THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE NORTH TEXAS ASSOCIATION CROSS COUNTRY NEWS

Special 30th Anniversary Edition - Summer 2011 From the trailer of the President...

Dear Members, Families, & Eventing NTEA has an enthusiastic team of Thank you to all of you who shared Enthusiasts, leaders this year who are working memories, stories and photos for this As most of you have heard by now, hard to bring you a great special newsletter; to our talented NTEA celebrates its "official" 30th educational line up. This spring, Newsletter Editor, Mandy Kelly, for anniversary this month, although our NTEA hosted a free body clipping pulling this together;. Quail Run, Bryn roots go back to the 1960s and demonstration and lunch followed by Melyn, and Willow Draw for hosting 1970s. To commemorate this a free equine acupuncture and these events free of charge to NTEA; milestone, we have gathered some alternative medicine demonstration trainers Kim & Jody Taylor, Leslye photos and memoirs for this and lunch, both at Quail Run, as well Shellam and Meg Fletcher for newsletter to share with you just a as an equine bodywork volunteering to teach at the Intro little bit of history. We hope you demonstration at Bryn Melyn Farm Clinic; and Mike Huber for hosting enjoy it! by renowned therapist Jim and teaching a weekend clinic for Masterson. We hope to continue this our members at a substantially Mark your calendars now for our free educational series at schooling reduced price. If you can give some fantastic year-end gala on January days this coming Fall! time to help with any of the NTEA 7, 2012 at The Party Barn in clinics this summer, or if you have an Mansfield to celebrate another On July 2-3, NTEA is sponsoring a idea for a Fall educational activity, terrific year of eventing in north low cost "members only" clinic at or if you would like to host one, Texas and Area V and to honor our Gold Chip Stables with Mike Huber. please contact Kim Willnow, our founding members, high point Then, on July 16, NTEA is hosting our A c t i v i t i e s V P, a t winners, scholarship winners and first "Intro to Eventing" Clinic at [email protected] or call special award winners. Whether or WillowDraw, which will focus on 817-919-7263 not you are a current competitor or educating horsemen and women a current winner, please join us at from other disciplines about our Thank you for partnering with us to the party - this is your sport and sport. The next day, July 17, NTEA make this the best year yet for NTEA your club, and it won't be the same offers another low cost clinic for and eventing in Area V. without you! We will be sponsoring members, with a $10 Ride another brief online survey later this a Test at Willow Draw and schooling day. summer to find our your ideas about Mica Pryor how to make the year-end party more fun and to increase attendance President - please let us hear from you.

Special Anniversary Edition Newsletter

- Memories and photos from some long time NTEA/NTCTA members - Program from the 1987 NTCTA Horse Trials at Quail Run - NTEA Member Profile: Jan Michie - In Loving Memory of a beloved and well known horse www.nteventing.net NTEA Reflections

Alison Ramos (NTEA Founder Don and Pat Collier hosted and Life Member) the first gathering at their home where we formulated It used to be in a plan. Then we went on to t h e w o r l d o f hold a public meeting and, eventing that when lo and behold, the NTCTA USCTA President (now the NTEA) was born. Neil Ayer spoke, we Pat became the first listened. So when at President of this little club o n e o f t h e long before it was officially Governor¹s meetings incorporated in 1981. I in the 1970s Neil can see that meeting broached the idea of room in my mind¹s eye forming local but faces are blurred. So Combined it would be wonderful Training Associations, to hear from anyone we listened. It seemed who was there, for you a great idea to me. were the pioneers of When I got home, what I call the second anxious, I must admit, stage of the sport in to make Area V look the U.S. Neil¹s idea good to our East Coast opened the door to so masters. I sounded out a many newcomers who few fellow eventers were able to take and we got to work. Alison and “Mateus” advantage of the (Pat Collier looks on) simultaneous creation of new divisions of competition with reduced difficulty in distances, speeds and size of fences while having fun and feeling part of a close knit group, their local CTA.

The creation of the NTCTA and its sister organizations was not the dawning of eventing in Area V. For nearly twenty years a bunch of diehard enthusiasts had built courses, run events, and competed (this writer included) wherever and whenever they could. During this time the influence of the US Pony Clubs was of overwhelming importance and helped steer us all in the right direction. Those years make a story unto itself, a story which I would enjoy telling at another time. For the moment, Alison and “Friendly Persuasion” my thanks and congratulations go to all the members of the NTEA who have kept the dream alive for thirty-plus years. NTEA Reflections

Jeri White and ”Casino Royale”

