come into the judging which can be advantageous for students with deep pockets who can afford a high quality equine. A couple of our riders have their own horse but the others are competing on school owned horses.
So it is a big deal! This is what we teach every day not just in the riding ring but in the classroom too. It is a system that we embrace to develop our riders into horsemen and our horses into solid equine professors that do the brunt of the teaching for us!
Tomorrow the 2011 squad leaves for Savannah College of Art and Design for this year’s competition. Good luck to all!
National Division – 3’
Audrey Bolte
Audrey Hayden
Rob Jacobs
Katie Hansen
Kim Graves
Novice Division – 2’6”
Jen Callahan
Alexandra Fullerton
Alexandra McGraw
Coaches
Peggy McElveen, Ashley Duda, Lindsey Crowther
Chef d’Equip – Karen Gruninger (Karen’s job is to organize everything, people, horses, meals, logistics etc.)
Monday, April 11, 2011
Showing Under the Stars: “Firsts” & “Lasts” (Also known as “We Will Miss Our Seniors”)
Showing Under the Stars is different every time and is often a place of “firsts.” First over fences class for someone, first western horsemanship class etc. This Friday evening the show was also a place of “lasts” being the last S.U.S. for many seniors. Event organizer Heather Wile recognized the Seniors listing them in the program and handing each one a flower as they exited the ring. The theme for the evening was baseball and several horses showed with baseballs drawn on their rumps.
The evening kicked off with the community lesson class. The riders decorated their horses for Easter with eggs on the rider’s shoes and the horse’s tails braided with rabbit tails. This class was followed by a series of freestyle dressage rides performed to music. Senior Donna Fowble paired with junior Andrea Tito to do a fun ride to music from Beauty and the Beast. Leah Davison left everyone very emotional with a bareback western ride on Tony that was dedicated to the instructors and coaches which she called her “Goodbye Ride”. She rode to a Carrie Underwood tune using elements from a reining pattern to involve the crowd. Kate Sorgenfrei rode in her last S.U.S doing her first dressage test on Sockie. Next weekend Kate pairs with Sockie again for a Natural Horsemanship demonstration at the Ride-Like-A-Knight horse show.
In the western horsemanship classes Nationals qualifier Brittany Powell competed in her cowboy hat (for practice) standing out among the standard riding helmets. The hunter seat classes included ANRC riders preparing for next weekend. Senior Marissa Romaniello completed the over fences class earning second place on Quincy to fulfill her dream of competing over fences at SAPC. The evening ended with the Ride-A-Buck class which has become a favorite with everyone. Ride-Like-A-Knight program director Megan Ellis riding Timmie beat senior Leah Davison after a long session of posting trot.
The evening was very “St. Andrews” with alum Gwen Titus judging, alum Mike Kryszak announcing, and staff and faculty in attendance to cheer the riders on. Gwen helped start the western program several years ago as part of an internship and Mike teaches in the local school system. The audience included Lorrie Renker who started the Therapeutic Horsemanship Program at SAPC and just happened to be visiting the program this weekend.
Marissa and Quincy 
Alex Meyers and Joker 
Judge Gwen Titus 
Seniors Kate Sorgenfrei and Donna Fowble
The evening kicked off with the community lesson class. The riders decorated their horses for Easter with eggs on the rider’s shoes and the horse’s tails braided with rabbit tails. This class was followed by a series of freestyle dressage rides performed to music. Senior Donna Fowble paired with junior Andrea Tito to do a fun ride to music from Beauty and the Beast. Leah Davison left everyone very emotional with a bareback western ride on Tony that was dedicated to the instructors and coaches which she called her “Goodbye Ride”. She rode to a Carrie Underwood tune using elements from a reining pattern to involve the crowd. Kate Sorgenfrei rode in her last S.U.S doing her first dressage test on Sockie. Next weekend Kate pairs with Sockie again for a Natural Horsemanship demonstration at the Ride-Like-A-Knight horse show.
In the western horsemanship classes Nationals qualifier Brittany Powell competed in her cowboy hat (for practice) standing out among the standard riding helmets. The hunter seat classes included ANRC riders preparing for next weekend. Senior Marissa Romaniello completed the over fences class earning second place on Quincy to fulfill her dream of competing over fences at SAPC. The evening ended with the Ride-A-Buck class which has become a favorite with everyone. Ride-Like-A-Knight program director Megan Ellis riding Timmie beat senior Leah Davison after a long session of posting trot.
The evening was very “St. Andrews” with alum Gwen Titus judging, alum Mike Kryszak announcing, and staff and faculty in attendance to cheer the riders on. Gwen helped start the western program several years ago as part of an internship and Mike teaches in the local school system. The audience included Lorrie Renker who started the Therapeutic Horsemanship Program at SAPC and just happened to be visiting the program this weekend.
Marissa and Quincy 
Alex Meyers and Joker 
Judge Gwen Titus 
Seniors Kate Sorgenfrei and Donna FowbleSaturday, April 2, 2011
IHSA Hunter Seat Regionals
In addition to representing the region as a team at zones next weekend Coach Ashley Duda qualified several individuals at the Regional finals hosted today at SAPC. The Equestrian center was buzzing for the final IHSA home show of the year. We also had a large gathering for open house which coincided with the regional finals. Students and their parents were able to observe the SAPC team in action both in the ring and as a group working together to host a top rate horse show.
At the awards luncheon ribbons and trophies for the year were awarded. Rob Jacobs took first place in the Cacchione Cup followed by Katie Hansen in second and Audrey Bolte in sixth place. SAPC’s horse Glenn was awarded the Horse of the Year trophy an honor voted on by the regional coaches.
