The Century Club News
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The NEWS A regularly issued letter to and about the members of The Dressage Foundation’s Century Club. ISSUE 21 / JANUARY 2017 Century Club Photo by Blue Moon Studios IT’S BEEN A BANNER YEAR- Team #231, Kathy Pessin and Tango, and Team #232, Yan Ross and Merlin, celebrate their Century Club Rides. ISSUE 21 / JANUARY 2017 THE CENTURY CLUB NEWS Many thanks to the 2016 2016 – A Banner Year Century Club Sponsors: Gone are the days in which a each work day speaking to new small handful of teams joined members, hearing their stories, the Century Club each year. and having the opportunity to The early teams from the late share those stories with the 1990s and early equestrian world. Alpha Dressage Association 2000s have certainly Is there a better job Arkansas Dressage Society done their part out there? I’d be Cayuga Dressage & CTA to inspire other hard pressed to CDS – Foothills Chapter riders who are now find one! French Creek Equestrian Association GLASS-ED entering their senior We continue Nebraska Dressage Association years. Many of the to be grateful to Oregon Dressage Society 53 new teams in the companies, Southeast Virginia Dressage Association 2016 said that they dressage clubs, and STRIDE put the Century individuals who Utah Dressage Society Club on their “bucket lists” provide financial support for VADA – Northern Virginia Chapter Mary Bolovan long ago and were motivated the Club. Our 2016 sponsors Linda Burton by the previous horse and rider are listed to the right. Their Marilyn Cantey members. generosity has allowed us to Susan Conda Even though we have had continue this amazing program. Barbara Doherty “record years” almost every Thank you all! Judy Finkel Susan Gaebel consecutive year for the Nancy Isaacson past several years, I am still Harriet Kiehl pleasantly surprised and thrilled Jane Nutter at how many Teams join the Jenny Johnson Joy Potthoff Club. I love spending part of Executive Director Katherine Rideout Judy Seeherman Michele Seitzinger Nancy Sobba 2017 TDF BOARD OF DIRECTORS Libby Stokes Anne Sushko Maryal Barnett (MI), Chairman Elaine Taub Michael Poulin (FL), Vice Chairman Meredith Watters Judith Noone (MA), Treasurer Eliza Sydnor Romm (NC), Secretary The Century Club News is published by Beth Baumert (CT), President and CEO THE DRESSAGE FOUNDATION, INC. 1314 ‘O’ Street, Suite 305 Barbara Cadwell (FL) Sarah Geikie (CT) Lincoln, NE 68508 Joseph Carr (KY) Lendon Gray (NY) (402) 434-8585 Catherine Chamberlain (CA) Carol Lavell (FL) [email protected] Nicole Del Giorno (VA) Karin Reid Offield (MI) www.dressagefoundation.org Ralph Dreitzler III (WA) John F. Boomer (NE), Emeritus TDF is a non-profit tax-exempt corporation [IRS Code Sec. 501(c)(3)]. All donations are General Jonathan Burton (AZ), Emeritus tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. 2 ISSUE 21 / JANUARY 2017 THE CENTURY CLUB NEWS TEAM #227: Wanda Wiggins and Dusine Team 227 On March 26th, my Denmark. She was way prayer that Dusine and too much horse for me I would “finish well” when we purchased became a reality for us her as a ten-year-old as we rode our Century from Oak Hill Ranch Ride with Northeast in Louisiana, but she Florida Dressage was always a lady and Association. It was an protected me even in her amazing day as Dusine own fears. She became and I entered the ring my beautiful Black to ride with friends Beauty, and we have and family watching. spent the past 19 years Another answered together. During this prayer was that Dusine season, Dusine and I rode Wanda Wiggins: 71 | Dusine: 29 | Combined: 100 would soar on eagles’ in many competitions, wings as we mounted Photo credit: Teri Rehkopf including two Region up to ride this special ride. married my Prince Charming, who 3 Championships. One of our Isaiah 40:31: “They who wait for bought me my horse. It has been a recognized shows was three weeks the Lord shall renew their strength; “happily ever after” story, with our after I began chemotherapy. My they shall mount up with wings like celebration of 50 years of marriage hair had just fallen out and I rode eagles; they shall run and not be in January 2016. I am a three-time with my helmet covering a bald weary; they shall walk and cancer survivor. Twice I had breast head. My Prince Charming and not faint.” cancer, which included surgery, friends were all there supporting As we entered the ring, I felt reconstruction, chemotherapy and encouraging me, as well as like we