Bottoms Up! NTCTA Volunteers Richard Hester and Alison Ramos at Lickskillet

Jeri White and Pat Collier sport of eventing. In those days, Watkins (Olympic medalist and first (NTEA Founding Members) allowing schooling days on courses woman inducted into the USEA Hall didn’t exist. We ran them cold. What of Fame) and other eventing Eventing in the 70’s makes me think a way to move up a level ! A big greats beginning in the 1970s. of many wonderful people and of moment for the club was getting wonderful events which we no longer permission from Walter Strauss to have. There are memories of school his water jump and only the The sport has evolved in many ways Cedarwood, Lickskillet, Sky Vista, water jump. We will always be with more technical courses and Three Day Farm, Prairie Creek, grateful to Walter for his many better safety concerns. However the Tipasa and others. Cedarwood had contributions. club’s lofty goals have remained the a combination named New York Life same with a dedication to the which kept many a rider up the night betterment of eventing. Many before. Prairie Creek had some In the early days, NTCTA members thanks to our founder Alison Ramos! awesome steps which seemed to fall went as a group and built jumps at off a cliff and Lickskillet had a deep Lickskillet and other venues, dry creek bed which wasn’t on eventually building a Preliminary course but caused many an unofficial recognized course there. NTCTA stop. There must have been a bear organized and hosted horse trials, in there somewhere. We formed and also hosted hunter trials and Editor's Note: Jeri White served on teams which added to the clinics at Stone Farm and Three Day the NTCTA board for many years and comradeship. How I would love to Farm with eventing legends such as lives with her husband George on their ride for Team Hiney just once more. Jack Le Goff (veteran of several farm in Bartonville. Pat Collier is the and long time coach first President of NTCTA and has of the USET), Richard Meade retired with her husband Don to their All of these events had great people (eventing Gold medalist from 1968 home in Florida. behind them which furthered the and 1972 Olympics), Torrance NTEA Reflections

Mare Pack (New Day Farm) and Noreen Corlett (Curragh Equestrian Center) Thirty years! That is quite a bit of time! I look over my shoulder and see we have c e r t a i n l y

Noreen Corlett and “Finnegan”

o f t e n did not offer any ritzier standard of Mare Pack and “Royal Duke” accommodation for humans either! Our Photo by Leslie Wilson ® 1983 come times spent in some of those motels might classify as "B a long, long, way in the horror flicks", but on we went... for the love of the sport. North Texas Eventing scene. I think of event It was a time when most had but one saddle for all 3 venues, not only perhaps forgotten by the few of us that have phases, when many rode a mere pasture pet onto triumph, been around awhile but most likely never known by most of and just completing a dressage test found you in contention! the NTEA's current membership: Horse Trials such as When a "good mover" was defined as a horse who could Blanco, 3 Day Farm, Mortgage Hill, Tipasa, Sky Vista, Prairie walk, trot and canter without hitting its chin with its knees, Creek, and our much loved Cedarwood whose predictable and a clean cross country could include an unseated rider BN course provided the first nervous strides out of a start who hung on until the "penalty zone" was cleared. Parking box for many an area rider. was a gathering of two horse trailers, with the exception of Let's look back, but not to compare and find a previous era Alyce Hinkle's big rig :-). lacking, for certainly the current present formations of great It is important to remember that the passion to pursue this courses, great horses, and the high standard of skillfulness wonderful sport has been supported for more than 30 years now representative of our area couldn't exist without the by the strong arm of local volunteers. The NTEA deserves a foundation stones and formative bones of those events now great deal of credit for bringing the sport to where it is long extinct. today in Texas. Those who have served have done so Believe me, we were a hardy group of eventing pioneers. I admirably. You've provided educational opportunities, remember most of the stabling situations required the affirmed riders with annual awards, and in many ways have necessity of each rider manning a hammer and duct tape just been an engine of progress. We look around with grateful to be sure your horse did not have an unwanted hearts to all our event organizers and all who have acupuncture experience in the night and not all events volunteered in any capacity—enabling us to do what we love. offered stabling "on grounds". The events held in small towns Thank-you NTEA and Happy Birthday! NTEA Reflections

