In 2019, the Cross-National Working Boot Camp Cup will rotate to Alberta, Canada. In 2020, it will take Intense...Educational...Serious FUN! place in New South Wales, Australia

Intense...Educational...Serious FUN describes a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn and grow! A 5 day Working Equitation Boot Camp, hosted by Working Equitation United (WE United) with 130+ participants and numerous instructors and judges from Australia, Canada, Netherlands, New Zealand, Portu- gal, United Kingdom and United States of America was held in Eugene Oregon July 8-12, 2018. It provided 5 intense days of practical dressage training, negotiating obstacle courses using ease of handling skills, ramping up horsemanship skills thru speed and a separate day of a cow working learning session that tested / rider partnerships. Each learning session was de- signed to employ progressive funda- mentals. Working Equitation takes your dressage training to a whole new level of horsemanship! Appreciation to Heidi Eijgel, Pincher Creek, Alberta Canada for loaning me her mare, a Canadian Horse. ~ Kris Blacklock Lili Chanteceler, 10 yr old mare

What is Working Equitation? See inside for boot camp daily key learnings…. It’s a growing dressage based equestrian discipline in the United States that became a (4) Phases competitive sport in 1996 in Southern Europe. Children to Master’s Levels (Youth, • Dressage Amateur & Open) All breeds (except • Ease of Handling (with obstacles) miniatures). Portuguese, Traditional or Western tack/attire. • Speed (with obstacles) • Cattle Handling Who is WE United? WE United, a non- profit 501c(3), is a recognized Alliance Part- Levels: Children, Intro, Novice A/B, Inter- ner of the United States Equestrian Federa- mediate A/B, Advanced, Masters tion (USEF) since WE United’s earliest days.

1 Visit www.weunited.us for more information about this dressage based sport Day 1—Welcome, Introductions, Morning Dressage Fundamentals (Halt, Moving off your leg, Riding straight lines and Basic seat and positioning). Instructors: Session 1 -Kim Peterson (Australia), Howard Peet (IL, USA), Erica Peet ( IL, USA), Laura Stutesman (OR, USA), Michael Godding, (Australia), Sarah Kress (OR, USA), Kenton Miler (Canada), Darrell Roberds (Canada), Nadine O’Sullivann (Australia) Susan Tulloch (New Zealand), Kristina Eckert (Canada); Morning Session 2—Kim Peterson (Australia), Kyra Gautesen (WA ,USA), Erica Peet (IL, USA), Cari Schwartz (OR, USA), Trish Hyatt (Canada), Caitlin Day Huntress (OR, USA), Howard Peet (IL, USA), Kerry Marit (Canada), Mark Mason (Australia), Sarah Kress (OR, USA)

WE United recently hosted the inaugural Cross- Halt - Caress prior to halt. Have National WE Camp & Cup at the Oregon Horse awareness of hindquarters and footfall. Center, Eugene Oregon. With well over 130 peo- ple in attendance, the week marked the largest Straightness - Look up and where WE event held to date in North America. People you are going. Guide with seat and legs. came from Arizona, California, Idaho, Illinois, Moving off your leg - Ride with Kansas, North Carolina, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wisconsin in the United States minimal aids. Tap with crop or spurs. as well as Alberta and British Columbia, Canada; New South Wales and Victoria, Australia; Neth- erlands New Zealand, Portugal, and United King- dom to participate.

Day 1—Afternoon Obstacles (Parallel Poles, Gate, Bell Corridor, Retrieve/Replace Pole) Instructors: Session 1 -Kim Peterson (Australia), Howard Peet (IL, USA), Erica Peet ( IL, USA), Nadine O’Sullivan (Australia), Michael Godding,(Australia), Sarah Kress (OR, USA), Kenton Miler (Canada), Darrell Roberds (Canada), Susan Tulloch (New Zealand), Kristina Eckert (Canada); Session 2—Kim Peterson (Australia), Kyra Gautesen (WA ,USA), Erica Peet (IL, USA), Cari Schwartz (OR, USA), Trish Hyatt (Canada), Caitlin Day Huntress (OR, USA), Howard Peet (IL, USA), Sarah Kress (OR, USA), Mark Mason (Australia), Julie Alonzo (OR USA)

