Welcome to 2008!

  We start off our Spring Series with a bang, as we host the final West Coast Qualifier for the World Cup Finals in Gothenburg, Sweden as well as two North American Young Rider Trials. During our Spring Classic I and June Classic II shows we will host the newly created USHJA International Hunter Challenge Derby.

  In addition, and back by popular demand, we will once again present the Open Equitation Classic at the Spring Classic III Horse Show, to be followed the next evening by the exhibitor party and the Grand Prix. But what might be the most interesting event of the entire year will take place on the main Grand Prix field immediately following the Spring Classic II Grand Prix, the "You Thought You'd Never Ride Again" Professional Challenge.

  This might be your one and only chance to root on some legendary trainers as they hark back to their youth in a two-round jumper/equitation competition!

  Our horse shows are divided into three categories. Tournaments will offer Grand Prix events of $50,000 or more in prize money and "AA" rated hunters. Classics will offer grand prix events with prize money between $25,000 and $35,000 and "AA" rated hunters.
Festivals will feature jumper classics and "A" rated hunters.

  In addition, our website showpark.com will continue to provide class start times and next day's orders. Be sure to register your e-mail online so that we can send you our newsletter.

  We are working diligently to exceed your expectations as we plan another exciting and challenging year of competitions. Enjoy the Oaks Blenheim Newsletter. We look forward to seeing you in 2008.

Best Regards,

The Blenheim EquiSports Team

 

BY TAMMY CHIPKO

  With so much excitement in the air over the USHJA Hunter Challenge these days, I thought it might be valuable to understand what a Handy Hunter is all about.

  I spoke with a few of our top professionals on the growing popularity of the Handy Hunter.

Tammy Chipko: Can you explain the Handy Hunter Class for people who don't understand it?

Jenny Karazissis: Ultimately a handy hunter is to be ridden like one was riding in the country. This means bold gallops, tight turns, option jumps if possible, long approaches, and different tests such as a trot jump.

Diane Carney: Handy adds a dimension of difficulty to the standard hunter courses. The Handy Hunter Class presents a true riding contest instead of just requiring a steady pace around the outside and across the diagonal.

Peter Pletcher: The handy hunter evolved years ago to reward the horses and riders who would take a risk. A horse that maybe did not jump as quietly as others could win the handy class because of versatility.

TC: What do you like to see in the Handy Hunter Class?

Archibald Cox: I will take a quote from Frank Chapot. “The handy course should be ridden in a ground-saving manner.”

Jenny K: I look for the shortest track without losing the horse’s form. I think the course should start off with a gallop directly to the first fence. I believe in making all possible inside turns, as well as eliminating the ending circle if the course allows for that.

Peter P: I like to take big risks! Sharp turns, strong gallops, jumping style and smoothness is what I aim for.

Diane C: Good riding on hunters should be rewarded!

TC: With the USHJA Hunter Derby classes offered this year we are guaranteed to see many examples of handy hunter courses. What are you hoping that these classes bring to the hunter discipline?

George Morris: The reason I love this class is that the biggest enemy to riding is artificiality. Artificial riding [as opposed to true riding] is no great friend to the sport. This class brings strong principles and values back to riding.

Jenny K: The idea of these classes taking off and gaining the support of the exhibitors is very exciting. Spectators like to watch the jump off in the Grand Prix. This is happening with the hunters now. The handy round brings an element of surprise. It is exciting and challenging for both the riders and spectators. This is very important for the hunters and I think it will only continue to grow.

