Thank God for better weather today at the Festival Of Champions in Gladstone. Because of rain stooping yesterday’s classes, the show went extra long today as we made up for lost time with Junior, Young Rider, Prix St. George, and Grand Prix classes.
Leslie Morse won the Grand Prix on Tip Top with over 72%. Since I know that you can look up scores and placements on Dressage Daily, I am only going to comment on the overall classes and give some general impressions.
For instance, Leslie set herself apart from the rest of the Grand Prix riders today by displaying her greater level of experience and that of her horse. Nothing can take the place of time spent in the biggest arenas in the world, and Leslie has been there and done that. Their partnership, which has room still to be even stronger, showed the confidence in eachother necessary to be valuable on a team.
Some of our more experienced riders today were riding fairly green horses which made mistakes or were just not through enough in their connection. And a couple of greener riders were still finding their way and lost concentration. In the end, there needs to be more emphasis on riders creating horses which are very steady with elatstic and honest connections between seat, leg, and rein. Only this way can the horses become reliable and show the uphill engagement and brilliance necessary to win.

The Prix St. George was, overall, a stronger class with quite a few combinations turning in tests which received over 70%. I was very proud of my friend and former assistant, Katherine Bateson Chandler, placed both 1st and 3rd with Jane Clark’s 2 horses, Dao and Rutherford. She rode brilliantly and what was even more fun was that between her 2 horses was placed Jan Bronze, another student of many years, who also rode great on his very fancy gelding. Tuny and her mare, Alina, were a very respectable 4th followed closely by Courtney King riding Hampton Green Farm’s stallion, Gradioso. All in all, these riders and a few others like Shannon Peters, rode like top professionals and made me wish they were ready with theri horses to step up into the Grand Prix.
Because, unlike the Dutch Championships which saw a new combination take over the baton from the great champions, Anky and Salinero, we, I am a little sorry to say, have nobody at the moment ready to take on our flagship combination of Steffen Peters and Ravel.
Not today, anyway, but we do show very promising riders and horses which, with a strong program to help and nurture them, will hopefully very soon be ready to contend for that top spot on the podium.
And tomorrow is another day - hopefully without rain!

Cheers!

RD

Well, other then our valiant Brentina Cup riders who braved the elements, today was a torential wash-out!
When I say the arean looked like a lake by mid-morning, I mean they could have held canoe-kayak sprints between A and C!
The organizers and judges decided to postpone the rest of today’s classes until tomorrow and condense the rest of the classes into three days.
Now we just have to pray that the weekend does not live up to its forecast of rain, rain, and more rain.
I will keep you posted and report on the small and large tours.

Cheers!

RD

Robert Ross forwarded this video from our friend, Scot Evans, and I had to put it up.
You guys will love it!

Cheers!

RD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vq6b9bMBXpg

I just have to gush a bit over my long-time friend, Bernadette (Bernie) Hewitt.  After a stellar career as a journalist covering international horse sport, she decided to go back to school.  Not just any school mind you - LAW SCHOOL!  Well, after years of hard work, I received the news today which Bernie is too humble to broadcast herself, and since humility, mine or anyone else’s, has never been an issue, I am hereby  printing for all the world to know that Bernadette Hewitt graduated with FIRST CLASS HONOURS in the top 3% of her class and is now a LAWYER!

Many Congratulations and I hope you are out celebrating!  I know I speak for everyone who knows and loves you that we are all very proud of you!  I only wish that you were practicing here in Florida, ’cause would I have a case for you!

Cheers!

RD

As I promised my readers, I am reporting as news comes forward on the never ending saga of  “What Happened To The Money, Joe?”   The latest is the second installment from award winning journalist, Diana DeRosa, who I can imagine will surely be nominated and probably win yet another prize for her search for the truth in this “should be made for TV movie” story.  I know it sounds crazy, especially since it’s been 2 years now that we’ve been waiting to get paid, but I still have a flicker of hope in my heart (OK, hardly a flicker!) that Joe will come through and make good on his debts to everyone. On Friday when I spoke to Joe’s attorney, John Whittles, who one and a half years ago bet me that we would be paid by that Friday or he would owe me a steak dinner, not only did he not have one new thing to assure me with of imminent payment, his steak dinner has now turned into a small herd of beef cattle!