Parallel Poles - Maintain rhythm and energy throughout each bend. Straight between. Gate - Approach centered, side pass to latch with non-stop fluidity. Halt. Exhale. Open/Close with same hand and in control of gate. Bell Corridor - Straightness in/out. Horse may not ring bell for rider. Back with fluidity. Retrieve/Replace Pole - Confident. Fluid rhythm. Thumb up. Ensure replaced pole stays in barrel. Use same hand used in other obstacles or you will disqualify (DQ). 2 Day 2—Morning Rider Body Awareness and Balance, Horse In-Hand, Dressage Fundamentals (5m, 10m, 15m, 20m circles, Rein Back) Instructors: Rider Awareness—Trish Hyatt (Canada) In-Hand—Michael Godding, Susan Tulloch, Nadine O’Sullivan, Kyra Gautesen, Mark Mason, Darrell Roberds, Caitlin Day Huntress, Sarah Kress Session 1—Kim Peterson, Howard Peet, Erica Peet, Laura Stutesman, Michael Godding, Nadine O’Sullivan, Kenton Miller, Sarah Kress, Darrell Roberds, Susan Tulloch, Kristina Eckert; Session 2– Kim Peterson, Caitlin Day Huntress, Erica Peet, Cari Schwartz, Trish Hyatt, Mark Mason, Howard Peet, Kerry Marit, Kyra Gautesen, Sarah Kress

During Camp, each day began with a session on in-hand work. These popular sessions were taught by a variety of instructors, facilitating the sharing of diverse approaches, all with the goal of improving communication between horse and rider and helping the better understand what we are asking of them in the sport.

Each day's Dressage Fundamentals sessions focused on different pieces of improving the partnership between horse and rider. The three arenas were divided into quadrants, with one instructor and 3-4 students assigned to each quadrant. Dressage Fundamentals sessions lasted

Riders were assigned to either Session 1 or Ses- sion 2. They were encouraged to watch the ses- sions when they were not riding, to take full advantage of the opportunity to learn.

Instructors with horses at Camp taught one session and rode in the second (making for a very busy day!).

Slalom - Maintain rhythm and energy Day 2 Afternoon Obstacles (Slalom, Jug, Jump, Retrieve/Place throughout each shallow bend. Pole) Instructors: Session 1 –Kim Peterson, Howard Peet, Erica Peet, Jug - Immobile halt. Exhale. Julie Alonzo, Darrell Roberds, Sarah Kress, Kenton Miller, Michael Godding, Nadine O’Sullivan, Susan Tulloch, Kristina Eckert Ses- Retrieve/Replace Pole - sion 2—Kim Peterson, Caitlin Day Huntress, Erica Peet, Cari Straightness. Fluid rhythm even if miss Schwartz, Trish Hyatt, Kyra Gautesen, Howard Peet, Sarah Kress, capturing ring. 3 Day 3—Morning Horse Body Awareness and Balance, Horse In-Hand, Dressage Fundamentals (5m, 10m, 15m, 20m circles, Rein Back) Instructors: Rider Awareness—Trish Hyatt In-Hand—Michael Godding, Susan Tulloch, Mark Mason, Kyra Gautesen, Nadine O’Sullivan, Caitlin Day Huntress, Darrell Roberds Session 1—Kim Peterson, Howard Peet, Erica Peet, Laura Stutesman, Michael Godding, Nadine O’Sullivan, Kenton Miller, Julie Alonzo, Darrell Roberds, Susan Tulloch, Kristina Eckert; Session 2– Howard Peet, Kyra Gautesen, Erica Peet, Cari Schwartz, Trish Hyatt, Caitlin Day Huntress, Kim Peterson, Kerry Marit, Mark Mason

After a long lunch (during which we had guest lec- tures on equine stretching, Bemer technology for human and equine athletes, and a daily 'Thank you, Mate' drawing to hand out a variety of incred- ible prizes donated to the event to celebrate indi- viduals who had "gone the extra mile" or accom- plished something one of their peers wanted to acknowledge), we moved to the 90-minute Ease of Handling (obstacle) sessions. Four different obsta- cles were set up each day in the three arenas, and groups rotated with their instructors through each, Early bird sessions worked on rider body enabling each participant to receive instruction on awareness, balance and horse body a variety of obstacles each day. awareness & balance.