The IHSA team had a great year with much success. I asked Coach Duda what was the hardest part of being an IHSA coach. She laughed and said, “Having no control! Once they are in the ring you have to have confidence that your preparation will pay off. The rider has to be prepared to answer any questions that arise during the class.” A good illustration of one definition of “luck” – where hard work meets opportunity!
Individual riders moving onto zones - Audrey Bolte, Audrey Hayden, Rob Jacobs, Katie Hansen, Kali Cram, Jessica Bitz-Richards, Kim Graves, Sami Cram, Jodi Brinn – Congratulations!
Regional Results
Open Flat
1. Audrey Bolte
2. Audrey Hayden
3. Katie Hansen
Rob Jacobs also rode in this class, SAPC had 4 out of 5 regional qualifiers in the Open division.
Open Fences
1. Katie Hansen
2. Loren Kirk
3. Rob Jacobs
Novice Fences
1. Kali Cram
2. Audrey Bolte
Walk, Trot, Canter
1. Jessica Bitz-Richards
Intermediate Flat
1. Kim Graves
Novice Flat – this was the largest class of the day with 10 riders.
1. Sami Cram
2. Jodi Brinn
Team Results
1. SAPC
2. UNC – Chapel Hill
3. NCSU
4. Duke
5. UNC – Charlotte
6. Coastal Carolina Community College
7. ECU
8. UNC - Wilmington
2010/2011 IHSA Hunter Seat Team 
Seniors Rob Jacobs, Jen Callahan, Audrey Hayden, Audrey Bolte & Jessica Bitz-Richards accepting the Regional Trophy.
At the awards luncheon ribbons and trophies for the year were awarded. Rob Jacobs took first place in the Cacchione Cup followed by Katie Hansen in second and Audrey Bolte in sixth place. SAPC’s horse Glenn was awarded the Horse of the Year trophy an honor voted on by the regional coaches.
The IHSA team had a great year with much success. I asked Coach Duda what was the hardest part of being an IHSA coach. She laughed and said, “Having no control! Once they are in the ring you have to have confidence that your preparation will pay off. The rider has to be prepared to answer any questions that arise during the class.” A good illustration of one definition of “luck” – where hard work meets opportunity!
Individual riders moving onto zones - Audrey Bolte, Audrey Hayden, Rob Jacobs, Katie Hansen, Kali Cram, Jessica Bitz-Richards, Kim Graves, Sami Cram, Jodi Brinn – Congratulations!
Regional Results
Open Flat
1. Audrey Bolte
2. Audrey Hayden
3. Katie Hansen
Rob Jacobs also rode in this class, SAPC had 4 out of 5 regional qualifiers in the Open division.
Open Fences
1. Katie Hansen
2. Loren Kirk
3. Rob Jacobs
Novice Fences
1. Kali Cram
2. Audrey Bolte
Walk, Trot, Canter
1. Jessica Bitz-Richards
Intermediate Flat
1. Kim Graves
Novice Flat – this was the largest class of the day with 10 riders.
1. Sami Cram
2. Jodi Brinn
Team Results
1. SAPC
2. UNC – Chapel Hill
3. NCSU
4. Duke
5. UNC – Charlotte
6. Coastal Carolina Community College
7. ECU
8. UNC - Wilmington
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Equestrian March Madness
by Jackie Dwelle
This article appeared in The Laurinburg Exchange March 31.
While Carolina and Duke and the other 62 teams are fighting for the Division I NCAA Basketball Championships riders in the St. Andrews Equestrian program are experiencing much the same process as they vie for a slot at the IHSA (Intercollegiate Horse Show Association) National Championships in Lexington, KY May 5 – 8, 2011. IHSA offers competition in hunter seat and western for both teams and individuals. Many parallels exist between the road to the Elite 8 and the Final Four and the path equestrians must ride to reach Semi Finals and Nationals. St. Andrews IHSA Western team has been riding down that path with tenacity and determination this semester.
Intercollegiate basketball is contested within one of the 30 NCAA conferences. IHSA competition is divided geographically into 9 zones and 36 regions. St. Andrews Western Team competes in Zone 4.5, Region 3. (Zones with a fraction are a combination of two zones.)
Basketball teams must participate in 33 - 34 games, conference and non-conference and either win their conference or finish strongly to stand a chance of competing in the NCAA Championships. Equestrian teams must accrue points within their region with only the top team in each region advancing to Semi Finals. This year the St. Andrews Western Team showed at 9 shows both home and away with each show offering six qualifying divisions contributing to the team score.
The road to the Final Four begins with the selection of the 64 teams that will compete in the tournament. The 30 conference winners receive an automatic slot as does the winner of the Ivy League Championship. The remaining “at large teams” are awarded subjectively by the selection committee. Members of basketball’s top conferences The ACC, the Big 10 and so on do not know if they will be selected until the announcement is made on Selection Sunday. There is no subjectivity for Equestrians either you make it to Semi Finals or you don’t. During the regular season the St. Andrews Western Team accumulated a total of 275 points (beating their nearest rival NCSU by three points) to win the championship in Zone 4.5 Region 3.
For basketball teams moving into the NCAA Tourney it is a process of advance or be eliminated. For Equestrians the same is true. The regional (conference) winner goes to one of three Semi Finals and the top three teams from each Semi Final progresses to the National Championships at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington.
How Far Did The Western Team Go?
The Western Team was beaten at Semi Finals. Coach Wennburg commented, “We are proud to have the opportunity to go and compete at the Semi Finals. It is a test which we accomplished by riding properly. When you go to Semi Finals you are up against riders who are as good as you and strong competitors. Our riders rode smart and correctly with good pattern and rail work, there were a few glitches which can make a huge difference at this level. The three schools that advanced all brought horses to the competition which is an advantage, there is always an element of luck involved which you cannot prepare for. We learned a lot and will put that to good use for next year.”
