Congratulations

Sunday, February 24th
Congratulations to Mandy Porter and Summer
on topping a field of 34 to win the
$50,000 Strongid® C 2X™ Grand Prix.

With the win on Sunday, Porter scores additional earnings towards the $200,000 Invitational Grand Prix on Sunday, March 16 during the new Championship Week.

BY TAMMY CHIPKO  

FACT: Show jumping is an Olympic sport where men and women (both horse and rider) compete on an equal basis.

FACT: Grand Prix courses reach heights of 5’3”, with spreads of up to six feet. The course may also include a water jump, which may be 10 to 16 feet in width.

COURSE DESIGN: The height, width, location of fences, and time allowed for the round allows only the best rider/horse teams to move on to the jump off. That’s where Anthony D’Ambrosio and other top course designers come in. Known for building fair, technical courses to test every level of rider, Anthony D’Ambrosio is a well-respected course designer both nationally and internationally.

Tammy Chipko: How did you get started in designing courses?

Anthony D’Ambrosio: I have been designing courses since 1995. Being a Grand Prix rider myself, I found I had an interest in what type of questions were being asked of riders and horses in the ring. I spent a lot of time speaking with course designers from all over. Eventually, as my interest in course designing advanced and my professional riding slowed, I made the full transition to course design.

TC: How much advance preparation is needed to design your courses?

AD: If I know a place well I am able to work a bit in advance because I know the layout of the ring and the materials available to me. If it is a new place for me I usually do not plan too much in advance but work day to day.

TC: Do you use a computer program to design courses?

AD: Not too much. I prefer freehand. It allows me to use my imagination to draw without relying on a computer. I can usually be seen with a clipboard in hand drawing basic ideas depending on the track, types of jumps, combinations, flower/tree fill etc. I will then copy the results to my computer. That works best for me.

TC: Do you use the class sheet to help determine what type of course you will build?

AD: I can certainly get an overall impression of the level and strength of the group from the class sheet. I have worked with most groups more than once so I have fairly good knowledge of rider/horse ability. If it is a group of green riders and/or horses, I might change the combinations to require more agility and less power. I never want to over-face anyone but at the same time I do want the riders to be challenged. Riders appreciate a challenge so that they can feel as though they have accomplished something that not every horse and rider team is able to do. Keep people learning and growing and everyone is happy.

TC: You design courses for the Children’s Jumpers through World Cup Qualifiers. Is one more fulfilling than another?

AD: No, a good class is a good class. It is all rewarding. Every course, no matter which ring I am building for, is a serious effort that requires a meticulous physical layout. Each day of jumping is the same in terms of importance. There have been times when a Children’s Jumper Classic is so exciting, the crowd so involved that I’ve thought, “WOW! I wish my jump off in the Grand Prix would have unfolded like this one!”

TC: I would imagine building a World Cup Qualifier course is more difficult than a Friday Grand Prix?

AD: A World Cup class is pre-determined since it has to be built within International Standards. West Coast riders have insisted that the courses be tough and demanding. They want to prepare for the finals by jumping extremely competitive courses. They have raised the bar for themselves and want the course designer to show them what they need to know ahead of time. They do not want to be coddled. The Friday Grand Prix are not as big or demanding. If there are a lot of competitors, my course might be a bit trickier in order to manage the total number of clean rounds for the jump-off.

TC: Do you have a favorite moment in your history as a course designer?

AD: I can’t choose a favorite because I’ve had so many good moments. The Sunday Grand Prix at HITS II in Thermal was exciting. We were hit by a wind storm during the Grand Prix that blew everything down and we had to stop the class temporarily. When we were able to resume hours later, we had the entire course rebuilt in 15 minutes. The resilience of both the competitors and the spectators was amazing.

TC: What are your future plans and goals?

AD: As far as designing courses, I hope to build in Europe. I have recently also become more involved in management and enjoy that immensely. From my extensive base of experience with infrastructure, I feel I can offer some management input to horse shows. I am also enjoying a new consulting business with my wife Michael, D’Ambrosio & D’Ambrosio. One of the services we offer is advice to clients interested in building a farm, planning a ring or designing a Grand Prix field.

TC: Good luck with all your future endeavors. Thank you for your time and great design!

BY ZAZOU HOFFMAN

  One of the benefits of participating in a clinic is that you learn new exercises that help you and your horse. You also realize that there is no “one“ correct way. Horses and riders will respond differently to different training methods.

An Opportunity
In 2005, shortly after I started in the Children’s Jumpers, I learned of the organization West Coast Active Riders. At the time, Grand Prix rider Gabriella Salick was the president. She arranged for many outreach programs. Among them was an essay contest for a free space in the Leslie Burr Howard clinic. Leslie Burr Howard is a two-time Olympian, has competed in numerous World Cups and also won the Maclay medal. An amazing teacher, Leslie tailors her training methods to the individual horse and rider. I was fortunate enough to win the contest because Leslie liked why I wanted to participate - “What sparked my interest in Zazou is her attention not only to riding and competing, but her interest in preparation and strategy.”

