Cari Swanson

HITS on the Hudson begins this week

The horse show world of hunters and jumpers has moved to Saugerties, just across the Hudson River for the summer. Beginning this week, there will be hundreds of horses and people moving into the area to compete in one of 8 arenas for ribbons and prize money. Although many people move in permanant stalls, it is possible to ship in and enter for the day. This is a wonderful opportunity to see world class riders and horses warming up and competing against each other at a top class facility. Every Sunday of the summer features a huge $75,000 Grand Prix, so take a drive across the Hudson to witness some of the most beautiful horses compete.

Goshen Rodeo

The parking lot was full of trucks at the Goshen County Fairgrounds where the crowds came out in droves to witness cowboys ride bucking broncs and bulls at the first rodeo in the area for 15 years. We pulled in just as the first bull riders were being tossed into the thick soupy mud. Only a handful stayed on for the requisite 8 seconds to earn a spot in the finals. Our friend drew a mean bull making his debut. He had an unlucky ride, being tossed off in the first breath, falling into the thick mud. Most of the cowboys wear traditional cowboy hats while the smart few wear a hockey helmut complete with face guard to prevent a kicking bull or bronc from injuring their head and face. The sport is dangerous, with some cowboys slow to stand after a hard fall. Most of the cowboys walk with a stilted stride due to numerous injuries to various parts of their bodies. One unusually short cowboy in his 50’s had very few teeth and could not stand upright. He was a pro who did make it to the final round. Another seasoned pro walked away with the cash prize and an invitiation to ride in the finals next Spring.

Behind the loading shoots are temporary pens filled with a mixture of bulls and horses. Each cowboy draws a number to find out which beast they must ride. Some of the buckers are famous, while others are wild cards. The bull riders want a good buck for top scores. They wear 4 inch long spurs to encourage the bull to leap higher and faster. The rules state that one arm must remain in the air and cannot slap the bull. The riding style is different for each section; The bull riders want to stay upright, a small upper torso is an advantage to staying in balance, while the bareback bronc riders lay back on their backs and flop around like a rag doll. It is a sight to be seen and one wonders what motivates these cowboys to travel around the country to have the opportunity to be bucked wildly for 8 seconds. The cowboys seem to be friendly toward one another, encouraging each other to ride their best. One young man was seen praying to the bulls for a good ride. Whispers among the fans reminded each contestant about the fatality that happened last summer. This is definitely an adrenaline sport for thrill seeking cowboys.

Riding with Contact

Contact is one of the most difficult concepts for new riders to grasp. Taking the reins and feeling the horses mouth with a relaxed,elastic connection is not easy. The rider must think of the horse taking the contact, not the rider pulling back. Think of riding the horse into the connection from the back to the front, sit tall, relaxed and use your back on the horse to drive the energy forward into the bridle. You never want the horse pulling down, snatching the reins out of your hands and dropping the contact all together. Correct contact is elastic and alive, never static. You should feel the energy moving through the reins, with the horse balanced underneath you. Never wag the head back and forth or see-saw the bit. These are common faults which should be avoided. Remember, less is more. Relax and feel your way toward the contact.

From the Judges Box

Some students wonder why the judges comments seem so negative on the test sheets. The rider should understand that the U.S. Federation and the USDF now require judges to make comments on every score of 6 or below, and they are encouraged to comment on every score. After all there is a reason an 8 was not a 9 or a 10!

This is meant to be constructive critisism to help the competitor understand the requirements for the movement and how to improve the score. Remember, each box states exactly what the judge is looking for and should be known by each competitor. In addition, always read the criteria at the top of the test to focus on what is required at the level in which you are competing. The biggest difference always occurs when the rider starts to work at second level. This is the biggest jump in the levels, a horse can score very well at first level and suddenly seem to have poor scores when he moves up to second level. The shift in training is that at second level, the judge must see true carrying power shown in travers, renvers, and half pass. In other words, your horse must show the beginning of collection.

Riders should always show at a level below the one training at home in order to ride a confident successful test. Preperation is key!

