Nationals!

ANRC
Kira Gainey said it better than I could in an email to the equestrian program;

“ANRC Nationals was a great success this weekend!! I heard endless praise this weekend from all our visitors about the property, the barn, the jumps and you!!! The Equestrian Center looked amazing and the show ran as smoothly as we could have hoped (even with our very newly created scoring program-thanks to Marsha and Sam Black!)

I'd like to thank everyone who helped out and supported our program and our ANRC 2009 team in any way...those who helped with the Easter weekend paint party, pulling tags off of flowers, setting the course, handing out ribbons, brushing jumps, building islands, scribing for the judges, demo riding for the judges (and ALL the spectators...talk about stress :), handling the in gates, raking the rings, wiping off boots, juggling horses/stalls, cheering for the home team, just coping with all the excitement, etc, etc.

And I would like to especially thank the 2009 ANRC team...Kelsi, Rob, Alexis, Caroline, Audrey, Lindsay, Morgan, Alex - you all were amazing in ALL your efforts this weekend and the time leading up to it. Thank you for the hard work both on and off the horses. We are so proud of you and could not have done it without you!!!!

Thank you all for, as always, being a gracious and wonderful host college!!!”

IDA
I spent my weekend in Findlay, Ohio at an equally amazing event - IDA Nationals. St Andrews students Greta Friesen and Lauren Parker competed in the First level and Introductory divisions respectively. Greta placed 12th nationally while Lauren placed 10th nationally.

Donna Fowble accompanied us to Ohio and served as chef d’equipe. Lauren’s Dad made the drive with the girls and wrote a long “to do” list of things that will be needed next year when we host. I am very grateful to him for being the chauffeur and documenting the competition from an outsider’s perspective.

Findlay went above and beyond in their organization of the event. A Hawaiian theme for the weekend was reflected everywhere from the welcome Luau to the ring decorations. Betsey Steiner gave a very inspiring motivational speech Friday evening and was available all weekend to talk to students and riders. What a great opportunity for everyone!

Results Summary
Team Competition - Saturday
1. University of New Hampshire
2. Virginia Intermont College
3. Delaware Valley College

Individual Competition - Sunday
First Level Test 4 - Greg Schmid of Otterbein College 72.105%
Training level Test 4 Jessica Forend of Johnson & Wales University 70.800%.
(This division was so close that the judges were asked to break the tie between Jessica and Ashley Parsons from the University of Findlay. )
Training Level Test 2 - Laura Thompson of Averett University, 68.214%
Introductory Level Test B – Colleen Grant of Otterbein College, 67.500%

Complete results: http://www.findlay.edu/ida2009championship/

Next week IHSA Nationals!

We Love April at SAPC!

April is always a crazy month and this year particularly so with SAPC hosting ANRC Nationals next week, IDA Nationals in Ohio the same weekend and IHSA Nationals in Murfreesboro TN the following weekend.

Our eight ANRC riders, their coaches Kira and Lindsay, Peggy and a few students that stayed on campus for Easter have been hard at work painting jumps, washing fences, fixing the ring footing, and generally tidying up the facility for the competition next week. The temporary stabling is being assembled down by the farm house and the maintenance crews have been going full force, putting the finishing touches on the outside course, dragging paddocks and rings and mowing like crazy. Not forgetting the horses, they are schooling great, looking fabulous and only giving their riders an occasional heart attack with pulled shoes! My contribution? Making points for shad bellies for the girls and a tie for Rob.

Wednesday I head up the road for Findlay Ohio. I am meeting T (Teresa McDonald from VA Tech.) in Wytheville VA. We have meetings is Thursday and Friday and then the fun begins. Findlay has gone all out with their plans for Nationals including a golf cart decorating contest and dog agility. Greta & Lauren are driving over night (with chef d’equipe Donna )Thursday to be there for the golf cart contest, and the Friday dinner with speaker Betsy Steiner. They don’t show until Sunday but will have a chance to see the horses go and soak up the excitement of a National competition.

As if that was not enough as soon as this weekend is over we are shipping horses to Murfreesboro early Monday for IHSA Nationals. Kira, Sarah & Lindsay are travelling with them. In hunt seat we have one rider - Rob Jacobs in Novice fences (we live in the most competitive region in the country for IHSA). The western team and individuals will be driving out there with Carla later in the week.
Phew! Finals are right around the corner and then graduation. (The eq. staff plan to fit a riding instructor retreat and spa May 2 & 3 to keep ourselves from getting bored!)