Individual March Madness
In addition to the team competition students may compete as individuals in one of six IHSA divisions. For Western these Horsemanship divisions are Reining, Open, Advanced, Novice, Intermediate, and Beginner. Each division is contested at the National Championships, however the qualifying road is long and arduous. Individual riders must earn 35 points to qualify for the Regional Championship (28 for Reining and Open). This can sometimes take multiple years to accomplish. To qualify for Semi Finals riders must be first or second in their division at the Regional Championships. To progress to Nationals riders at Semi Finals must be in the top 4 of the 16 riders in their division.
One Rider’s IHSA Journey
Senior Alex Meyers has been an active participant on the IHSA Western Team throughout her college career. As an individual it took Alex three years to point out of her starting division and just one year to point out for the next division. “All together I have ridden at 20 shows I think, give or take. I know this year was my second year going to regionals and first year qualifying for Semi-Finals. I began in Intermediate and pointed out last year to Novice. Now I have successfully pointed out of Novice.”
Alex views qualifying for Semi Finals as a great honor, “It means a huge accomplishment for me. It's like the light bulb clicked on and everything Carla (Wennburg) has worked on with me has come together. I am so very excited to have this opportunity.” Being part of the Western Team has been a highlight for Alex, “I think it is amazing. We all are able to come together and have a great time. I think it was hard for me at first because I was so shy and all my team mates had much more show experience than I. However I have discovered that none of that matters. We all may not spend every single moment around each other as a team, but we are all there to help each other out when needed.”
Alex placed in the top ten at Semi Finals. Three of her team mates placed in the top four in their divisions to qualify for the slot at Nationals.
Kelsey Moody – Reining
Brittany Powell – Intermediate Horsemanship
Leah Davison – Beginner Walk/Jog
This article appeared in The Laurinburg Exchange March 31.
While Carolina and Duke and the other 62 teams are fighting for the Division I NCAA Basketball Championships riders in the St. Andrews Equestrian program are experiencing much the same process as they vie for a slot at the IHSA (Intercollegiate Horse Show Association) National Championships in Lexington, KY May 5 – 8, 2011. IHSA offers competition in hunter seat and western for both teams and individuals. Many parallels exist between the road to the Elite 8 and the Final Four and the path equestrians must ride to reach Semi Finals and Nationals. St. Andrews IHSA Western team has been riding down that path with tenacity and determination this semester.
Intercollegiate basketball is contested within one of the 30 NCAA conferences. IHSA competition is divided geographically into 9 zones and 36 regions. St. Andrews Western Team competes in Zone 4.5, Region 3. (Zones with a fraction are a combination of two zones.)
Basketball teams must participate in 33 - 34 games, conference and non-conference and either win their conference or finish strongly to stand a chance of competing in the NCAA Championships. Equestrian teams must accrue points within their region with only the top team in each region advancing to Semi Finals. This year the St. Andrews Western Team showed at 9 shows both home and away with each show offering six qualifying divisions contributing to the team score.
The road to the Final Four begins with the selection of the 64 teams that will compete in the tournament. The 30 conference winners receive an automatic slot as does the winner of the Ivy League Championship. The remaining “at large teams” are awarded subjectively by the selection committee. Members of basketball’s top conferences The ACC, the Big 10 and so on do not know if they will be selected until the announcement is made on Selection Sunday. There is no subjectivity for Equestrians either you make it to Semi Finals or you don’t. During the regular season the St. Andrews Western Team accumulated a total of 275 points (beating their nearest rival NCSU by three points) to win the championship in Zone 4.5 Region 3.
For basketball teams moving into the NCAA Tourney it is a process of advance or be eliminated. For Equestrians the same is true. The regional (conference) winner goes to one of three Semi Finals and the top three teams from each Semi Final progresses to the National Championships at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington.
How Far Did The Western Team Go?
The Western Team was beaten at Semi Finals. Coach Wennburg commented, “We are proud to have the opportunity to go and compete at the Semi Finals. It is a test which we accomplished by riding properly. When you go to Semi Finals you are up against riders who are as good as you and strong competitors. Our riders rode smart and correctly with good pattern and rail work, there were a few glitches which can make a huge difference at this level. The three schools that advanced all brought horses to the competition which is an advantage, there is always an element of luck involved which you cannot prepare for. We learned a lot and will put that to good use for next year.”
Individual March Madness
In addition to the team competition students may compete as individuals in one of six IHSA divisions. For Western these Horsemanship divisions are Reining, Open, Advanced, Novice, Intermediate, and Beginner. Each division is contested at the National Championships, however the qualifying road is long and arduous. Individual riders must earn 35 points to qualify for the Regional Championship (28 for Reining and Open). This can sometimes take multiple years to accomplish. To qualify for Semi Finals riders must be first or second in their division at the Regional Championships. To progress to Nationals riders at Semi Finals must be in the top 4 of the 16 riders in their division.
One Rider’s IHSA Journey
Senior Alex Meyers has been an active participant on the IHSA Western Team throughout her college career. As an individual it took Alex three years to point out of her starting division and just one year to point out for the next division. “All together I have ridden at 20 shows I think, give or take. I know this year was my second year going to regionals and first year qualifying for Semi-Finals. I began in Intermediate and pointed out last year to Novice. Now I have successfully pointed out of Novice.”
Alex views qualifying for Semi Finals as a great honor, “It means a huge accomplishment for me. It's like the light bulb clicked on and everything Carla (Wennburg) has worked on with me has come together. I am so very excited to have this opportunity.” Being part of the Western Team has been a highlight for Alex, “I think it is amazing. We all are able to come together and have a great time. I think it was hard for me at first because I was so shy and all my team mates had much more show experience than I. However I have discovered that none of that matters. We all may not spend every single moment around each other as a team, but we are all there to help each other out when needed.”
