Half-Halt The Newsletter of the Southeast Virginia Dressage Association August 2012 Coming Soon….. Volume 28, Issue VIII Congratulations to the SVDA Junior Team for a Great Santioned Schooling Show @ Bridlewood Estates Suffolk, Job at the USDF Region 1 Jr Team Championships! Hosted by Elfenridge Dressage August 12, 2012 SVDA Fall Clinic with Debbie Rodriguez 9/23/2012-Silverleaf Farm Demystifying the Riders Marks and Dressage Equitation Special Thanks to Tristin Butler and Grace Williams. The Best Coaches the Juniors could ask for! Page 2 Half-Halt | Newsletter of the Southeast Virginia Dressage Association 2012 Board of Directors SVDA Member News... President: Kathy Rowse-E-Mail SVDA Juniors Continued…. Vice President: Robyn Nunnally-E-Mail Secretary: Danielle Rowland-E-Mail Treasurer: Shari Cutchin-E-Mail Clinics and Programs: Janice Mumford-E-Mail Awards Chair: Carol Gonyo-E-Mail Juniors Chair: Tristin Butler-E-Mail Licensed Show Chair: Donna Rowland-E-Mail Membership Chair: Reeta Edmundson-E-Mail Scholarship Chair: Sandy Johnson-E-Mail Schooling Show Chair: Robyn Nunnally-E-Mail Ways and Means Chair: Grace Harrell Newsletter /Webmaster Chairs: Wendy Murray-E-Mail Nancy Pettet and Whirlwind at Dressage Congratulations to Ellen Bouchard who earned at Lexington. First 3 67%, 67%. MFS her USDF Bronze Medal at Raleigh!!!! She earned her first level scores on her mare Magi Members at Large and her second and third level scores on Alea Mary Winchell, Robin Jones owned by Tristin Hardy-Butler. Ellen is off to UVA on a scholarship this fall. Board Meeting Minutes VADA Wednesday July 18th 2012 Teleconference Board Members Present: : Tina Longaker (Charlottesville), Alison Douglas(Central), Robyn Nunnally(SVDA), Sherri Booye (Charlottesville), Shelli King (NOVA), Meredith McGrath (SWAVDA), Catherine Kern (Charlottesville), Jessie Ginsburg (NOVA), Alison Head (NOVA), Tracey Smith-Oliver (SWAVDA) Others- Dianne Boyd (NOVA) The meeting was called to order at 8:00 pm Minutes from the last meeting were amended to add that Western Dressage TOC will be allowed at the Chapter School- ing Show. Treasurer’s report- Combined bank balances are $134, 235.92. However, this includes all of the income (approx $35K) and none of the expenses for the “L” program. Chapter Challenge Schooling Show- The board recommends that chapters have it count towards their schooling show year end awards. The closing date is August 11th. There will be neck medals for the first, second and third place teams. Food will be available on site. If there is enough interest, a second ring can be added. Fall Show- 30th anniversary for the BLM. Volunteers will get hats and sweatshirts this year. Tina is optimistic regarding entries as we have more qualifying forms and shows this year. “L” program- A,B, and C sessions are planned. Alison Head made a motion that was seconded by Shelli that we make the preparations for the D-1, D-2 and final testing. Motion passed. Meredith McGrath asked for the information she needs from the board (mostly financial) for her application for the Ruth Arvenette GMO Grant. Jessie will supply. USDF Annual Meeting- Meeting will be held Dec 5th thru the 8th in New Orleans. We sent 3 people last year as GMO reps. We are allowed 1 rep per 200 members. Tina will find out how many GMO reps we will be allowed to bring. Board members who are interested in going as GM reps, contact Tina before our next board meeting. Other business- Chapters should have the information on the USDF Adult Clinic with Lilo Fore to be held Oct 6-7 at Averett University. Next meeting will be held Wednesday August 22nd at 8:00 pm (teleconference) Meeting was adjourned at 8:51 pm. Respectfully submitted, Alison Douglas VADA CHAPTER CHALLENGE SCHOOLING SHOW Show Date: August 18, 2012 Closing Date: August 14, 2012 Location: Rose Mount Farm, 9601 Courthouse Rd, Spotsylvania, VA 22553. Manager: Sheli King Secretary: Bettina Longaker 703-868-9062 8246 Open Gate Rd , Gordonsville VA 22942 [email protected] [email protected] Judge: Harriet Peterson (“r) Show details: This show is open only to VADA members and all VADA members are eligible to ride in individual classes, re- gardless of whether their chapter is participating in the chapter challenge. Tests offered: Intro through Grand Prix, including all levels of MFS (riders must bring their own boom box.) All classes, in- cluding Intro to be held in a standard/large arena. Chapter Challenge: In addition to the individual class placings, there will be a chapter challenge using the scores from the individual classes, except that MFS scores will not be used