2007 Competitions & Events

New England Dressage Association Fall Championships - USDF/USEF Rated

September 12-14th, Saugerties, NY.

We took our Drums out for the very first ever Gypsy/Drum Horse IBC class at NEDA. (OK so we sponsored it.) Sequin, Sieglinde and Siegfried, aka “Marvin” (mom Zoe came along but was not showing) completed the class.

Sieglinde checks out the grounds.	Marvin sets up for the judge.

To say they stopped traffic walking around the showgrounds would be an understatement! Out came cameras from every angle to take pictures of the “big spotted fluffy things”. Sieglinde is definitely a show horse extreme. She just loves the attention and would lead her mom all over the showgrounds. Sequin seems content to follow her child around and be the behind the scenes mom. Over to the flapping tents we went, then we had to see the bicycles, then the water truck, then the riders there with those small furry dogs in their arms. You name it, Sieglinde introduced herself to it. Marvin was more interested in watching the dressage horses go riding by then he was the scenery. Several times he tried his best to follow horse and rider teams down the rail. Even though he sees riders at home, something about seeing them at a show all dressed up made him determined to follow them to see what they were up to!

Sequin on deck ready to go.	Sieglinde steps out with Sequin around the triangle.

When show time came around Sieglinde lead off, then Sequin showed. Neither had ever been shown on a triangle before. Well leave it to Sieglinde to bring out the big springy trot and leave the judge astounded. When both horses were done showing she motioned for me to come over. “How did you get suspension, elasticity and uphill balance on something so BIG?” she asked. We all just smiled.

Next came Marvin and he found the whole thing interesting but I couldn’t get him excited enough to really step out so his trot, while ok, was not his best by any means. Not a big problem because one day when he weighs 1600+ lbs someone will be very happy his reaction to strange things is to be really calm…. Zoe enjoyed herself immensely just watching. Zoe loves to go to shows and people watch. She will stand quietly in the middle of a grounds for hours and just watch the goings on. It’s quite funny to see.

When the scores came in, not surprisingly Sieglinde came out on top. But what was surprising was the score of 72.8%! We were all thrilled, that’s a respectable score for any breed to get much less of big draft horse! Sequin was second and Marvin was third.

The whole gang pose for a group shot after wining their ribbons.

All in all a great day and good exposure for the breed at a large open show!

And of course big thanks to our staff Neil, Ericka (on about her second day working for us - nothing like a crash course in sport horse showing) and student Megan. Megan was home visiting from vet school and agreed to come help us for the day. Thanks Megs!

The gang refuels at the end of the day. L-R Neil, Megan, Ericka and the carnage left over from a devoured plate of quesadillas.	Sieglinde refuels by catching a quick nap in the trailer before we have to head home.

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NEFHC Classic Horse Show - Friesian/Gypsy Horse Show

July 27-29 , Topsfield Showgrounds, MA

Our first outing with our Drum horses! With friends Kayla and Marti, we took Zoelynette with almost 4 month old Siegfried and Sequin and not yet 3 month old Sieglinde to their first show on one of the hottest days of the year. Zoe is an old hand at showing but Sequin had never been to a show before. Sieglinde settled in very quickly and decided that people coming up to her constantly telling her how beautiful she was a really good thing indeed! Sequin soon settled in after watching how much her child was enjoying things!Siegfried, aka Marvin, was his usual ham self and didn’t blink twice at the campers, loud speakers, and every other distraction there.

Looking cool despite the heat, Sarah holds Sequin outside the ring.

Our first class was Gypsy/Drum fillies four and under. Sieglinde showed very well , set up and stood like a rock and pulled out the win! Then Sequin went back in for mature mares and was second. They both showed back for mare championships and Sieglinde was reserve Champion Gypsy/Drum mare of the show!

Sieglinde with her first ribbons.	Marvin with his first ribbon.

The mighty Marvin went in Gypsy/Drum colts four and under in a very large class and was second! While Marvin was being so goods Marti was leading Zoe for me in the ring. Well I forgot that Zoe, being a Friesian, has that big ZOOM trot in her when she thinks she’s supposed to be showing. Normally Zoe knows to stay a little slow and quiet to accompany the foals around the ring.

Sieglinde in for the Championships, with Marti and Sequin in the background.	Marvin has little last minute practice outside the ring.

Well I got in front and was trotting Marvin and I whistled once to encourage his biggest trot. The moment Zoe heard that whistle she arched her neck and shifted into her HUGE trot. Poor Marti, who is not the tallest person in the world, was now literally hanging off Zoe’s bridle with her feet occasionally touching the ground and blew past both me and Marvin on the outside rail. I had to pull up Marvin so Zoe would stop. It was really funny, well maybe Marti didn’t think so. I think her first comment once she could breathe was “wow, I didn’t know I was that strong.” Followed by some comment or other about how her shoulder had been on the mend…whoops, sorry Marti!

Even with the heat, I was really impressed with the young foals and how they not only remembered their in hand lessons about how to stand and set up, but just how much they absolutely beamed and really enjoyed themselves.