Kentucky Derby Win

“Horse sense is the thing a horse has which keeps him from betting on people”. WC Fields

Last Saturday was a very exciting day in horse racing at Churchill Downs in Lexington, Kentucky, when a big handsome bay colt won the Kentucky Derby by 7 lengths. A brief stumble out of the starting gate did not deter this undeniable super athlete from pulling away from the field of 20 horses to win . Barbaro’s trainer is a former team silver medalist from the 1996 Olympic Games when he rode a talented show jumper called Rhum IV. It is like lightening striking twice to win two highly prestigious equine related awards in one lifetime. It is a strong testament to a true horseman that Michael is able to bring out the best in his equine partner, no matter what the discipline. This is the fourth year in a row that a “rookie” trainer won the Derby. Now, does Barbaro stand a chance at the Triple Crown? The second jewel of the crown is to be run on May 20, and everyone wonders if Barbaro will have enough gas left in the tank to take on some former contenders from the Derby along with several fresh horses. So far, a field of 9 is scheduled to break out of the gates of Pimlico a week from Saturday and Barbaro remains undefeated as he attempts to win the Preakness. We are all routing for Michael to pull it off and continue toward the goal of winning the highly sought after Triple Crown.

For those fans of the wild west, you can visit the Goshen County fairgrounds this weekend to witness a taste of the past. The Spirit of the American Cowboy (a non-profit organization dedicated to the support of equine, rodeo and agricultural activities in the Northeast),is sponsoring The Bareback and Saddle Bronc competition. This is the first qualifying event for the Iron Man Invitational which is the ultimate competition for bareback and saddle bronc riders. This weekend offers up to $4500 in cash prizes, not to mention the opportunity to win belt buckles, saddles and other gear. It takes a determined athlete to ride these bulls and bucking broncs, and in my opinion they must be a bit mad. After hours of practice on dummy bulls, bareback riding over jumps and working out to maintain top fitness, these cowboys hope to sit the bucking bulls and broncs for 8 seconds and then dismount as gracefully as possible, hopefully without being gorged. Try to make time to attend the Rodeo at the Goshen County Fairgrounds in Connecticut.

NBC Changes time for Rolex on Sunday, May 7

News Alert:

NBC has moved up the telecast of last weeks Rolex Three Day event to 2p.m. from the original 5p.m slot, be sure to tune in to view the thrills and spills of one of the most exciting horse competions in the US.

Also, do not forget to tune into the Kentucky Derby on Saturday at 5 p.m. It is an open field with many talented horses starting this years Run for the Roses.

Young Rider Training Opportunities

Sue Blinks will return to Region 8 in 2006 to serve as clinician for the USDF Region 8 FEI Jr/YR Clinic. Lendon Gray will host the clinic at Gleneden Dressage Stables in Bedford, NY on June 16-17. (Please note this clinic was scheduled in July, but has been rescheduled to accommodate the clinician’s busy competition season.) The Dressage Foundation is providing financial support to help make this clinic series possible.

Sue Blinks qualified for the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia by winning the State Line Tack/USET Dressage Championship in Loxahatchee, FL. Blinks and Flim Flam combined for one of their best rides at the Olympic Games in Sydney to help the U.S. win a third consecutive Olympic team bronze medal. Blinks was a member of the USET’s silver medal World Championship team at the 2002 World Equestrian Games and was also on the fourth place USET squad at the 1998 World Equestrian Games in Rome, Italy. She also rode Flim Flam to an individual twelfth place finish.

Later that year, Blinks earned the title of USOC Female Equestrian Athlete of the Year. In 2002, she and Flim Flam finished third in the USET Grand Prix Championship at the Bayer/USET Festival of Champions. A 1997 USET Training and Competition grant recipient, Blinks earned a team gold medal at the 1997 CDIO Hickstead in England and rode Flim Flam to a first place finish in the Grand Prix Special. She also finished second and third (aboard Flim Flam and Delano, respectively) in the USET Grand Prix Championship. She earned second and third place finishes in the Grand Prix, Special and Freestyle at the 1997 Bayer/USET Festival of Champions.

To attend the clinic, riders must submit applications to USDF on or before May 19. Applicants must be current USDF Participating Members between the ages of 14-21, currently riding at Third Level or above. Auditors of all ages and levels are welcome, and pre-registration as well as walk-in registration is available. Rider applications, auditor registration forms and complete clinic information is available at http://www.usdf.org/Programs/AdvancedYoungRider/index.asp or by contacting Sheila Forbes, USDF Director of Programs at (859) 271-7879 or sforbes@usdf.org.