Zone Qualifiers & Clinics

IHSA Hunt Seat Regionals was a great success for SAPC. The following students qualified for zones which will be hosted by Mary Washington this Saturday April 4th.

Walk Trot - Jessica Gesel
Novice Flat - Rob Jacobs
Audrey Bolte - alternate
Novice Fences - Rob Jacobs
Intermediate Flat - Audrey Hayden
Jaci Ayers
Intermediate Fences - Alexis Stevenson - alternate
Open Flat - Kelsi Peterson

The Scott Evans clinic last Saturday and Sunday was fabulous. Scott is able to give his students just what they need emotionally as well as physically. His brand of sports psychology offered confidence to students who doubted themselves and a wake up call to those that need to work a little harder on fitness and technique. I picked up some great pointers for motivating my students.

The Dottie Morkis was clinic on Thursday was another great learning opportunity for riders and auditors alike. Dottie’s teaching talent is the ability to hone in on a horse and rider partnership and diagnose exactly what they need to work on. Her lessons demand 100% concentration from the riders. Each horse/rider combination came away with one or more things to work on. I enjoyed a great afternoon and picked up a lot of new ideas for improving my students in dressage. All the horses were excellent and huge improvements were seen during the sessions with Dottie.

The Riding Council “Slave for a Day” Silent Auction last week was a great success with some money being raised for the program. (Can’t wait to get the dressage tack room cleaned & organized)

This weekend at SAPC we have our final Open House for the academic year. I know all the teams will be practicing with IHSA Zones, IDA Nationals, and ANRC right around the corner. Good luck to all SAPC Equestrians in the next couple of weeks.

IHSA Western Team going to Nationals & Equestrian Celebrities

The IHSA Western Team qualifies for National Championship in April at Middle Tennessee State University, in Murfreesboro, TN.

In the team event St. Andrews (currently 4th in the nation) was Reserve Champion Team with 25 points. Three St. Andrews team riders won their classes at Semi-Finals. Megan Stiles, Kimmy Simonsen, and Kayla Hay. The other team riders contributing points were Kelsey Moody and Shannon Leggett.

In the individual event the riders below earned a spot at National Championship by placing in the top four of their class.

Kayla Hay - 1st - Novice Horsemanship
Kelsey Moody - 3rd - Reining
Jessica Gesel - 3rd - Beginner Walk Jog
Kody Zaagman - 4th - Open Horsemanship

Kayla Hay won 1st place in both team and individual events.

Congratulations to Coach Carla Wennberg and all members of the SAPC Western Team

This week at SAPC we have Dottie Morkis coming for a clinic on Thursday afternoon (I am so grateful that she can fit us into her busy schedule)

Friday we are hosting IHSA Hunt Seat Regionals. Bob Cacchione will be here to cheer on riders from all the schools in our region.

Scott Evans is judging Regionals and then will stay for the weekend to clinic with our hunt seat riders.

Three Equestrian celebrities on one week WOW!

We are still keeping busy!

Last weekend Liz, & Pebbles attended the NARHA Region 3 conference in VA Beach. Liz presented on Friday and Pebbles did a joint presentation with Lorrie Renker on Thursday & Friday. Ida Stavenger from the Dean’s office drove Phil Ratchford, Whitney Powell, Courtney Bertram and Gabby Grubic up to the conference. Everyone visited with a Kim Butterbaugh and Huxley & Boo Boo. (Kim left as SAPC’s stable manager last summer after 4 years with us)

Lindsay and Kira had a group of students at the horse show in Raleigh. Chesnee Faulkner and her new partner Rhett had a great weekend with Rhett overcoming his aversion to big groups and placing in the hack!

This weekend is parents weekend, open house, and, Showing Under the Stars. There will be lots of activity on campus and at the equestrian center with all the visitors. Unfortunately, the 80 degree weather that we have been enjoying is giving way to rain and mid 40s. Hey its March… its sure to change again soon!

Carla wins prestigious award!

Last weekend at the American Quarter Horse Association Convention in San Antonio, Texas, SAPC Western coach Carla Wennberg received the Professional Horsewoman of the Year award. This is a most prestigious award and the highest honor the AQHA can bestow upon someone in the equine industry. Carla serves the AQHA and the equine industry as one of its top rated judges and as a member of the AQHA Judges Committee. For someone as young as Carla to receive this award is most unusual and speaks highly of her reputation, her abilities, and her contributions to our sport.

What are you doing now? (Spring 09 Grads - What are your plans?)

Trying to find out what anyone who ever had any involvement with the Equestrian program is doing now. Not just majors but anyone who ever took a lesson, volunteered for TR or just hung out with the equestrians.