Big thanks to my trusty groom (and Uther’s personal Assistant) Kayla, with or without her clothing items, and especially Marti for bravery above and beyond the call of duty.

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ERAHC Region Six Andalusian Horse Show. USEF "A" rated

June 30th, July 1st, 2007. South Hadley, MA

With twelve horses in all competing and a crew of staff and volunteers who spent many long hours prepping, Tintagel had a great and long weekend. Our assistant/amateur handler for the weekend was Neil Kelley who had a whopping two days to handle some of the horses and ended up showing several of them cold with no practice. He did a great job.

The Tintagel hospitality room being set up.	The three purebred Champions: Comico, Uther and Augusta.

We were also the hospitality area (no food was provided on grounds) so the Tintagel headquarters had breakfast and snacks all day with chairs and our DVD playing up on the wall. Thanks goes to Sherry for keeping all the food in order. It was very much appreciated by all.

Well what can I say about the show? It was all Tintagel. (And yes there were other horses there really!)

We cleaned up the Championships winning every single Championship of the show. It was Comico's show debut and he did not disappoint winning the stallions class, Best Movement, Amateur stallions, and was Champion Stallion, Grand Champion Andalusian and High Point Andalusian. Augusta showed her usual model self and won the mare class, Amateur mares and was Champion Mare of the show and Reserve Grand Champion of the show. The judge would say to me later "when I looked over and she just puffed herself up, that was it." That's our Gussie, supermodel extraordinaire.

The Tintagel wall of fame.

It was the official "Un-Retirement" of Castle Oak Pendragon, our beloved Uther, who came out swinging in great style despite having been retired for SIX years! The judge's first comment about Uther when he came in was "oh my look at those eyes". Uther never fails to dazzle even being 18 yrs old. Uther won the Gelding class, Amateur Geldings and was Champion Gelding of the show.

Staff member Jillian gives a smile while prepping Escorial.

Escorial had a great showing too, wining his driving class, wining Half Andalusian Geldings, Half Andalusian Best Movement, Amateur Half Geldings, and was Champion Half Gelding, Grand Champion Half Andalusian and High Point Half Andalusian. In the Futurity classes on Saturday: Susannah won the Weanling Fillies class, Tamino won Yearling Colts and Don Carlos won Two yr old Colts. In the Weanling Colts class, Rinaldo was second with Ernani in third. The judge loved Rinaldo even though he was stuck like glue to his momma. At only a month old Rinaldo was calm but wouldn't leave mom's hip. (So we didn't ask him too.) Ernani was so well behaved and showed so well for Neil, our amateur handler.

On Sunday Susannah pulled off a huge win in the Two and Under Fillies class besting older girls and won the Gold Medal for Movement, all while she was only two months old. The judge just went nuts over her and her first comment to me was "How pleased are you with her? Looks at those knees and legs and such perfectly straight movement!" Susie was the real ham of the show having found her calling. She is the next Augusta! She posed and strutted and was so quiet and well behaved yet posed and arched that neck and just said "look at me!". And the judge did.... Susie also was reserve Champion mare under Augusta! Not bad for a baby!!

Don Carlos tried his best but with a mare with foal in his colts class he had his first discovery of hormones. He was well behaved but very distracted by the good looking rump standing in front of him. So he ended up second in the colts class but won the medal for movement. Tamino was third in the same class.

The offspring of Regaliz won the Half Andalusian Get of Sire class and he also won the purebred Get of Sire class with the Diego offspring group in second. The Half Andalusians sired by Regaliz: Mryddin Emrys and Sarika, both Friesian crosses, did exceptionally well with their amateur owners. Sarika was Champion Half Andalusian Mare and Reserve Grand Half Andalusian.

Uther and Escorial both gave impromptu exhibitions on Saturday night. Escorial delighting the crowd with his tricks and maneuvers, Uther was taken out of retirement in a cooler removing ceremony that had not a dry eye in the house.

But in the end, the show was all about Comico. It was his first show ring debut in the US and he did not disappoint. Being such puppy dog at home I was worried he wouldn't "show" enough in the ring. Ha! As soon as I warmed him up I could tell he had spark and a certain something starting to happen. Well in the ring we came for the stallion class and he pumped up and rounded that corner with a power and presence that was truly amazing. With the whole wall of Tintagel fans cheering and whistling he came alive with an energy and animation and banged out a trot unlike anything I was expecting. His feet didn't touch the ground as he worked the rail, neck arched, mane flying and throwing in a leap or two in the pure exuberance of it all.

A beaming Sarah after Comico wins the Grand Championship while Comico contemplates the thought of more hay.

When I first went to set him up for the judge the first words out of her mouth were "Thank you so much for bringing this gorgeous horse to the show." and the leaner judge said " You rounded the corner and we all just went WOW!"

So in a good sized class Comico won it all winning the Gold Medal for Movement, and won every class he went in. And after all of that he went back to his stall and fell asleep under all that hair paying no attention to the commotion around him.

I think I picked a good one.

Congrats to all and especially well done to my amazing staff.