Jan Walling There was a little dry stream bed over which the (NTEA Founding and Life Member) Training course was to run. I had requested that Mr. Walter Straus should act as the Technical Delegate We first found the property now known as Quail Run to ensure that all the jumps were safe and suitable. Farm in the Spring of 1983. As we drove up the On the original course planning walk, Mr. Straus said overgrown, unmaintained drive, little birds ran ahead to me, in his deep ponderous German accent: "If I of us. “Look dove!” shouted one of our young sons, were you, I would get your man Martin to dig out this “No they are not dove, they are quail, quail run!” stream and make it look more like a ditch!” I yelled another. “If we buy this property, 'Quail Run' is later explained to Martin, Mr. Straus’ wishes. The what we need to name it!” I said! Later that day as following day, I was met by my very enthusiastic farm we walked over the overgrown wilderness, I kept hand, who could not wait to show me his work! “OH my imagining cross country jumps and an event course. As gosh!” I exclaimed as I saw the huge ditch, now four a child and teenager I feet deep and four l o v e d t o w a t c h feet wide. I learned Badminton Horse Trials n e v e r t o on the television each underestimate the April. When we bought power of a spade in the property in 1983 the hands of a good and started to cross farm hand! We held fence it, I would add a that first event as cross country fence as scheduled and the well as a gate as a rest is history. means of getting from field to field. Quail Run Farm held o u r f i r s t U S C T A I became an NTEA recognized event in member in about 1984. 1 9 8 9 w i t h In those days educational encouragement from activities and meetings the late Mr. Straus. were held monthly in the Jan Walling and “Whirl Power” Meadow Creek Park f o r m o f “ Po t L u c k and Greenwood Suppers”. They were f o l l ow e d s h o r t l y great for getting to know thereafter. By 2002, Area V had 32 events scheduled fellow members and learning more about eventing for the year. We decided that Quail Run no longer and horsemanship. The club also ran Mini Dressage needed to do the recognized events and chose to run meets. In the fall of 1987, at an NTEA monthly schooling events instead, which both Peter and I found meeting, there was some discussion about Quail Run to be less stressful and far more fun to organize! and NTCTA hosting a show. I thought little more about it until I opened the next NTCTA newsletter and saw an announcement about the horse trials scheduled for We have met a lot of fabulous people through our December 6 at my facility. "My goodness", I said, "we involvement with NTEA and USEA. I served on the don't have a cross country course!" With the help of NTCTA board as president and in other capacities for our neighbors (including Jeri and George White), several years and still enjoy involvement with the club three Argyle Fire Volunteer Fighters, NTCTA, and our as a volunteer and advisor. We have been privileged helper, Martin, we built the course in less than six to host eventing activities at Quail Run Farm for 25+ weeks. We used whatever we could find to build the years. I am always proud to say that when the last jumps, including scavenging electrical spools from a trailer pulls off the property, all that remains are local supply company to build the wings and supports footprints, little piles of hay which the cows love, and for most of the jumps on course. (See the excerpts an occasional half full plastic water bottle or coke can from that first show program, including the first course left discretely by a tree or jump where the owner had map and the NTCTA jump which still stands at Quail forgotten to retrieve it. Our guests are courteous and Run today, on the next page) appreciative and we look forward to their return. Thanks for the memories! NTCTA Horse Trials at Quail Run Member Profile

Jan Michie NTEA Founding and Life Member 2009 NTEA Founders Award Recipient Jan Michie grew up riding horses on a Texas ranch on the Red River. After marrying and moving to Memphis, Jan was introduced to English riding and foxhunting. Eventually she moved with her family to Dallas and Jan and “Cheers” boarded at Willow Bend in Council North Dallas where she helping establish new events. Jan established lifelong friendships was one of the earliest with Jan Walling and other sponsors in founding members of NTCTA. north Texas She established Roadrunner to bring well Farm in Argyle in the early known and 1980s and helped organize and gifted clinicians promote events throughout the to our area, years including the USCTA including Karen recognized hose trials at L e n d e ( n o w Lickskillet Farm in 1985. Jan O'Connor) and served on the board of NTCTA Jim Woffard. and USCTA/USEA for many Roadrunner Farm years and is still active on the has hosted summer A r e a V camps for Young Riders for many Jan and “Cheers” o f her horses, and devotion years, to her students - especially young insuring good riders. Over the years, many horsemanship, young riders with limited financial sportsmanship resources found suitable mounts and camaraderie due to Jan's generosity and keen are passed on to eye. In 2009, Jan was honored our youth. Jan is with The NTEA Founders Award for known for her good her contribution to our sport over Jan and “Miss Helen” eye for young horses, the last 30+ years. attention to the fitness NTEA Reflections

NTEA LIfe Member Christie Tull

Not one stride of my life’s journey in Texas could have been taken without the support and friendship of many incredible friends too numerous to mention (horses, hounds, cats and dogs included). Maybe this brief list of events will spark some memories of your own.