Diane C: We are on to something very valuable in the Hunter Industry. I love the creativity that the course designers are bringing to this class. The bonus points awarded in the Handy Class are exciting for everyone. If you do something thrilling you will be rewarded. Both spectators and riders love this! Karen Healey: This class is going to reward the athletic good jumping horse. There is nothing more beautiful to watch. TC: How do you feel about the equitation horses and jumpers joining in? Diane C: I think to say that a horse is only capable of doing “one job” is actually quiet contrary to the truth. Back in the 70’s and 80’s good horses did several different divisions and did them each well. I don’t see any reason that a horse cannot be a jack-of-all-trades and be very successful. A beautiful jumping horse is a beautiful jumping horse. A perfect example to anyone who remembers him was Starman. Here you had an Olympic Grand Prix jumper that was also a top Working Hunter. We need to appreciate good horses and reward good riders.

USEF Rule HU115 In Handy Classes obstacles must simulate those found in trappy hunting country. The course must have at least two changes of direction and at least one combination as well as three tests from the following list:   • Hand gallop a jump   • A bending line   • A rollback turn   • A fence at the end of the ring   • Open a gate while mounted   • Trot over one obstacle   • Lead over one obstacle Judges must place emphasis on promptness and tight turns with precedence being given in that order.

BY LAURA WARE

  The newly added championship week at this year’s HITS Desert Circuit brought many exciting new classes. One of them was the prestigious Ronnie Mutch Equitation Classic, which has previously been held at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Florida. To qualify for the classic, riders must have won a USET, USEF, ASPCA Maclay, or WIHS medal class at any of this year’s winter circuits.

This class is unique in that it does not allow the riders to communicate with their trainers during the time that the class is being held. The riders are also judged in the schooling ring. This year’s winner, Carly Anthony, was gracious enough to answer a few questions for us regarding this special class.

Laura: What was the format of the class?

Carly: There were two rounds. The first one was a jumper course that had a very demanding first line which challenged everyone. The judges definitely rewarded the people who took risks. Even if the round wasn’t perfect, they liked the fact that a rider was willing to put it on the line. The second round had tests which were also very difficult. There was no work off, but I believe there would have been if the judges had had more time, because the scores were very close. Laura: What was it like not being able to communicate with your trainers?

Carly: I LOVED IT! It was a great chance to use all that I have learned from my trainers and prove to them that what they teach me doesn’t go in one in ear and out the other; it actually stays in there.

Laura: What was it like to be judged in the schooling ring? I understand that the overall score from your round was adjusted based on the schooling arena judge.

Carly: It was so much fun to be judged in the schooling ring because that’s where it all happens. You get to show the judges what makes you even more unique from the other riders as you school your horse over warm-up fences. They announced the scores when the other scores from your round were announced, and a rider could receive a +4, +2, 0, -2, or -4. I would have to say that was one of the most interesting parts of the class.

Laura: Did you enjoy this type of class?

Carly: This was the most fun class that I have ever competed in. It was a true test of my knowledge, and it was such an amazing experience to prove not only to my trainers, but to myself that I can do this on my own. I really enjoyed riding on my own, and it gave me a little taste of what it will be like when I become a professional. It was an honor to be able to compete in such a wonderful class.

Laura: Thank you so much for your time, Carly, and congratulations on winning the inaugural Ronnie Mutch Equitation Classic on the West Coast. Hopefully we’ll see more of these classes in the future.

Ronnie Mutch was a life-long horseman. An early student of Gordon Wright and Al Homewood, Mutch won the AHSA Medal finals in 1950 at the age of 15. At 18 he was the youngest rider at the time to ride for the USET. By 1970, Mutch had established with his wife, Sue Bauer, one of the most successful show jumping stables in the country, Nimrod Farm. Twenty-eight years after Mutch had won the AHSA Medal Finals, Mutch’s son, Bert, won the Medal Finals. Ronnie and Bert Mutch are the only father and son combination to have won the Medal Finals.

The R.W. Mutch Educational Foundation is a tax exempt 501 (c) (3) educational foundation that sponsors both a scholarship and the annual R.W. (Ronnie) Mutch Equitation Classic. This special invitational class is open only to those young riders who qualify by winning one of the major equitation classes during any of the Winter Circuits, including HITS-Thermal, HITS-AZ, HITS-Ocala, CN-WEF & the Gulf Coast Winter Series. It is a highly sought after honor to be invited to participate.