for purposes of the chapter challenge. Each person entering the show will be asked to designate the chapter they are riding for on their entry form. To be eligible to participate in the chap- ter challenge, a chapter must have a minimum of 3 riders (can either be riding 1 or 2 tests each.) At least 1 of the 3 riders must show at or above 1st level, and no more than 1 out of every 3 riders per chapter can show at Intro. If there are more Intro riders entering than are allowed, members riding for the chapter will be decided based upon the date their entry was received. If a chapter has less than the minimum number of riders, or they are not showing at the required levels, the riders may still enter the show and compete as individuals, but the chapter will not be eligible to participate in the chapter chal- lenge. Similarly if there are more Intro riders than allowed for a particular chapter, these riders can enter and compete as individuals, but will not be representatives of their chapter for purposes of the chapter challenge placings. To determine Fi- nal chapter placings, scores of all designated chapter riders will be added together and divided by the number of rides to de- termine the chapter average. Fees: Classes - $30 each Day stalls available for $30 per stall (Friday nite & Sat or Sat only). No bedding is including, bedding is available for purchase at $8 a bag is you notify the show manager by Wed 8/15 or you may bring your own. Mucking out not required upon depar- ture. Awards: Individual classes pinned to 6th place; prizes for 1st place winners and a ribbon for high score rider of the day (Intro and MFS tests excluded) Chapter Challenge: riders representing the top 3 placing chapters will receive special ribbons. A Food Vendor will be available on site The entry form is on the VADA web site: www.vadasschallenge.info DIRECTIONS: From I-95: take exit # 126, Spotsylvania, Rt. 1/Rt. 17 South. Turn right onto Southpoint Pkwy. At Rt. 208, Court- house Rd, turn left. Go through 6 traffic lights and start looking for Rose Mount on the left. Horse show entrance is the SE- COND Rose Mount Farm entrance (marked). Physical address of show grounds: 9601 Courthouse Rd, Spotsylvania, VA 22553. HOTELS: ALL WITHIN 6 MILES OF SHOW @ Exit 126 off I-95. Econo Lodge: 540-898-5440 Sleep Inn Southpoint: 540-710-5500 (ask for the VADA Chapter Challenge special rate) Hampton Inn and Suites: 540-898-5000 Ramada Inn South: 540-898-5550 Page 7 Half-Halt | Newsletter of the Southeast Virginia Dressage Association SVDA’S “ASK THE TRAINER/JUDGE ” BY: ANNA SCHRIEBL Submit your Questions to… [email protected] In honor of the Olympic Games, this month's column is a compilation of training tips and wise words from some of the world's Olympi- ans and trainers of Olympians! "The rider is always the one at fault; never the horse" Dr. Uwe Schulten-Baumer, Olympic trainer " If a horse has too much bend in his neck during the shoulder-in, try this correction: As you come around the corner, let him think he is going onto the diagonal but ask him to do shoulder-in down the long side instead. First try it on the track and use the wall. Next try it on the second track." Lisa Wilcox US Olympic and WEG Team Member "Stay soft with your hands. Your horse has to feel the hind legs come under and that that he is not trapped. With the half-halt, he real- ly has to step into your hand" Princess Nathalie zu Sayn-Wittgenstein, Danish Olympic Rider "In the walk your horse must be 100% sensitive to the leg aid, and stay away from that little kick, the kick gets attention but it is bet- ter to close the leg, and if necessary, a touch with the spur. Think about a one-second aid, a calf driving aid - with the spur the emer- gency aid. In the warm-up you are not just working on their muscles - it's relatively easy to get a horse fit and strong, more important is that he 100% understands what is wanted." Steffen Peters, US Olympic and WEG Team Member "If a horse fidgets with his head, don't react or pull. Stay quiet. If the horse tosses his head a bit, he's saying that his muscles are sore. But he's got to get through the work that day. So keep your hands low and ask for more bend to stretch the soreness out of his muscles. Never lose the rhythm. Keep your inside leg deeper to stay in a driving position. Keep the hands quiet and constant." Ernst Hoyos, for- mer trainer at the Spanish Riding School of Vienna "Lots of riders keep riding, riding; it is better to do nothing and really feel what the horse is doing, then you can react. Lots just ride and ride, and don't feel what the horse does.