Camp, Shows, Clinics, the barn is a bustle!
What a busy few months we have had at Tilley Show Stables. July started with Kids Camp and ended in Bend, Oregon at the High Desert Classic. From Bend it was straight to Denver, Colorado for the EAP Regional Training Session. Before you know it the kids will be going back to school.
Madison Hughston was our fearless Kids Camp Leader! She came up with the daily material, made a schedule and took care of the kids on her own from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM. The kids had an excellent time and enjoyed riding the horses, making crafts, learning horsemanship, playing games, etc.
After kids camp we attended our Annual UHJA Horse Show in South Jordan, UT. Fenwick and Jessica were fierce and moved up to the 1.0 meter Jumpers. Moving up was not easy, but they handled it well and brought home a ribbon in their first round. Madison Hughston was getting the hang of JoLynn Simpson’s Chick’s Emerald and had some fantastic rides in the .80 Jumpers to bring home blue and red ribbons. Dally Jo was on fire with her mount Tippy Toes. They moved up to the .80 Jumpers and won their class! Dally and Tippy really smoked the jump off. It was Eureka’s first horse show in the United States and Denise took the ride. Her owner, Mandy Hosford, and Denise were so pleased with her. She was relaxed, rideable and took 2nd in the High Jumper Classic. Elynne Gaffney’s horse, Esmeralda, and Denise jumped two excellent rounds. Esmeralda just edged out her stable mate to win the High Jumper Classic. Elise Vandamme had a great show jumping up again to the 1.30 Meter Jumpers. Clear and blue for Elise and Bonjorno! Alexia Horner brought her horse The Guardian out to show for the first time in 12 months. They had an excellent experience with some beautiful rounds and ribbons up to the 1.0 Meter Jumpers. Elizabeth Bellit partnered up for the first time with Ally Jee’s Gowan in the .70 and .75 Meter Jumpers. They had picture perfect rounds and were rewarded with ribbons. In the Hunter section of the show we had a blast taking Grace Wooten and her horse San Gabriel for their first horse show ever! He is just 4 years old and competed in the Baby Green Hunters with Denise and the Cross Rails with Grace. Denise and San Gabriel were the only competitors in their division, but had beautfiful rounds and received blue ribbons for their participation. Grace and he were excellent together in a field with seasoned horses. They cantered rounds with lead changes and all to receive great ribbons. Denise brought JoLynn Simpson’s horse, Rhapsodee, to do some ticketed warm ups and learn the show environment so she can carry young riders in the future. She behaved beautifully and we were so impressed with her.
After a week of rest the Team took a group of horses to Bend, Oregon to compete in the High Desert Classic. Bend is always a lovely town to visit with beautifully scenery. Madison Hughston competed Chick’s Emerald in the .80 and .85 Meter Jumper Classes. Several winning rounds clenched the .80 Championship for Madison and Chick’s Emerald. Denise also competed Emmee in the .80 Meter Open to receive Reserve Championship. Chick’s Emerald continues her winning ways! Elise and Denise shared Bonjorno in the 1.20 Meter Open Division and took the Reserve Championship. Elise and Bonjorno also moved up and competed in the 1.25 Meter Junior Division at a USEF sanctioned show. She had some beautiful rounds and received great mileage and ribbons. Elynne Gaffney’s horse, Esmeralda, came to compete with Denise up to the 1.20 Meter Jumpers. It was our first time competing at that level of show at that height since she arrived in the United States. She was absolutely fantastic. Ribbons in every class she entered and a 7th place finish in the Mini Prix as the fastest four faulter. Eureka would also attend the largest show she has seen since arriving a short time ago from The Netherlands. This time Denise and Mandy would both ride. We couldn’t have been happier with her. Receiving numerous second place finishes in the 1.0 Meter and .90 Meter Jumper Divisions with both riders. She ended the week Reserve Champion of the .90 Meter Jumpers. This was Mandy and Eureka’s first show together and we are so excited to see this pair progress. Ally Jee’s Lancelot was put on the bench just before the trip when he came down with a mild infection. We decided to take Kim Hall’s lovely sale horse, Park Avenue CFS, to go on a field trip and advertise for sale. This is the best three year old in the world! She handled the show grounds like an aged veteran and had such a great education. Lucky of course has recovered and is excited to have his turn.
From Bend Denise dropped four of the horses off at home in West Bountiful, UT and she and Elise took a small nap and got back on the road to head to Denver, CO for the Emerging Athletes Regional Training Session. For five days Elise attended a clinic with Nanci Snyder and Kip Rosenthal. There were 19 girls and boys under the age of 20 that were preparing to complete a course at the end of the week with a chance to advance to the National Training Session to be held in November in Ohio. Elise was an early favorite in the competition due to her wonderful horsemanship, great position, superior management in the stable, her ability to listen and get along well in a group among other things. The clinician, Kip Rosenthal, was nothing but complimentary to Elise and her horse. We will not know until September 1 if Elise is chosen to go on to Ohio so stay tuned!
We are looking forward to a few quieter weeks of rest and training, but will also be preparing a group with several new horses to go to Promontory Jumper Show at the End of August and then a group will head to Sonoma, California in September for competition. The Fall will be busy and exciting as Denise heads back to the Netherlands to find new horses and we continue with our competition schedule.
