Did you know that all hawks migrate south in the fall? Yet in the winter we still have hawks hanging around here. Well, they summer way up north, and think our winters are perfect summer weather! I mention this because I believe Jeepers comes from the far far north. I base this observation on the fact that even though she has shedded out and "summer" coat is heavier than most horses’ winter coats. She had to be clipped last week. She was most upset as the clippers cut through her luxurious coat, creating huge piles of hair that were swept away. Of course since she was clipped the weather has been cool and I have had to blanket her to keep her warm. I hear her saying, "What were you thinking!?!?!?!?"

Okay big news: To enhance participation and offer the educational opportunities to as many members and non-members as possible, CRDA is waiving the auditing fees for Adult Camp and the Lunchtime Lectures/Demos. If you had wanted to come to camp, but didn’t get in, this is a great way to soak up lots of information. Come and watch the clinicians work with your friends, and hang out at lunchtime to learn from the various professionals’ presentations. Be sure to tell your barn mates and riding friends about this wonderful opportunity.

Adult Camp, which will be held at Apple Knoll, begins on Friday May 21. You can come first thing in the morning and watch Beth and Jennifer Baumert work with the campers. You can learn so much by just watching.

The first Lunchtime Lecture/Demo at 12:15 on Friday is with Holly Mason and her "Focus on Flexibility", a unique visual and instructional guide to building flexibility and correct balance in the rider. Can’t all us adult riders use some flexibility?

Friday night at 5:30 Jennifer Baumert will give a demonstration on her amazing horse Weltgraf, who won the 2001 Region 8 Prix St. George championship and the 2002 2nd place national Intermediaire Freestyle, with a little help from Jennifer. This should not be missed!

Saturday’s Lunchtime Lecture/Demo (May 22) at 12:15, is with Lisa Keer Carusone. Lisa will discuss the benefits of horse massage, with a hands on demo with one very lucky horse.

Sunday’s Lecture/Demo (May 23) at 12:15, is with Dr. Steven Katz, people and horse chiropractor, and saddle fitter. Dr. Katz will discuss saddle fitting and chiropractic treatments for the horse.

Remember this is all free! To quote that tacky car salesman from TV, "Come on down!"

To balance off "Adult" Camp, we are offering a Junior/Young Riders Clinic on Saturday, June 26th at Tower Hill Farm in Mendon. You have to be under 18 to participate in this clinic! The clinician is Kate Poulin, who has ridden on several USDF Young Riders Teams, including a Gold Metal Team. Kate comes from a distinguished riding family. Her father, Michael Poulin is perhaps best known for training and riding Graf George in the Olympic Games in Barcelona, where they won the Bronze Team Metal. This clinic is open to all Junior riders at ANY level of riding. Privates are $40 members, $50 non-members; and semi-privates are $25 members; $35 non-members. Contact Pam Murray at (508) 429-2096 or murr56@erols.com

In-between Adult Camp and the Junior/Young Riders Clinic, is the Sarah Geikie Clinic on June 16 at Tower Hill Farm. If you are interested, better call Barbara Gokey immediately at (508) 883-7511. Privates are $75 members; $85 non-members; and semi’s are $50 and $60.

And then there is the July 25th Summer Schooling Show. Opening date for entries is June1st. Based on the response to the Spring Schooling Show, you might want to get your entry in early. At least this time around there won’t be the issue of getting your horse’s coggins test back from the vet in time. Check the web site crdressage.org for entry forms and mailing info. They don’t come to me this time!

Oh, speaking of shows, one thing came up at the May Show that I would like to address here. All our shows, all our clinics, camps, any riding program CRDA offers, require proper AHSA approved head gear, with harnesses, buckled. No exceptions.

Now on to the report of the May Schooling Show (versions of which will appear in Ringside Chatter and the June issue of the Pedlar. Yes I know I will be repeating myself).

As I am sure you are all aware, the response was completely overwhelming. By the first Wednesday after the opening date there were enough entries to fill two entire rings. At this point I thought, "Boy, it was going to be piece of cake to manage this show." I really must be a slow learner. Guess that’s why I am still a "Learner Show Manager".

I mentioned at the monthly meeting (only a week later) that the show was already full. "Why not add a third ring?" suggested Dot Iorio, quickly seconded by Kathy O’Leary. I sat there like a deer caught in the headlights. A voice inside my head was shouting, "What are you crazy? A third ring means MORE volunteers, more complexity in the scheduling, more people, more horses, more trailers, more cars – MORE MORE MORE of everything!!!!" I smiled and said, "Why not?!"

I have to tell you all that this learner show manager program I am in is certainly rigorous. I wonder when I will move up to the next letter. Is there another letter or am I to be stuck with "L" forever?