Alex placed in the top ten at Semi Finals. Three of her team mates placed in the top four in their divisions to qualify for the slot at Nationals.
Kelsey Moody – Reining
Brittany Powell – Intermediate Horsemanship
Leah Davison – Beginner Walk/Jog
Monday, March 28, 2011
Western Semi - Finals
The Western Team had a great weekend in Springfield Missouri. I talked to Coach Carla Wennburg about the experience.
What makes Semi Finals special? ”Semi Finals in the western is a chance to compete with many colleges we have never seen and some that we have and know will make us STEP UP!”
As a coach what do you see as the benefit of IHSA competition? “To learn how to win and lose, I am fiercely competitive and HATE to lose, but I have built ALOT of character and grace, some days better than others, but ultimately, try to be a leader to our students and show many aspects of competition and results of all things working!! Happens once in awhile! MOST of all it is about our horses!”
How would you describe the experience of being a part of an IHSA team? “Team is what life is about, simply! Learning to get along and help each other in EVERYTHING we do, on the road is really a great time to bond and enjoy each other! Best experience for me working with people!”
Tell us about the experience of going to Semi Finals “We are proud to have the opportunity to go and compete at the Semi Finals. It is a test which we accomplished by riding properly. When you go to Semi Finals you are up against riders who are as good as you and strong competitors. Our riders rode smart and correctly with good pattern and rail work, there were a few glitches which can make a huge difference at this level. My team were great competitors, they take the most out of the experience and are very gracious. I am also extremely grateful to Peggy for sending Pebbles and Kellie with us. They are great travelers, and supporters. 17 hours each way is a test in itself”
The team did not qualify for the National Championships in KY, however 3 riders did advance as individuals, Kelsey Moody in Reining, Brittany Powell in Intermediate and Leah Davison in Beginner Walk/Jog.
Results from Semi Finals
1. Black Hawk College 2. Murray State 3. University of Nebraska 4. Alfred University 5. St. Andrews Presbyterian College 6. West Virginia University 7. Mt. Holyoke College 8. Perdue UniversityThe Team Entering for the Parade of Teams 
Team with Banner 
Carla with Seniors Anne Neal Thompson and Kelsey Moody on the horse. 
Carla and Anne Neal
What makes Semi Finals special? ”Semi Finals in the western is a chance to compete with many colleges we have never seen and some that we have and know will make us STEP UP!”
As a coach what do you see as the benefit of IHSA competition? “To learn how to win and lose, I am fiercely competitive and HATE to lose, but I have built ALOT of character and grace, some days better than others, but ultimately, try to be a leader to our students and show many aspects of competition and results of all things working!! Happens once in awhile! MOST of all it is about our horses!”
How would you describe the experience of being a part of an IHSA team? “Team is what life is about, simply! Learning to get along and help each other in EVERYTHING we do, on the road is really a great time to bond and enjoy each other! Best experience for me working with people!”
Tell us about the experience of going to Semi Finals “We are proud to have the opportunity to go and compete at the Semi Finals. It is a test which we accomplished by riding properly. When you go to Semi Finals you are up against riders who are as good as you and strong competitors. Our riders rode smart and correctly with good pattern and rail work, there were a few glitches which can make a huge difference at this level. My team were great competitors, they take the most out of the experience and are very gracious. I am also extremely grateful to Peggy for sending Pebbles and Kellie with us. They are great travelers, and supporters. 17 hours each way is a test in itself”
The team did not qualify for the National Championships in KY, however 3 riders did advance as individuals, Kelsey Moody in Reining, Brittany Powell in Intermediate and Leah Davison in Beginner Walk/Jog.
Results from Semi Finals
1. Black Hawk College 2. Murray State 3. University of Nebraska 4. Alfred University 5. St. Andrews Presbyterian College 6. West Virginia University 7. Mt. Holyoke College 8. Perdue University
Top 3 schools advance to the National Championships at the Lexington Horse Park in KY, May 6th.
Individual Results
Reining – Kelsey Moody 4th***
Open Horsemanship – Kelsey Moody 5th
Advanced Horsemanship – Shannon Leggett 6th
Novice Horsemanship – Alex Meyers in the top 10.
Intermediate Horsemanship - Brittany Powell 3rd***
Beginner Walk/Jog - Leah Davison 4th***
***The top 4 riders in each division advance to Nationals. 
Team with Banner 
Carla with Seniors Anne Neal Thompson and Kelsey Moody on the horse. 
Carla and Anne NealSunday, March 27, 2011
Equestrians Honored at Awards Convocation
Friday evening students from the equestrian program were honored at the Academic Awards Convocation. Many of the equestrians were unable to attend due to participation in program events. The western team is in Missouri competing at the Western Semi Finals and many of the hunter seat riders were attending the Scot Evans clinic at the Equestrian Center.
Congratulations to everyone who has worked so hard to maintain a strong GPA while being a contributing member of the SAPC community. Below are the awards given by the Equine Studies Department.
Therapeutic Horsemanship Academic Award - Alexandria Scholten
The Therapeutic Horsemanship Academic Award is presented to a Therapeutic Horsemanship Major with a grade point average of 3.5 and higher. This year’s recipient is Alexandria Scholten. Alex consistently puts time and effort into teaching creative therapeutic riding lessons, while maintaining a strong academic focus. This has allowed her to excel in all of her courses and to achieve certification in TH instruction.
Therapeutic Horsemanship Excellence in Instruction Award - Olivia Taylor
This student teaches safe, creative, and challenging lessons with enthusiasm. This year’s recipient is Olivia Taylor. Olivia teaches riders of all ages and skill levels in the Ride-Like-A-Knight program, and she designs thoughtful lessons that cater to each of their goals. She never misses a "teachable moment," and her riders show progress in every lesson.