were floating. Dusine and radiation with five years of making sure my stalls were clean felt 10 years younger, but even chemotherapy drug treatment. The and that we had food during all the better. Truly, it was our best ride third time I encountered cancer was surgeries and treatments. ever! This past year she has had in 2011, when I fought lung cancer. As I completed this memorable many health challenges that My life has been one of miracles ride and made the final turn down could have prevented us from this and blessings. God has always the centerline, I realized we had accomplishment, but on Saturday brought me through with flying done it. We had accomplished she was confident and willing to colors. After the first occurrence, our dream to finish well, and give all she had. She enjoyed my Prince Charming bought my excitement flooded my soul. How her day! first horse and our farm where grateful I am to The Dressage My story begins as a young child we currently reside. Dusine is my Foundation for the opportunity to whose dreams were to become a dream horse, a Danish Warmblood, give my Black Beauty this exciting flight attendant, where I met and imported as a three-year-old from finale that she deserved. 3 ISSUE 21 / JANUARY 2017 THE CENTURY CLUB NEWS TEAM #228: Cherie Hibbs and Par Bar Twist Team 228 I believe the first words I ever spoke offered to let me ride Twister, who was were, “I want a pony.” Every birthday now 16 years old. and Christmas to follow, I would I took some lessons on Twister and I look for my pony, but alas, it didn’t liked him so much that I bought him. come until I was 43 and my husband That became the start of a ten year bought me my very own first horse. love affair between us. During that ten We had been living in Baltimore, year period, we continued dressage MD, and then moved to the country lessons in preparation for the most so that I could be near horses. I had important item on my bucket list, the gone to work for a dentist and both Century Ride. Nine months before we of my co-workers were horse owners. met the 100 year requirement, I was in They encouraged me to take riding Cherie Hibbs: 74 | Par Bar Twist: 26 an automobile accident and fractured Combined: 100 lessons at a nearby eventing barn. my foot. After surgery, I started By then, I had found a place to In 1994, my husband was rehabbing myself and reconditioning board a horse and convinced my transferred to Binghamton, NY, and Twister, too. That set us back a little, husband that I was ready to be a then two years later, we transferred but Twister and my coach, Laurie, horse owner. We owned several to Dallas, TX. One day, a dressage along with my best friend, Toni, all got horses and then my friends helped instructor showed up and began together with Twister and I to form me find Cass, an Arabian gelding. I teaching. This was the beginning of a team that successfully finished my needed to find someone to ride the many years of dressage lessons. Dutch Century Ride on March 26th, one day trails with, when I met Kathy Beckley, was an avid learner and even became after my 74th birthday. Twister did the farm manager of an Estate the horse for a young girl who me proud and we scored a 60.988% whose owner loved to fox hunt. I wanted to learn to ride. Soon after, in Intro A at the Fort Worth Dressage helped her exercise the hunters, and her mother asked me to help pick a Club Show. To all of my friends, my after her chores, we would always horse to buy for her. We found a bay coach, my barn manager, and my go for a trail ride. I began looking for Quarter Horse named Par Bar Twist, husband, thank you. I could not have another horse after Cass developed or Twister. done it without you. ringbone. Shortly after, I got a new dressage Update: Sadly I must report that I went to an Appaloosa breeder instructor who asked me to just 10 days after our triumph, my that I knew and found a gelding “upgrade” horses, so I found Joe. love, Twister, passed away after colic named Dutch Chocolate. I tried him One wet day, he became totally out of surgery. It is almost like he used up all on a trail and in a lesson- wow did he control. I tried an emergency dismount that he had to get us to complete our like to jump anything! I bought him, and ended up breaking an orbital number one bucket list item and now and Kathy and I started competing bone and needed to have a titanium he is at rest. On the bright side, my in Pleasure Rides, Competitive Trail plate installed to secure my right eye.