The Clinic Format
The first day of the clinic was flat work. We worked on shortening the horse’s stride over cavelletti. Leslie got on all 18 horses so that she could individualize her comments. The second day we continued to work on adjustability over low jumps, bending and slicing. The third day we worked over a course of twelve fences. The clinic concluded in a competition over a jump-off course. The main theme of the clinic was the need to be able to lengthen and shorten the frame of your horse. Leslie emphasized that whether you are a soft rider or a strong rider, you need to be able to do the opposite while riding a course. She quoted U.S. Olympic Team Chef d’Equipe George Morris “Your strength is your weakness”. Mr. Morris reiterated this in the Horsemastership Sessions. What he means by this is that you must practice what is least comfortable to you.

The Stride Game
In my mind it all hinges on adjustability of horse and rider. When I am at home with my friends and in lessons with my trainer, Meredith Bullock, we play “The Stride Game”. You begin by setting a pole in an open area and establishing the number of canter strides you want to put in before you go over the pole. Each rider calls and counts the number of strides as they canter to the pole. Every time you miscalculate you have to drop out. We practice off of both leads. We learn about lengthening or shortening accurately, preparing ourselves for those tough jumper or equitation courses, especially for lines that are set short or long or on the half-stride.

It’s interesting to note that each horse is an individual and what works for one may not work for another. There are lots of clinics being offered and they can be expensive. Do your homework - make sure that you choose the one that will most benefit you and your horse. If you can’t attend as a rider, ask if you can audit as a non-rider, or as a volunteer to help set jumps. It’s a great way to learn. Some of my favorite clinicians are: Joe Fargis, Kathy Kusner, Richard Spooner, Archie Cox and George Morris (pass on this if you are a super sensitive person, can’t tolerate criticism, or tend to cry easily).

Zazou Hoffman is a 16-year-old from Santa Monica, CA. As a 13-year-old, having only shown locally, she decided to apply for the Ronnie Mutch Working Student Scholarship. She won, which led to working with respected East Coast trainers Missy Clark and John Brennan. Through hard work and commitment, by Jan. '07 Zazou was one of seven elite riders chosen to work with Olympic Chef d'Equipe George Morris in Wellington, FL. She has competed in the Medal Finals for the past three years. She counts her win at the Maclay Regional, her 4th in "the Medal" at Harrisburg, her 5th in the USET Talent Search East at Gladstone, and her 3rd in the WCE amongst her notable accomplishments.

The American Hunter-Jumper Foundation
As mentioned on the World Championship Hunter Rider Association web site, Louise Serio's dream was to create an organization whose purpose would be to reward hunter riders (and their horses). So in 1991 Louise joined forces with a few other key people to form the World Championship Hunter Rider Association.

The World Champion Hunter Rider Program
Presented on both a national and regional level, these awards are presented to Pony, Junior, Amateur, Professional, Adult and Children's riders who accumulate the most points at WCHR designated horse shows throughout the year.

2008 Designated World Champion Hunter Rider Shows, Southwest Region:
  • 1/29 – 2/3: Desert Circuit II, Thermal, CA
  • 2/27 – 3/2: Desert Circuit V, Thermal, CA
  • 4/29 – 5/4: Del Mar National H/J, Del Mar, CA
  • 5/6 – 5/11: Showpark Ranch & Coast Classic, Del Mar, CA
  • 5/22 – 5/26: Memorial Day Classic, Burbank, CA
  • 6/4 – 6/8: Oaks Blenheim June Classic I, San Juan Capistrano, CA
  • 8/5 – 8/10: Menlo Charity, Atherton, CA

In October at the Capital Challenge Horse Show in Upper Marlboro, MD, the top four Professional, Junior, Amateur and Pony riders are also invited to compete against one another in Challenge Classes.

Another prestigious event presented by AHJF/WCHR is the Professional Rider Finals at Capital Challenge. This is the only hunter competition of this kind offered in the sport. Decided by point accumulation on their top rides from the show, these professional riders compete over a 3’6” course on a rotation of four horses that they’ve not ridden before.

The class is judged by five judges using the open numerical scoring system and the rider with the highest cumulative total claims the title. Past winners include riders seen here at the HITS Desert Circuit, including John French and Peter Pletcher.

Doing More
Although creating an association to benefit the riders in competition was important, Serio also wanted to care for them in other ways. The American Hunter-Jumper Foundation, Inc. was established as the parent organization in 1992. The AHJF was founded as a non-profit 501(c) (3) organization with a broader purpose: to focus on spectator education, provide emergency support within the hunter-jumper community, develop a retirement plan for the industry, offer scholarships and encourage grass-roots organizations to become more educated.

Established in 1995, the AHJF Emergency Relief Fund provides emergency financial support to individuals and families involved in the hunter and jumper industry. The monies come from the AHJF, private gifts and from other donations such as The Capital Challenge Horse Show, which each year adds a $5.00 donation from every entry fee during their one-week show. Donations are tax deductible as charitable contributions.

In its fifteen year history, the AHJF has also created a variety of educational programs designed to promote the sport of hunter-jumper competition as well as to address the needs of the industry’s participants.

These include:
AHJF Young Riders Educational Program
AHJF Understanding Judging Seminar Series
AHJF Industry Seminars and Forums
AHJF Business Association
AHJF Retired Equine Placement Resource

For more info, please visit: www.ahjf.org