Day 3 Afternoon Obstacles (Slalom, Jug, Jump, Retrieve/Place Pole) Instructors: Session 1 –Kim Peterson, Howard Peet, Erica Peet, Julie Alonzo, Darrell Roberds, Sarah Kress, Kenton Miller, Michael Godding, Nadine O’Sullivan, Susan Tulloch, Kristina Eckert Session 2—Kim Peterson, Caitlin Day Huntress, Erica Peet, Cari Schwartz, Trish Hyatt, Kyra Gautesen, Howard Peet, Sarah Kress, Mark Mason Session 2—Kim Peterson, Kyra Gautesen, Sarah Kress, Cari Schwartz, Trish Hyatt, Caitlin Day Huntress, Howard Peet, Erica Peet, Mark Mason, Rebecca Algar

Nicole Chastain Price, who donated her time It is so exciting seeing a Haflinger in Dressage for several days as an instructor prior to serv- tack, a Quarter Horse in traditional western ing on the Judge Panel for the competition, working tack, a Lusitano in Portuguese tack and reflected, "I have never experienced anything Canadian horses, Andalusians, Appaloosas, in the horse world with so much diversity in , Friesians and crosses (and many disciplines, traditions, breeds, nationalities more) all competing on a level playing field with who are working toward the same goal: hap- people having FUN!!!!" py, confident, well-rounded horses with classi- cal riding principles who are expected to do many tasks like a working horse should. I love that the foundation is truly dressage in that you most have supple, straight, balanced, active, adjustable horses that use their backs and stay soft while being asked to perform a 4 multitude of things that challenge all of these. Day 4—Morning Horse Body Awareness and Balance, Horse In-Hand, Dressage Fundamentals (Improving gaits, Turn on haunches, pirouettes, Lateral Movements (leg yield/half pass) and Basic seat and positioning Instructors: Horse Awareness—Trish Hyatt In-Hand—Michael Godding, Susan Tulloch, Mark Mason, Kyra Gautesen, Nadine O’Sullivan, Caitlin Day Huntress, Darrell Roberds Session 1—Kim Peterson, Howard Peet, Erica Peet, Laura Stutesman, Michael Godding, Nadine O’Sullivan, Kenton Miller, Julie Alonzo, Darrell Roberds, Susan Tulloch, Kristina Eckert; Session 2– Howard Peet, Kyra Gautesen, Erica Peet, Cari Schwartz, Trish Hyatt, Caitlin Day Huntress, Kim Peterson, Kerry Marit, Mark Mason

Cheryl Roberds commented, "The best thing about this week has been the friendships and the sharing of knowledge. It's just been the most open-hearted horsemanship experience of my life!"

Tara Davis remarked, "The highlight of my week was discovering a community of horse people who are fun, passionate, kind and welcoming! I'm so grateful to have been a part of this!"

Day 4 Afternoon Obstacles (Figure 8, Rounding Several Poles, Retrieve Pole/Skewer Ring/Place Pole, Bridge) Instructors: Session 1 –Kim Peterson, Howard Peet, Erica Peet, Julie Alonzo, Darrell Roberds, Sarah Kress, Kenton Miller, Michael Godding, Nadine O’Sullivan, Susan Tulloch, Kristina Eckert Session 2—Kim Peterson, Caitlin Day Huntress, Erica Peet, Cari Schwartz, Trish Hyatt, Kyra Gautesen, Howard Peet, Sarah Kress, Mark Mason Session 2—Kim Peterson, Kyra Gautesen, Sarah Kress, Cari Schwartz, Trish Hyatt, Caitlin Day Huntress, Howard Peet, Erica Peet, Mark Mason, Rebecca Algar

By the end of the week, participants had benefitted from the opportunity to learn from a variety of people, and their horses gradually built their comfort with the different obstacles.

5 Day 5—Cow Working Instructors: Kim Peterson (Australia), Nicole Chastain Price (CA, USA), Rebecca Algar (CA, USA)

Cow Working Phase— Team of 3 or 4 Building Bridges Howard Peet riders. Each are assigned a cow to cut out of a (Illinois), shows the bridge designs to his herd and pen it within 3 minute time allotment. work crew. A dozen WE volunteers meas- Teammates may not cross the foul line to help. ured, moved, cut, placed, hammered, Cattle not assigned, known as ‘dirty cows’, may drilled and adjusted the raw materials into not cross the foul line. Time accrues with each (2) four sectional bridges. After painting rider. 0 points if exceed rider exceeds 3 minutes. and non-slip tread, both bridges were used Cow Working Phase does not affect individual for the obstacle courses of the Cross- Dressage, Ease of Handling or Speed score.

Introducing horse/rider to cows— Each rider/horse paired up and ‘worked’ their partner as a ‘cow’. Ride parallel and mirror the cow. Going toward front end slows the cow down. Aiming for hindquarters speeds the cow up. If cow faces the horse or challenges, go around the backside and push the cow. Ranch riding moves the cow slowly. No chasing.

After a hour of dry horse/rider pair working, each horse/rider took a go and worked a cow in an enclosed arena. Nicole Chastain Price and her horse assisted in helping the rider ‘read’ each cow. Recommend taking lessons with a local team penner or ranch cow horse facility. 6