Past Winners of the Equitation Classic:
2008 - Carly Anthony
2007 - Maria Schaub
2006 - Maria Schaub
2005 - Sloanes Coles
2004 - Brianne Goutal
2003 - Whitney Roper
2002 - Kate Landau
2001 - Brian Walker
2000 - Vanessa Haas
1999 - Sarah Willeman

Laura Listens is brought to you by Laura Ware. Winner of the 2007 LAHSA Junior Medal Finals and a recipient of the 2008 WCAR Jumper Rider Grant, Laura rides with First Field Farm and often trains with Archie Cox. She is very successful in the all three disciplines on her own mounts as well as catch riding other horses.

Researched and compiled by Tammy Chipko

  There are 1.9 million horse owners in the US.

  The practice of mounting a horse from the left side began in ancient Greece. Warriors always carried their weapons on their left side, which made mounting on the right side impossible.

  Did you know that most horses are right- or left-handed, just like people? They tend to have both a good side and a bad side. Hopefully their bad side is your good side and vice versa!

  Know the difference between a blaze, a stripe and a snip? While a blaze covers the forehead and face, a stripe extends down the face and isn't wider than the nasal bones. A snip is just a patch of white between the horse's nostrils.

  A prophet’s thumb mark is a dimple on some horses’ necks. Many believe that it brings good luck.

  According to the Guinness Book of Records, Old Billy, believed to be a Cleveland Bay cross foaled in 1760, lived to the incredible age of 62. The oldest pony on record is 54 years old.

  A horse or pony’s height is measured in hands. One hand is equal to four inches or 10cm. The measurement is taken in a vertical line from the ground to the highest part of the withers. The horse must be standing on level ground for an accurate measurement.

  The tallest horse in recorded history was a Shire horse named Sampson, foaled in 1846 in England. He measured 21.2 ½h, and his weight has been estimated at over 3,300 lbs. He was later renamed Mammoth.

  The current record holder for the smallest horse in the world is the aptly named Thumbelina, a mature miniature horse with dwarfism. She is 4.1h (17 inches!) tall and weighs only 60 lbs.

  An ergot is a small horny growth on the fetlock.

  Where did the expression “to get one’s goat” originate? Owners of high-strung race horses would place a goat with them to help them calm down. Unscrupulous people could steal the horse’s goat “friend” in order to upset the horse so that it wouldn’t race well.

  Ever wonder how your horse can sleep while standing? To put it simply, the horse has a hook on the bottom of its thigh bone that cups the knee cap, preventing it from bending, so they can relax their muscles and remain standing even while dozing.

  Speaking of bones, a human body consists of 206 bones, and a horse, on average, has 205.

  Horses have very large eyes - among land animals, only the ostrich has eyes that are larger.

  How tasty would a carrot look in black & white? Horses have a limited range of color vision, and see many things in black, white or gray.

  The position of the eyes on a horse allow them about 350 degrees of vision, while their ears can rotate a full 360 degrees to pick up sound in any direction. You’d spook occasionally too if you could hear and see that much!

  In 1950, when he was 12 years old, George Morris confesses that he had been over-faced and lost confidence jumping. He still loved riding but was afraid. That’s when he knew he had to go to Gordon Wright. Gordon taught at the standstill, at the walk and trot, and over cross rails, This back-to-basics technique helped George regain his confidence.

  “After a few months Gordon said to my mother: ‘Mrs. Morris… tennis is a wonderful game.’ But I liked riding so I stayed. Then a couple of months later he said ‘Mrs. Morris, George is built for swimming…’ I persevered and I wouldn’t give up, and started to come through a little bit. I started to have some success at the shows. Eventually Gordon Wright said, ‘Mrs. Morris, I think he might make something…’"