Schooling show photos

We're in the middle of bringing in some more hay (just 19 acres this time), so I am pushed for time to write up the commentary for the show yesterday. Please check back and I'll fill in details ASAP - there are storms rolling in tonight/tomorrow, so the hay HAS to be finished & in the barn. :)

Alexis, Adelaide & Smart went to the show and returned home with 4 Firsts and 1 second place.

All photos were shot by Melissa Gartland and video clips are to follow.

I do have to give a quick shout out of thanks to Karin Roseman for allowing me to show her special girl Adelaide...she is AWESOME and a real treat to ride! :)

Adelaide WF (Adamant x Aly Alice xx) 2004 Bay Mare

































Alexis Carrington WF (Adamant x Dynasty WF) 2004 Grey Mare 17.1 Hands














Smart WF (South American Way xx x Aurora) 1995 Chestnut Gelding 16.1 Hands PSG

Schooling photos

We went over to Sally's farm on Friday - which seems like eons ago given the busy weekend and Alexis and Sara had a nice school. Alexis was intrigued watching Kitty doing what Kitty loves to do - JUMP!






















Alexis settled in quickly and really enjoyed having a grass area to hack around and new scenery to admire...
























All of the activities were overseen by Sally's assistant - Jellybean...
















Thank you Sally, Melissa & Sara for helping to make this jaunt possible! :)

As You Wish wins AGAIN!

Kitty went to the DVCTA Horse Trials at Carousel today and won her division of Novice Horse with Sally!!! :)

She had a very good dressage test with just one '5' for the free walk (she was looking at the sights) - all the rest of the test was 7's & 6's!!

We are quite excited as she is scheduled to move up to Training level in just a matter of days!!!

And to reiterate what I have said in the past about Eventing being on to something...she won a beautiful leather halter with a brass nameplate at Plantation. This time she won a set of 4 galloping boots - all the merchandise is from Bit of Britain here in Oxford, PA, so we will pay them a visit this week to pick up her 'loot'!!! Wouldn't it be great if Dressage had nifty (translate as USEFUL) prizes beyond the blue ribbons???

On the horse show front - Smart, Alexis Carrington and Adelaide are headed to a schooling show this week and I'll update soon with some photos from Alexis' jaunt over to Sally's from Friday...she was a star and a lady for Sara on their adventure! :)

Inspection Results

This is going to be a very quick post and I promise to add photos and video links over the next few days, so please bear with me...


Champion - Dolce Elise WF (Dressage Royal x Savannah WF) 2009 Dark Bay Filly with a score of 9.0 and a Premier Award.

Reserve Champion - Aloysius WF (Avebury WF x Amelia WF) 2009 Grey Colt with a score of 8.8 and a Premier Award.

Drummond WF (Dressage Royal x Abracadabra WF) 2009 Bay Colt with an 8.5 and a Premier Award.

Wilson WF (Waldaire x Sabrina WF) 2009 Dark Bay Colt with an 8.2 and a Premier Award.

MS Spanish Legacy 2007 Palomino Filly 7.5 and a First Premium.

Lucky Charm (Lucky Me x Charisma) 2009 Bay Filly 7.3 and a First Premium.

Congratulations to all the participants and many thanks go out to Bill Alphin (A & A Photography), Dr. Sarah Sprague, Hoppy, Stacy, Keith, Cindy, Sara, Melissa, Pat, Ric and the Watermark Farm crew for helping to make the day a big success. Additional thanks go out to Rohrer's Feed Company, TizWhiz Feeds, AllTech (sponsor of the 2010 WEG) and all those who helped us put up the 1200 bales of hay this week!!!

Photos and more information to follow shortly (I promise)!!!

Big weekend here on the farm!

I will start with the good news from the Fourth of July weekend!

Kitty (As You Wish WF) went to the Fair Hill Starter Trials in the Open Novice division and was second - finishing on her dressage score of 33 points! Sally did another beautiful series of riding on her and it was a treat to watch them competing together. I did manage to take the video camera along and shot her dressage warm up & test, stadium and bits of cross country.
Videos -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i85eO2a4XZM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBqcPcOWjHA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqj17NJQHY0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jGAUcNsmA0

Congratulations go out to the MacKnew family for Jessy's second place at Fair Hill in the Elementary B division! She finished on her dressage score with her NASPR pony mare, Copper! Congratulations Jessy!!!!

Jen Hoey rode her homebred/trained Adamant son, Picadilly Jim (aka Mikey) in the Beginner Novice division...what a handsome horse he is!!! Mikey is out of a Canadian Sport Horse mare that Jen's sister Sally used to compete. It is always fun to see some of the 'family' out in the ring competing! :)















The weather here in PA is cooperating at long last for haymaking! We have had a very wet spring and summer thus far, so it is with great relief we are well into the second cutting of hay. :)

Now for the sad news...we said goodbye to our beloved Savannah WF on Saturday.












Her 2009 filly Dolce Elise is thriving at 3 months of age but Savannah's condition was deteriorating rapidly and she was too unstable to stay with Dolce any longer. We were blessed with 5 frozen semen foals from her -






Dolce Elise WF,










Dream Girl WF,










Don William WF,










Windsor WF
(Janice Thompson photo)








&


Wyatt WF.
(Bill Alphin photo)




Dolce and her big sister will remain here with us for the time being to see who would like to be a big show horse in the future. Windsor was sold to a trainer as a yearling, Wyatt is one of my upcoming big guns and Liam is just a delightful prospect as a 2 year old.



On the family front - our heartfelt condolences go out to the Merkel-Parker clan. We were lucky to have cousins Caitlin and Ian here on the farm just a few weeks ago for a lovely visit. It is always such fun to have family here to visit the farm...Harry (the Jack Russel) was a big hit and the source of lots of laughter for all of us. Only days later their mother Melissa (and my cousin) passed away unexpectedly. So lots of cyber hugs go out to all who know the family down in NC and AL.

AWR/NASPR Inspection times

We will begin promptly at 8:30 AM

Order of Go -


8:30 AM - Dolce Elise WF
8:50 Drummond WF
9:10 Charisma & Lucky Charm
9:35 Wilson WF
9:50 MS Spanish Legacy
10:10 Aloysius WF

10:40 Brunch

11:10 Critique

11:40 Branding (optional)

New baby photos!

So the foals are just about ready for their inspection next weekend...

Dolce is the big girl - she is 2.5 months old now and quite the 'boss' of the boys! She has a great personality and is very sweet to work around.














Dru is all very much a boy - he loves to show off and Dolce is his preferred playmate. She thinks it is fun to have her little shadow...












Louie is quite sad most days as he wants to play with his neighbor - Wilson. However, Wilson & Sabrina go out in the smaller pasture, so they don't spend their days together...








Wilson does like to show off and here are some photos of him showing off for the camera! (and I am totally at fault for not having added more photos of him recently...life has gotten in the way, sorry!)












































We added Wilson to the pasture for a few minutes this morning and he sought out the other two that are the same color...pretty funny to see him ignoring Louie for being a different looking beastie! :)