Therapeutic Horsemanship Service Leadership Award - Elizabeth Dulski
This student also shows outstanding leadership service qualities and involvement in all aspects of the Ride Like A Knight Program as well as the St. Andrews Equestrian Program as a whole. This year’s recipient is Elizabeth Dulski. Liz spends countless hours at the barn, teaches riding almost every day of the week, and regularly takes the initiative on projects that benefit not only her riders, but the program as a whole.
Equestrian Academic Leadership Award
Each discipline gives an award to a student who maintains a grade point average of 3.5 or higher and serves in a leadership role in the Equestrian Program.
Hunter Seat - Jennifer Callahan
Jen has served as Horse Show chair for Riding Council and as an integral part of the barn management liaison program. She is a member of the 2011 ANRC team and helped lead the IHSA hunter seat team to the Regional Championships.
Western - Kelsey Moody
Kelsey serves as the President of Riding Council and is a strong competitor and team leader for the IHSA Western Team. She works closely with coach Carla Wennburg to prepare horses and riders for IHSA Western shows.
Congratulations to everyone who has worked so hard to maintain a strong GPA while being a contributing member of the SAPC community. Below are the awards given by the Equine Studies Department.
Therapeutic Horsemanship Academic Award - Alexandria Scholten
The Therapeutic Horsemanship Academic Award is presented to a Therapeutic Horsemanship Major with a grade point average of 3.5 and higher. This year’s recipient is Alexandria Scholten. Alex consistently puts time and effort into teaching creative therapeutic riding lessons, while maintaining a strong academic focus. This has allowed her to excel in all of her courses and to achieve certification in TH instruction.
Therapeutic Horsemanship Excellence in Instruction Award - Olivia Taylor
This student teaches safe, creative, and challenging lessons with enthusiasm. This year’s recipient is Olivia Taylor. Olivia teaches riders of all ages and skill levels in the Ride-Like-A-Knight program, and she designs thoughtful lessons that cater to each of their goals. She never misses a "teachable moment," and her riders show progress in every lesson.
Therapeutic Horsemanship Service Leadership Award - Elizabeth Dulski
This student also shows outstanding leadership service qualities and involvement in all aspects of the Ride Like A Knight Program as well as the St. Andrews Equestrian Program as a whole. This year’s recipient is Elizabeth Dulski. Liz spends countless hours at the barn, teaches riding almost every day of the week, and regularly takes the initiative on projects that benefit not only her riders, but the program as a whole.
Equestrian Academic Leadership Award
Each discipline gives an award to a student who maintains a grade point average of 3.5 or higher and serves in a leadership role in the Equestrian Program.
Hunter Seat - Jennifer Callahan
Jen has served as Horse Show chair for Riding Council and as an integral part of the barn management liaison program. She is a member of the 2011 ANRC team and helped lead the IHSA hunter seat team to the Regional Championships.
Western - Kelsey Moody
Kelsey serves as the President of Riding Council and is a strong competitor and team leader for the IHSA Western Team. She works closely with coach Carla Wennburg to prepare horses and riders for IHSA Western shows.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Great Presentation!
Adequan representative Allyn Mann gave a great presentation last night. Allyn brought pizza to the meeting for the approximately 70 students present. His PowerPoint included some great graphics and animation showing how healthy joints function and the disease process caused in 95% of cases by work load. Allyn shared that good conformation was important for soundness in the long term but also emphasized that working a horse can lead to stresses that result in degradation of the cartilage. Allyn answered the many questions with great stories, examples, and information on research studies.
Tomorrow the western team leaves for the 16 hour drive to Springfield Missouri to compete in their Semi –Finals. Good luck to all the westerners!
At home it is another busy weekend with Scott Evans here this weekend to give a clinic to the ANRC squad.
Tomorrow the western team leaves for the 16 hour drive to Springfield Missouri to compete in their Semi –Finals. Good luck to all the westerners!
At home it is another busy weekend with Scott Evans here this weekend to give a clinic to the ANRC squad.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Antares Schooling Dressage Show 3/20/2011
While the western team was paving their path to Missouri, the dressage team had a fun trip to Antares Dressage in Pinehurst Sunday. Four horses and five riders competed at training and first level. For a couple of horses it was their first away dressage show since joining the dressage program. Marcus who moved over from the hunter seat program was on his toes but gave Paige Tillison a good ride in Training Level Test One. Jake who came up from Florida last summer showed his nerves a little with senior Donna Fowble but still put in a solid ride in First Level One. School master Astaire tested out freshmen Katherine Kaltenbach in the warm up arena but put in a good performance in First Level Test 3. Moe turned in two solid tests for Lauren Parker Training 1, and Sarah Kee in Training 2. Coach Dwelle commented, “It’s good to get the horses off the farm and ride them in a show setting. They all behaved differently at the show, nerves, a new setting and a spooky ring are all great tests for our riders.”
Training Level Division
Paige Tillison riding Marcus 67.083% 4th
Lauren Parker riding Moe 65.833% 5th
Sarah Kee riding Moe 61.795% 7th
First Level Test 1
Donna Fowble riding Jake 64.482% 3rd
First Level Test 3
Katherine Kaltenbach riding Astaire 63.225% 4th
Paige and Marcus
Lauren and Moe
Donna and Jake
Training Level Division
Paige Tillison riding Marcus 67.083% 4th
Lauren Parker riding Moe 65.833% 5th
Sarah Kee riding Moe 61.795% 7th
First Level Test 1
Donna Fowble riding Jake 64.482% 3rd
First Level Test 3
Katherine Kaltenbach riding Astaire 63.225% 4th
Katherine and Astaire
Sarah and Moe
Paige and Marcus
Lauren and Moe
Donna and Jake
Sunday, March 20, 2011
IHSA Western Regional Qualifers
by Marissa Romaniello
Sunday, March 20, 2011
The Western Team came out ontop today at Regionals, which was hosted at the St. Andrews Equestrian Center.
