Happiness is..............

a buddy in a snow storm.  Goliath (on the right) confers with Patches while James and Majestic (on the left) look on.







Picture by Nikki Cecil

Happiness is ........

having a clear spot of water while the rest of the lake is frozen.

Welcome to Debbie Rodriguez

We are welcoming Debbie with a few snow showers and some of the
coldest weather we have had in a long time this coming weekend. The
horses are glad we have the indoor with good footing and the riders
are glad to be out of the weather and a little bit warmer. The
clinic is Saturday and Sunday from 8:45 to 4 o'clock and we welcome
auditors. We will have hot cider to warm the inside while you watch
and learn.

Judith gets a new horse for Christmas...

well, maybe not a new horse but a new picture of Goliath, her Gold Medal winner.

More Christmas Party

Here is the Steel Magnolia Quadrille Team of eight saluting the

audience and getting ready to perform their musical ride:

After the outdoor rides we went into the indoor for the canine agility demonstrations.  No pics since those guys went too fast.

We were then ready for the Star Spangled Banner sung by our own operatic diva, Catherine Hoop.

The only thing left was to attack the food tables.  Which we did !!

Again, many thanks to those who braved the elements to make our Open House such a success.

Christmas Party

  We would like to thank the more than 125 hardy souls who showed up

for our 26th Christmas Party and Open House. They braved overcast

skies, serious cold and cutting wind for some great rides and

excellent food.

Here are some of the "Rail Birds" watching the rides in the upper ring.

One of the rides they watched was a Musical Pas de Deux by Sarah Williams and Brittany Gambee.  They rode to an introductory song "Silver and Gold"  sung by Burl Ives.  Their costumes reflected this theme.  Here they are saluting the audience before starting their ride.

We also had the Magnolia Buds added by their instructor, Nikki Cecil in a "Doggydrille".  With real dogs yet !!

More to come........

USDF Symposium 2009

The Symposium featured an excellent selection of riders and horses
to illustrate Jan Brink's Communication: A Two-way System of
Understanding. Jan discussed and demonstrated the importance of
expressing a signal system that eases the communication between horse
and rider. I thought he did a great job of communication but when it
went awry he smoothly turned to finding a solution for horse and
rider that made the experience better for both. With the clinics
that I have attended and the Symposiums on the National stage, I
think many attendees don't realize that the rider has quite a role to
fill -- to be able to ride to the standard expected and execute the
instructions given. It can be quite a challenge.

SPS Christmas Party

We have had our last practice for the Christmas Quadrille and it was
fitting to be in the mist and we will be doing the performances in
the upper competition ring for the first time. Looking at the
weather: wear warm clothing, good warm shoes/boots and we will be
performing regardless of the weather. The good part is the food and
dog agility will be indoors! My direction on what food to bring: we
will be furnishing ham and turkey, rolls, cider, coffee, and hopes
that there will be lots of chocolate.

Convention & Symposium in Austin

I'm BACK! And it was a great convention. Starting with a nice
hotel, the Renaissance Austin Hotel, and convenient meeting rooms
and schedules of Councils and Committees that also enabled the
Delegates to attend the education sessions as well. Of course, since
my flights were uneventful and my luggage was on the carrousel when I
arrived in Austin and back home that was an added plus. I am on the
Membership Committee so I shall give you a run down on the items
coming from this group. I also attended the Adult Education Council
and the GMO Council. The Adult Education Council oversees the Adult
Clinics given through all 9 Regions. The Region 3 Adult Clinic was
held in Ocala in October.

The Symposium was held over Saturday and Sunday with a lecture
Saturday evening. The clinician was Jan Brink and the topic:
Communication: A Two-way System of Understanding. We were in a
climate controlled arena -- emphasis, wear your big coat over layers
because climate controlled temperatures change drastically when they
roll up the big door between horse and rider combinations -- and
there were 8 of those! I will be posting information gleaned from
the lecture and symposium in my lessons and on this site.

Glad I went, glad to be home.

Off to Austin.....

I'm of to Austin, Texas to attend the USDF Annual Convention and
Symposium. We have a jam packed agenda from Committee and Council
meetings to University Education sessions to Youth education to the
Trade Fair to the Board of Governors (BOG) General Assembly to the 2
day symposium itself which features Jan Brink.

Some of the presenters and panelists are: Hilary Clayton, Terry
Ciotti Gallo, Sandy Howard and Jane Savoie.

As usual, I will attend the BOG Assembly as a voting Participating
Delegate. I expect there to be votes on dues, replacement of BOG
members, and, restructuring of the BOG as well as other items which
may come up.

Look here for a report upon my return.

Judith