After beginning to work on the ring schedules, an overwhelming sense of doom descended upon me as the show date appeared to be fast approaching. Pam Murray, who had been listening to me rant and rave that I would never again do three rings, calmly suggested I print out the entry list and the ring schedules and said she would pour over them for conflicts. She also labeled all the tests, called more people to line up more volunteers, and listened to me scream some more. She arranged for the "food lady" to be at the show. Carol Burkhart suggested a way to handle the anticipated increased traffic. Kathy O’Leary dropped off the ribbons. And more and more people contacted me to volunteer. Blessed are the volunteers, for without them where would we (make that I) be!

I dropped the show program at the printer late Wednesday afternoon, only to call first thing Thursday morning to ask them to hold off printing. The scratches had begun coming in. Saturday I was still calling those on the waiting list trying to fill the latest scratches.

Earlier in the week before the show someone said to me that it was supposed to be pouring on Sunday. "Unexceptable," I told them. Well Sunday morning, I was up bright and early anxiously checking the skies. The weather gods appeared to be kind, as it was only partly cloudy and in the 60’s. By the time I arrived at Apple Knoll, the driveway was lined with cars, the parking area was filling up with trailers, horses and riders were everywhere, and I had to talk my way past the parking bouncer to be able to drive my car to the show office. With the help of Gwyn Swanson, morning office manager and scorer, the show office was quickly up and running. The judges Ruth Sarkunas (R ), Cyrstal Taylor (L), and Yvonn Coleman-Larsen (L) arrived, the first wave of volunteers came in for their assignments, and the show was on its way.

With three rings scheduled all day, there were almost one hundred riders participating, plus their grooms, trainers, friends, family, support crews. Over one hundred and eighty individual tests were ridden during the course of the day. Simultaneously CRDA held the First Annual Used Tack Sale, coordinated by Karyl Spiller Walsh, during the show; and there were exhibitors with all natural treats for horses and dogs, and clothing and accessories with equestrian image transfers.

I hope all of you who participated in the show had a great time and that the show went smoothly for you. The top ribbon for the show went to
Barbara Simonelli with a score of 76.761% for High Percentage Point Award, Championship. Reserve Champion, and this year’s special High Percentage Junior Award, sponsored by Horse ‘N Habit, went to Jennifer Hunt with a score of 73.809%. All the scores are now posted on our web site, will be in the June issue of the Pedlar and will also be in our upcoming Ringside Chatter newsletter.

This is the really important part – the thanking of the volunteers, for without them this show would not be possible: Carol Burkhart showed up early and manned the warm-up ring steward position, rode her tests in the early afternoon, then came back to help out some more; Sandy Jackson worked all day, first as a ring steward and later as a scribe; Amy Rossiter was ring steward in the morning, took a break to help a friend who was competing, and then pitched back in; Jodi Courtney volunteered, rode, volunteered; Jill DeGregorio, Wendi DeNinno competed, then volunteered; Sue Aquino and Arlene Schuler were scribes; Pam Santos, Nancy Russell, Liz Hunter, Darlene Dwyer were ring stewards; Nancy and Stephany Small were scorers; Rica Trujillo was a runner almost all day; Donna Cameron, Erin Small, Kate O’Brien helped out where needed; Elizabeth and Katherine Figueroa came back at the end of the day as the clean up crew; and Dot Iorio did poop patrol.

A very special thank you goes out to Jodi Courtney of Apple Knoll Farm. Jodi is leaving to take a "real" job. She has help and supported CRDA through the years in so many ways. CRDA wishes to extend our good wishes in her future endeavors. And we hope she comes back to show.

As I was working on the logistics of this show, I confided in Pam that I was never, NEVER, going to do this again. She recently mentioned that if she gets enough entries to the next July 25th Summer Schooling Show, she would like to do three rings. I smiled and said, "Why not?!"

We never seem to have enough volunteers. It is the same people who keep sticking their hands up and volunteering. At our monthly meeting I pointed out that at this show, of the almost 100 riders, about 3/4 were members. And with a membership of around 120, that doesn’t leave us with a large pool to draw from for volunteers, with so many competing. So a suggestion was made to remind everyone that there are day stalls available at Apple Knoll. And if you are willing to volunteer a minimum of 4 hours, in other words a morning or an afternoon, CRDA will work something out. Then you can compete and volunteer and not have to worry about getting your horse back home or about them standing on the trailer all day. And as an added incentive to get volunteers, I will do my utmost to schedule your tests, if possible, close together! So get your entry form in early for the July Show and volunteer!

See you in the saddle,
Jamie

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