The Judge, Debra Jones-Wright from Plainville, GA was floored by the quality of the horses, riders and the event. "The facility is exceptional, one of the best I've seen. The horses here are of great quality and are well taken care of. The students and staff were pleasant and helpful and took great care of me. I cannot emphasize enough the wonderful care and presentation of the horses. Big Plus!" She was very pleased with how well the event was run and very much enjoyed her experience here at St. Andrews.
Coach Carla Wennberg could not be prouder of her team! She was very excited and emotional saying, "Today was a result of the Whole Package! The horses were brilliant and the students have been a wonderful team." Team members from all disciplines came out today to help and support the Western Team. "The judge was a professional, with excellent quality. I respected what she said very much. It takes a village! Amazing teamwork from all!"
Results from March, 20, 2011
Class 15- Open Horsemanship
1st- Kelsey Moody
Class 14- Advanced Horsemanship
1st- Shannon Leggett
2nd- Ann Neal Thompson
Class 13- Novice Horsemanship
1st- Alex Myers
Class 12- Intermediate Horsemanship
1st- Brittany Powell
Regional Qualifier- Jake Nix
Regional Qualifier- Kimmy Simmonsen
Class 11- Beginner Horsemanship
1st- Leah Davison
2nd- Shelley Whittemore
Zone Qualifiers from Today
Kelsey Moody
Shannon Leggett
Ann Neal Thompson
Alex Myers
Brittany Powell
Leah Davison
Shelley Whittemore
The team will travel to Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri March 26 – 27 to compete in one of three semi-finals. Qualifiers from this event will go onto the National competition May 5 – 11, 2011 at the Kentucky Horse Park.
Congratulations to all. Everyone did an excellent job today. The entire St. Andrews Community is so proud of you!
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Congratulations Western Team!
Congratulations to Coach Carla Wennburg and the Western IHSA team for qualifying for IHSA Western Semi Finals. The team will travel to Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri March 26 – 27 to compete in one of three semi-finals. Qualifiers from this event will go onto the National competition May 5 – 11, 2011 at the Kentucky Horse Park.
The team qualified at the last regular show of the season held at St. Andrews Equestrian Center March 19th. Emotions ran high when word came from the scorers that SAPC had beaten NCSU for the team slot. “You can’t imagine how proud I am.” said Coach Wennburg. “Our horses did a brilliant job, my students totally organized everything within two hours this morning, they did everything as horsemen.” NCSU and SAPC have been closely tied throughout the year. SAPC beat NCSU 38 points to 32 giving SAPC a year end total of 275 to NCSU’s 272. Equestrian Program Director Peggy McElveen said, “I am so proud of our students and their coach. It has been an extremely challenging year for the Western Team, they have had their ups and their downs. They have worked very hard to get to this point and today their hard work paid off.”
The Reining division has also been a back and forth competition between SAPC’s Senior Kelsey Moody and NCSU’s Kody Zaagman. Today Kody won the division to beat Kelsey by one point for the year. Kody will go on to Nationals as high point rider for our zone. Both Kelsey and Kody qualified for Western Semi Finals in reining. Interestingly, Kody started his IHSA career at St. Andrews riding for Coach Wennburg before transferring to NCSU for his sophomore year.
Judge Carolyn Johnson from Ringgold, GA was very impressed with the quality of the St. Andrews horses. “Today I saw a very, very nice group of horses. This is the nicest group of horses I have seen at any IHSA show.” After the competition she was very quick to complement Coach Wennburg, “Carla is like a sponge. She takes in everything and then gives it back to her students. She is such a special, dedicated, nice person.”
St. Andrews is certainly proud of our western team and their coach! Get plenty of rest tonight guys and good luck to all the individuals riding for Semi Final slots tomorrow.
Advancing to the Regional Competition March 20th at St. Andrews Equestrian Center
Reining & Open Horsemanship
Kelsey Moody
Advanced Horsemanship
Shannon Leggett, Anne Neal Thompson
Intermediate Horsemanship
Brittany Powell, Kimmie Simonsen, Jake Nix
Novice Horsemanship
Alex Meyer
Walk Jog
Leah Davison, Shelley Whittmore
Results March 19, 2011
High Point Rider
Tied Kelsey Moody, SAPC & Kody Zaagman, NCSU
Open Horsemanship
1st - Kelsey Moody
6th - Anne Neal Thompson
Intermediate II Horsemanship Section A
1st – Madison Webb
Advance Horsemanship Section A
2nd – Lindsey Agaliotis
Intermediate I Horsemanship Section A
1st - Leah Davison
2nd – Shelley Whittemore
Advanced Horsemanship Section B
2nd - Lindsey Agaliotis
Reining
2nd - Kelsey Moody
Intermediate II Horsemanship Section B
1st – Brittany Powell
Walk Jog Section A
2nd – Amber Powell
Novice Horsemanship Section A
1st – Alex Meyer
Walk Jog Section B
1st – Tyler Gritzuk
Novice Horsemanship Section B
2nd – Kali Cram
Alex Meyer
Amber Powell
Kelsey Moody
Leah Davison
Carla Wennburg, Kelsey Moody (mounted left) and Anne Neal Thompson (mounted right) before the first class
The team qualified at the last regular show of the season held at St. Andrews Equestrian Center March 19th. Emotions ran high when word came from the scorers that SAPC had beaten NCSU for the team slot. “You can’t imagine how proud I am.” said Coach Wennburg. “Our horses did a brilliant job, my students totally organized everything within two hours this morning, they did everything as horsemen.” NCSU and SAPC have been closely tied throughout the year. SAPC beat NCSU 38 points to 32 giving SAPC a year end total of 275 to NCSU’s 272. Equestrian Program Director Peggy McElveen said, “I am so proud of our students and their coach. It has been an extremely challenging year for the Western Team, they have had their ups and their downs. They have worked very hard to get to this point and today their hard work paid off.”