Why do I care? The program has grown since you left (even if you graduated in the fall of 08!) it keeps growing, we need to direct that growth and it seems logical to find out what folks are doing now.

Please answer these four simple questions:

How involved were you with the equestrian program?
When did you graduate?
What did you do straight out of school ?
What are you doing now?

Thanks!

Two IDA Team Members Qualify for Nationals!

Lauren Parker was reserve champion in the Intro division for our IDA Region. Greta held onto her lead and took the champion ribbon at first level. So there will be at least three of us heading to Findlay in April. (I hear rumor that several team members will be following us up there to cheer on their team mates.)

Spring break is next week and it seems that everyone is ready for it! I have certainly noticed a drop in the number of assignments that are turned in on time!

Some of our students along with Liz and Pebbles will be attending the NARHA Region 3 conference in Virginia Beach at the end of spring break. Another group will be taking horses to Raleigh to show at the “C” rated hunter/jumper show.

Qualifying for Regionals, Semi-Finals and Nationals

Greta Friesen qualified for IDA Nationals at the Virginia Intermont show this weekend. The IDA team had its best placing this year with a third behind Virginia Intermont in first and NCSU in second place. Lauren Parker placed third in the Intro division which keeps her in second place regionally with a couple of riders able to overtake her if things don’t work out at Averett this Saturday.

The western team had an exceptional weekend qualifying their team for Western Semi-Finals in Kentucky, March 20 – 22 as well as the following individuals.

Class 11 - Beginning Horsemanship
Jessica Gesel & John Coppollo

Class 12 - Intermediate Horsemanship
Chella Glennon

Class 13 - Novice Horsemanship
Kayla Hay & Tony Fernandez

Class 14 - Advanced Horsemanship
Erica Hill

Class 15 - Open Horsemanship
Kody Zaagman & Kelsey Moody

Class 16 - Reining
Kelsey Moody

The IHSA hunt seat team was reserve champion behind Virginia Intermont last Thursday at VI with Karen Gruninger and Rob Jacobs qualifying for regionals in Walk, Trot, Canter and Novice Flat respectively, This team heads to Wake Forest this Sunday for their last show before regionals.

Lynn Palm judged the western IHSA show this weekend and then stayed and did a clinic for the western team on Monday. I had a chance to chat with her on Monday. It is so refreshing to have your beliefs in the importance of strong basics for horses and riders confirmed by someone that is so successful in the horse industry. Lynn is both down to earth and practical and oozes a deep respect for the horse.

This week we have Showing Under the Stars on Friday evening, the Averett IDA show on Saturday, the Wake Forest IHSA show on Sunday and then it is smooth run to Spring break 2/28 – 3/8. Time for me to catch up on some projects and maybe ride a bit!

February is Crazy!

February is always crazy with IHSA & IDA shows every weekend. Last Friday (Feb 6th) we hosted a hunt seat show with 14 schools competing. Gilmore who returned to us from his retirement home about a year ago and who must be close to 30 was wild and had to be pulled from the walk, trot canter classes. (He is great in my beginner dressage lessons, but must have had flash backs to his younger days!) The cold weather created a lot of frisky horses which is never good for an intercollegiate show. SAPC ended up in 5th place, Virginia Intermont was the champion team.

Carla, Peggy & Dale headed up to Martin Community College for two weekend shows (Feb 7th & 8th). The judges were very thorough causing the Saturday show to go until 9:00 pm!

This weekend (Feb 14th & 15th) we are hosting a western show on Saturday and western regionals on Sunday. Lynn Palm is judging Sunday and them staying on to do a clinic that afternoon and Monday for SAPC riders.

I will be headed to Bristol, VA Saturday afternoon for an IDA show on Sunday. Then next week we have Showing Under the Stars on Friday and the IDA team travels to Averett on Saturday for our last regular show of the season.

Like I said Feb. is a crazy month. Happy Valentine’s Day!

Getting Busy

This week end the Ride-Like-A-Knight therapeutic riding program is hosting an instructor certification. Starting around lunch time today, Pebbles and the site visitor will be testing and evaluating candidates for the NARHA registered instructor certification. The TH students will be busy assisting with this event.

We have our first IHSA hunt seat show this week (Friday the 6th). As always there will be lots of schools competing in all divisions. We are having a work day today to get the facility looking its best. Katie Lavery is heading up the organization of horse preparation and Rachel Buckler and Megan Stiles are assisting her as part of their Equine Event Management Internship. The course will be set on Wednesday of this week with Thursday set aside for schooling of the participating horses.

