This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Hi All,
Just wanted to jot a quick note this AM to brag a little bit about our successes this weekend. There was a show here in Eugene at the dandy new facility (three arenas and about 150 stalls all under ONE roof!), Oregon Horse Center. The show was sponsored by the Western Halflinger Assoc., but featured Fjords also. It was an Open Schooling show. I took 4 horses from my barn, three Fjords and one Mustang. The three Fjords were Tomas, belonging to Sue Grantham, Dustenai and Cymon, Patty Peterson's Fjords (Patty passed away in Feb. and I have been taking care of them). The Mustang, Moose, belongs to Kelly Caroll. Moose has been an interesting challenge. When he first came here 4 years ago, he was about to be looking at the inside of an Alpo can! He was a BAD BOY! It was a difficult task for me as a trainer to teach Kelly how to discipline his bad behavior without getting her hurt. She wanted to do it herself rather than pay me to do it for her. That took much longer, but for Kelly, seemed to be more rewarding. Anyway, we worked through his behavioral problems in weekly lessons - a long process, but definitely rewarding in the long run! Dustenai was ridden by one of my other students, Ellen Oare, who by the way, is a Paint and QH owner. NO ULTERIOR MOTIVE HERE - UH-HUH??!! I rode Cymon, Dustenai's 5 year old son. I believe this was the first time he had been shown under saddle. Patty had shown him in halter and had won with him, but don't recall that she had ever ridden him at a show. He did quite well for his very first show. Had a bit of anxiety over EVERYTHING, but settled in nicely. I opted to put Dustenai and Cymon just in Walk Trot classes for this first show. Thought that was enough for now. I two handed Cymon in his first class since he doesn't neck rein yet so did not place, but that was OK. I rode him one handed in his second class and he placed 4th. I was quite pleased with that. Ellen did very nicely with Dustenai and placed 4th and 5th with her. That, too, was good. Sue and Tomas did an awesome job as well and placed third in Western Equitation and second in Western Pleasure. This was their very first time showing except for once at an Evaluation when Sue received her Silver Medallion for Intro. Western. Kelly and Moose WON FIRST PLACE in both English and Western Pleasure. I think they placed in some other classes as well, but so much was going on, don't exactly recall what all they got right at the moment. Earlene and Jerry Claussen brought Thor for the driving classes. Boy are Claussens troopers! We watched Earlene drive in an Egg & Spoon class!! Earlene giggled afterwards that she really should learn to drive one handed! We stayed long enough to watch Jerry drive in a Novice class where he placed second. Hard to beat those darling Mini's! We had to pack up and head home so were not able to watch the remaining driving classes, but it sure made me wish that I had brought Dustenai's cart! Maybe next time! We all went home happy with our results, but were a bit disappointed that there weren't more Fjords there to support the show. Maybe next time??!! Pam and Shannon - good going at the Rose Festival!! Another job well done! That parade is the second largest in the country and is quite a MARATHON for horse participants. Our barn rode with Pam in that parade last time. We won the perpetual trophy for Best Dressed Group that year and I still have not recovered!! Last time it was insufferably HOT! This time it rained!! UGH!! Gayle Ware Field of Dreams Eugene, OR www.fjordhorse.com