The Reining division has also been a back and forth competition between SAPC’s Senior Kelsey Moody and NCSU’s Kody Zaagman. Today Kody won the division to beat Kelsey by one point for the year. Kody will go on to Nationals as high point rider for our zone. Both Kelsey and Kody qualified for Western Semi Finals in reining. Interestingly, Kody started his IHSA career at St. Andrews riding for Coach Wennburg before transferring to NCSU for his sophomore year.
Judge Carolyn Johnson from Ringgold, GA was very impressed with the quality of the St. Andrews horses. “Today I saw a very, very nice group of horses. This is the nicest group of horses I have seen at any IHSA show.” After the competition she was very quick to complement Coach Wennburg, “Carla is like a sponge. She takes in everything and then gives it back to her students. She is such a special, dedicated, nice person.”
St. Andrews is certainly proud of our western team and their coach! Get plenty of rest tonight guys and good luck to all the individuals riding for Semi Final slots tomorrow.
Advancing to the Regional Competition March 20th at St. Andrews Equestrian Center
Reining & Open Horsemanship
Kelsey Moody
Advanced Horsemanship
Shannon Leggett, Anne Neal Thompson
Intermediate Horsemanship
Brittany Powell, Kimmie Simonsen, Jake Nix
Novice Horsemanship
Alex Meyer
Walk Jog
Leah Davison, Shelley Whittmore
Results March 19, 2011
High Point Rider
Tied Kelsey Moody, SAPC & Kody Zaagman, NCSU
Open Horsemanship
1st - Kelsey Moody
6th - Anne Neal Thompson
Intermediate II Horsemanship Section A
1st – Madison Webb
Advance Horsemanship Section A
2nd – Lindsey Agaliotis
Intermediate I Horsemanship Section A
1st - Leah Davison
2nd – Shelley Whittemore
Advanced Horsemanship Section B
2nd - Lindsey Agaliotis
Reining
2nd - Kelsey Moody
Intermediate II Horsemanship Section B
1st – Brittany Powell
Walk Jog Section A
2nd – Amber Powell
Novice Horsemanship Section A
1st – Alex Meyer
Walk Jog Section B
1st – Tyler Gritzuk
Novice Horsemanship Section B
2nd – Kali Cram
Kelsey Moody
Leah Davison
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Weekend Activities
Coming up this weekend, Western Show on Saturday and Western Regionals on Sunday. Good luck to Coach Carla and all the Western Team!
Pebbles, Megan and several students are travelling to the NARHA Region 3 conference hosted by Misty Meadows Mitey Riders in Charlotte where several of them are presenting!
The dressage team is travelling to Pinehurst on Sunday for a show at Antares.
Pebbles, Megan and several students are travelling to the NARHA Region 3 conference hosted by Misty Meadows Mitey Riders in Charlotte where several of them are presenting!
The dressage team is travelling to Pinehurst on Sunday for a show at Antares.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Show Team Results Triangle Farms “C” Show Raleigh, NC March 10-13
Rob Jacobs/Royal Palm
Saturday: Reserve Champion Adult Hunter Division
Sunday: Champion Adult Hunter Division
Katie Hansen/My Lucky Charm
Saturday & Sunday: Reserve Champion Jr/Am Hunter Division
Saturday & Sunday: NCHJA Adult Equitation Medal Winner
Kimberly Graves/Iliaque
Saturday: 6th Place Amateur Hunter Derby
Excellent showings Sat & Sun in the Jr/Am Hunter Division
Audrey Bolte/Onyx
Saturday: 2nd Place Amateur Hunter Derby
5th Place NCHJA Adult Equitation
Audrey Hayden/Classical
Excellent showings Sat & Sun in the Adult Hunter Divisions
Keli Van Den Heuvel/Kilfinnae
Excellent showings Sat & Sun in the Pre-Ch/Adult Hunter Divisions, Sunday: 4th Place Pre-Ch/Adult Hunter o/f (out of 25!)
Karen Gruninger/Dilkara
Saturday: 5th Place Pre-Ch/Adult Hunter Derby
Reserve Champion Pre-Ch/Adult Hunter Division
Jennifer Callahan/Eastern Shore
Saturday: 2nd Place Pre-Ch/Adult Eq o/f
1st Place Pre-Ch/Adult Eq Flat
2nd Place Pre-Ch Adult Hunter u/s
4th Place Pre-Ch/Adult Hunter Derby
Sunday: 1st Place Pre-Ch/Adult Eq Flat
1st Place Pre-Ch Adult Hunter u/s
Alexandra Fullerton/Glenfiddich
Saturday: Winner Pre-Ch/Adult Hunter Derby
Reserve Champion Pre-Ch Adult Hunter Division
Sunday: Champion Pre-Ch Adult Hunter Division
Alexandra McGraw/Rhodin
Saturday: 6th Place Pre-Ch/Adult Hunter Derby
Champion Pre-Ch Adult Hunter Division
Sunday: Excellent showing in the Pre-Ch Adult Hunter Division
Leah Davison/Show Business
Saturday: 5th in Long stirrup o/f and the Flat
1st Hunter Show ever!! Great Job!!
Blake Liljestrand/Show Business
Sunday: 1st Long Stirrup Eq Flat
2nd Long Stirrup Eq o/f
1st Long Stirrup Hunter o/f
1st Hunter Show ever!! Great Job!!