1981 Married Texan Mac Tull and moved from Leesburg, Virginia to Crowley, Texas Christie Tull and “Splash Down”

1982 Talland II opens in Burleson; First USEA event in fall with the took with Joaquin Robinsons help of Mike Huber, Gary & Kay Perez de las Heras, stable and Burroughs families moved Sheffield, Helen Ingmire, Mat & management from Noreen Corlett. to Parker County. Barbara Manson, and neighbor 1984 Purchased 63 acres in 1986-1992 Greenwood Farm Marvin Savage. NTEA volunteers Weatherford –the future barn boarders joined newly formed for the entire thing! Greenwood Farm Brazos Valley Hunt. Dressage 2006 First CIC in June as Area V lessons with Debra Sue Waters and 1985 Built barn, arena, and Young Riders qualifier Centered Riding group. Debra Sue started a boarding, training, and formed Pony Club and our daughters 2011 Sixteenth anniversary of riding school facility with Margot grew up riding in it. Organized St. Greenwood Farm USEA Horse Trials Down, first wife of Jimmy Williams Francis School Charity Open Show at (whose bronzed hat is annually Although Horse Trials are “only” a Greenwood, and had numerous awarded to USEF Equestrian of the recreational sport, I realized that the clinics, lessons, trail rides, camps, Year). School horses like Amy, ability to be part of them is a hunts Splash Down, Flash, and Carol were privilege that means we are still living “starters” for riders including Nikki 1992-1995 Unrecognized Horse peaceful, green, productive, and free Olsen Ing, Stephanie Martin, Angela Trials at Greenwood with Pony Club lives. This is what the horses mean to Grzywinski, and many others. me and what I’d like to see all of us 1995 Reorganization of Boarders such as Sheffields, continue to nurture. Greenwood Farm Inc. NTEA REMEMBERS

“Cheers” March 1984 - December 2010

NTEA founding member Jan Michie's horse, Cheers, was euthanized due to colic on Christmas Day 2010. That morning Cheers had been turned out to pasture wearing his blanket and had as usual jumped into the bottom pasture over the 3' cross country fence and back before suffering from colic. He had enjoyed a long and happy life and had brought so much joy to so many riders! Cheers would have been 27 at his next birthday.

Jan purchased him as a 15.3 h, 3 year old, in 1987. Several years later at 16 2" she took him to Preliminary Level. Just before departing for the east coast to show Cheers at Morven Park, Jan damaged her rotator cuff. Mike Huber rode Cheers instead and won with him at Morven Park; two weeks later, Karen O'Connor won the 3 Day Event (long format) at Radnor, where Cheers was named the "Best Conditioned Horse"!

Jan regrettably sold him to one of Karen's young male students, who took him to Intermediate before outgrowing him! The young man's gracious family, knowing how much Cheers meant to Jan, donated him to Young Riders and Cheers returned to Jan in Texas. Over the years Cheers was competed successfully by many of Jan's students and had until recently been lightly ridden!

Cheers, you are missed and your memory will cherished by many for years to come. NTEA BUSINESS MEMBERS

Colleyville, Texas Sandy Murrell 972-816-7823 NTEA BUSINESS MEMBERS

Leslye Shellam 1909 Highway 731 Burleson , TX 76097 817-426-4332 NTEA BUSINESS MEMBERS

QUAIL RUN FARM

Quality Consignment Tack, Apparel and Accessories

Now accepting consignments!

Mandy Kelly 214-563-2640 www.rosehillsaddlery.com [email protected] NTEA BUSINESS MEMBERS

www.hickorycreekhunt.com AMERICAN-STYLE RIDING TO HOUNDS Year-round activities. Call/email to learn more – Mary Ann Radley. Becky Brown 940-964-2771 or forestburgtx@nn.net www.BeckyBrownHorsemanship.com www.BuckBranch.com www.RBriding.com [email protected] NTEA BUSINESS MEMBERS

Jennifer Burk 2190 Oak Grove East Burleson TX 76028 817.568.0174 NTEA BUSINESS MEMBERS

1296 Old Plain Dealing Road Benton, Louisiana 71006

Email: [email protected] Phone: (318) 965-9480

Adri Doyal Our mission is to increase the interest (254) 216-0056 of the discriminating Hunter and Eventer rider in the American Quarter P.O. Box 838, Baird, TX 79505 Horse. [email protected] NTEA BUSINESS MEMBERS

Jay & Dana Dickens

Creekside Rural Investments 500 Log Cabin Road Mertzon, Texas, 76941

phone 325.632.2423 NORTH TEXAS EVENTING ASSOCIATION

We’d love your submissions for the newsletter! Please send your articles, suggestions for member profiles or story ideas to editor Mandy Kelly at [email protected]. NTEA Calendar Get up to the minute events, clinic and show information o n o u r w e b s i t e a t www.nteventing.net.

NTEA 2201 Long Prairie Road, Suite 107-714 Flower Mound, Texas 75022