The ANRC team was announced last week:
Kelsi Peterson - TeddyCaroline Taylor - FriscoLindsey Gates - PanchoAudrey Hayden - RomarioAlex Sonnenberg - PedroAlexis Stevenson - YorkRob Jacobs – Luke

These students will be working hard this semester to prepare for the competition to be held April 17 – 18 at SAPC.

Next weekend looks busy too! Sarah is holding an information session for students interested in working at summer camps this summer on Saturday evening & the IHSA western team head to Martin Community College for a show on Sunday.

SNOW!!!

Snow does not come to Laurinburg too often. We have about 2" here in Deercroft. School is closed for the day so we can all watch the ceremonies in Washington DC.

Leggs came home from NC State yesterday. He looks great but of course he has a long way to go following his colic surgery.

Jacksonville Week One

These are the results as reported on the SAPC website. Looks like everyone had a great time!

Two St. Andrews Presbyterian College equestrians won individual championships during the Jacksonville National Horse Show in Jacksonville, Fla., last week.

The St. Andrews equestrians also won four classes.

Gabby Grubic, a junior therapeutic horsemanship major from Alexandria, Ohio, rode her own horse (Streak) to win the Low Child/Adult Jumper Division. Morgan Worthington rode “Glenn” – a St. Andrews horse – to the reserve championship in Pre Adult Hunter Classic.

Rob Jacobs led the remaining St. Andrews riders by winning two classes – Adult Hunter Over Fences and Adult Hunter Under Saddle. He is a sophomore politics major from Temple Hills, Md. He rode two St. Andrews horses – “Romario” and “Romarion”.

Kelsi Peterson rode “Teddy” – a St. Andrews horse – to a first-place finish in Adult Hunter Over Fences. She is a senior psychology major from Colorado Springs, Colo.

Samantha Black rode “Glenn” to the final victory in a class for St. Andrews, winning Pre Adult Hunter Over Fences. She is a senior business equine management major from New Haven, Conn.

Other St. Andrews riders competed well in additional classes including:

Casey Curtis riding her own horse “Lara” second in Pre-Adult Hunter Over Fences. She is a freshman from Round Hill, Va.

Caroline Taylor on her own horse “Frisco”, third place in Adult Hunter Over Fences. She is a junior equine business management major from Vanceboro.

Betsy Kaplan on her own horse “Java”, third place in Hopeful Jumpers. She is a junior equine business management major from Hollis, N.H.

Alex Sonnenberg on her own horse “Pedro”, fifth place in Open Jumpers. She is a sophomore from Purcell, Va.

Spring Semester Begins!

School started yesterday it is great to have the students back after what seems like an extra long Christmas break. Riding lessons start tomorrow which is really early, but necessary to accommodate all the end of year championships in April.

I started teaching my first online class Tuesday - Stable Mgt One. It is the same as the classroom version just online. Online is a totally different teaching environment with different challenges and tons of attention to detail. All SAPC online classes are in an 8 week format with a company called Learning House so it will go a lot faster than in the classroom. In D2 Pebbles takes Principals and Concepts online - she is busy preparing it right now as well.

Our wonderful dressage horse, Leggs, had colic surgery last night at NC State. He had an intestinal displacement and a lot of gas. The prognosis right now appears to be pretty good. Please say a prayer for his speedy and uncomplicated recovery. He is such a wonderful horse and teacher for our program but had a really tough life before coming to SAPC.

FL Horse Changes

Luke and Profound decided that they would rather stay here and enjoy some more of the monsoon season. Romario and Glenn jumped at the chance to go further south for a couple of weeks.

Good luck to all riders, horses and coaches.

Florida

Lindsay, Kira and the group below leave for Florida on Tuesday Jan 6th. Good luck down there, hope its warm!

Caroline Taylor and Frisco
Betsy Kaplan and Java
Andrew Michael and Feeney
Kelsi Peterson and Teddy
Rob Jacobs and Luke
Casey Curtis and Clara
Morgan Worthington and Swash
Sam Black and Profound
Gabby Grubic and Streak
Alex Sonnenburg and Pedro

Staff Changes

Jenni Bensen has moved to Marietta , Georgia to go to chiropractic school. Dr. Jenni Bensen will graduate in 3 ½ years.

Megan Ellis has joined the staff as assistant stable manager. She will be helping Elissa and Sam take care of all the horses.

St. Andrews Equestrian Program 2009

Happy New Year!

A new blog for a new year