Sami Cram/Allegro
Saturday: 1st Adult Hunter o/f
Sunday: Excellent showing in the Adult Hunter Division
Catherine McDowell/The Ladies Man
Saturday: Excellent Showing in the Adult Hunter Division
Sunday: 3rd in both Adult Hunter o/f
Saturday: Reserve Champion Adult Hunter Division
Sunday: Champion Adult Hunter Division
Katie Hansen/My Lucky Charm
Saturday & Sunday: Reserve Champion Jr/Am Hunter Division
Saturday & Sunday: NCHJA Adult Equitation Medal Winner
Kimberly Graves/Iliaque
Saturday: 6th Place Amateur Hunter Derby
Excellent showings Sat & Sun in the Jr/Am Hunter Division
Audrey Bolte/Onyx
Saturday: 2nd Place Amateur Hunter Derby
5th Place NCHJA Adult Equitation
Audrey Hayden/Classical
Excellent showings Sat & Sun in the Adult Hunter Divisions
Keli Van Den Heuvel/Kilfinnae
Excellent showings Sat & Sun in the Pre-Ch/Adult Hunter Divisions, Sunday: 4th Place Pre-Ch/Adult Hunter o/f (out of 25!)
Karen Gruninger/Dilkara
Saturday: 5th Place Pre-Ch/Adult Hunter Derby
Reserve Champion Pre-Ch/Adult Hunter Division
Jennifer Callahan/Eastern Shore
Saturday: 2nd Place Pre-Ch/Adult Eq o/f
1st Place Pre-Ch/Adult Eq Flat
2nd Place Pre-Ch Adult Hunter u/s
4th Place Pre-Ch/Adult Hunter Derby
Sunday: 1st Place Pre-Ch/Adult Eq Flat
1st Place Pre-Ch Adult Hunter u/s
Alexandra Fullerton/Glenfiddich
Saturday: Winner Pre-Ch/Adult Hunter Derby
Reserve Champion Pre-Ch Adult Hunter Division
Sunday: Champion Pre-Ch Adult Hunter Division
Alexandra McGraw/Rhodin
Saturday: 6th Place Pre-Ch/Adult Hunter Derby
Champion Pre-Ch Adult Hunter Division
Sunday: Excellent showing in the Pre-Ch Adult Hunter Division
Leah Davison/Show Business
Saturday: 5th in Long stirrup o/f and the Flat
1st Hunter Show ever!! Great Job!!
Blake Liljestrand/Show Business
Sunday: 1st Long Stirrup Eq Flat
2nd Long Stirrup Eq o/f
1st Long Stirrup Hunter o/f
1st Hunter Show ever!! Great Job!!
Sami Cram/Allegro
Saturday: 1st Adult Hunter o/f
Sunday: Excellent showing in the Adult Hunter Division
Catherine McDowell/The Ladies Man
Saturday: Excellent Showing in the Adult Hunter Division
Sunday: 3rd in both Adult Hunter o/f
Friday, March 11, 2011
TH Visitor and Raleigh Indoors
Sandy Webster is here teaching classes and mentoring instructors in the Ride-Like-A-knight program. Sandy arrived late Wednesday evening and wraps up her visit Saturday with a morning clinic for dressage riders and some one on one time with NARHA Advanced Level candidates. Sandy’s achievements are very impressive!
Sandy Webster is a NARHA Master Instructor, CanTRA Coach, Canadian Equestrian Federation Level 2 Eventing and Dressage Coach. She is a NARHA Lead Faculty Evaluator for the Registered and Advanced levels of Instructor Certification and also an Accreditation Site visitor.
Sandy has attended 2 Paralympics and 3 World Championships as coach for the riders with disabilities. Of late, Sandy has been involved with several pilot projects involving the teaching and curriculum development for the Wounded Warriors and Veteran programs. She has a diverse background in many disciplines related to training horses, including racing, 3-day eventing, dressage, carriage driving and therapeutic riding. Sandy was the program director and executive director of CARD, a very large program in Toronto for 19 years. Sandy set out on a mission to help start up and growing programs the last 5 years as the Program Consultant of MANE, in Alabama, Shea Center in San Juan Capistrano and now at Giant Steps in Northern California. Sandy recently hosted and presented at multiple Region Conferences across the country on various topics related to therapeutic riding from horse training techniques, to volunteer management to developing program growth. Sandy is now consulting and conducting workshops full time in all aspects of therapeutic riding through her company “Gaits of Change”.
Also, this weekend we may have a record number of horses and riders attending the Raleigh Indoor “C” Show. Lindsey and Ashley with Dale’s help are shipping 16 horses to the show. Good luck to everyone attending!
Sandy Webster is a NARHA Master Instructor, CanTRA Coach, Canadian Equestrian Federation Level 2 Eventing and Dressage Coach. She is a NARHA Lead Faculty Evaluator for the Registered and Advanced levels of Instructor Certification and also an Accreditation Site visitor.
Sandy has attended 2 Paralympics and 3 World Championships as coach for the riders with disabilities. Of late, Sandy has been involved with several pilot projects involving the teaching and curriculum development for the Wounded Warriors and Veteran programs. She has a diverse background in many disciplines related to training horses, including racing, 3-day eventing, dressage, carriage driving and therapeutic riding. Sandy was the program director and executive director of CARD, a very large program in Toronto for 19 years. Sandy set out on a mission to help start up and growing programs the last 5 years as the Program Consultant of MANE, in Alabama, Shea Center in San Juan Capistrano and now at Giant Steps in Northern California. Sandy recently hosted and presented at multiple Region Conferences across the country on various topics related to therapeutic riding from horse training techniques, to volunteer management to developing program growth. Sandy is now consulting and conducting workshops full time in all aspects of therapeutic riding through her company “Gaits of Change”.
Also, this weekend we may have a record number of horses and riders attending the Raleigh Indoor “C” Show. Lindsey and Ashley with Dale’s help are shipping 16 horses to the show. Good luck to everyone attending!
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