Enough said. Below you can find the link to Diana’s latest article on The Continuing Joe Zada Saga as well as the former article. I believe you will find it both balanced and very fair, and certainly interesting reading.

http//centralequine.com/article.aspx?article=62

links to both articles are at:  www.centralequine.com

Cheers!

RD

This week begins The Festival Of Champions on Wednesday with the Vet Check and Thursday with the competition.
And what am I hope for, most of all? Plain and simple - TO HAVE MY SOCKS KNOCKED RIGHT OFF ME!

The field in the Grand Prix will be missing our top pair right now, Steffen Peters and Ravel. They will be showing along with Kathrine Haddad in Aachen and we wish them both the very best of luck and know they will be awesome. Still, we will have Olympic reserve rider from Hong Kong, Micheal Barizone and Neruda, as well as Leslie Morse and Tip Top who have also represented the U.S. at the World Equestrian Games, and Tuny Page and Wild One, past World Cup competitors.  Oh, and never count out my old teammate, Shelly Francis who, at a WEG trials we did together, she had a little statue of a fat lady singing on top of her trunk to reming her that it’s never over until ….. well, you know.  And guess who made the team that year!  I am  looking forward to seeing the up and coming pair of Lauren Samis and Segacious since they have continued their rise to fame under the very knowledgeable eye of trainer, Ashley Holzer. I am also anxious to see how the pair of Shawna Harding and Come Back have progressed under the tutelage of Olympic rider Michelle Gibson. And I was wowed by Adrienne Lyle who, under the amazing guidance of Debbie McDonald, has skyrocketed to the top of our American leaderboards several times already.

In all, there should be some wonderful rides also at the Prix St. George level, with hot competition between front runners, Jan Bronze and Katherine Bateson Chandler. Tuny Page will have her new mare Alina there as well and there are quite a few others who look quite strong, so it should be a lot of fun to watch.

So I say LET THE GAMES BEGIN!   And, to the riders, I wish them all the best of luck and hope they ride every movement for a 10!   No holding back.
                                                                                              GO FOR IT!

When I was a little girl I came to the conclusion if I was nice and sweet life would be kind to me. Well friends no more. Roberts Mom is now changing to a tough to fool senior citizen!Some years ago I was a real estate sales person for a large condominium on the ocean in Hallandale. The manager I found out after he was gone was not a straight shooter. He assigned the same first space parking spots to every new tenant. When they moved in  he was long gone. Folks who had been friends for life no longer spoke to each other. I had been working for him about two weeks when he walked up to me and said. ” You really ARE a nice person.” As if I was just putting on an act. Dealing with people these last few weeks has changed me forever. Today was the straw that broke the camels back. Carriage Hills where we live has an automatic gate opener for residents. 99 times out of 100 it opens no problem. Today I backed up 3 times with no luck. I honked me horn for the guard to open it. I opened my window an again asked him to please open it. He said, “try again”. ” I have tried 3 times I said please open the gate” Repeat the above. Finally I just said “open the gate” in a hateful voice. The gate opened. Yesterday the man who washes my car every two weeks came along with the thunder but I felt sorry for him so I said OK you can wash the car. Now,I pay him 20 dollars plus a 5 dollar tip. I found out he does the neighbors cars for 10 dollars. Our best friends needed to have their cars washed . They pay 15 Plus a tip. One drives a Lincoln and the other a Mercedes. I asked him why I pay 5 dollars more then they do and he answered. “Well I do many more things to your car then theirs.” Because I feel sorry for him and am a sweet person I continued to give him the 25. When I got in my car today I noticed the front window was never washed. The same smudges where still there. Wait until he comes back in two weeks. No nice guy will greet him.We had our ducts cleaned to rid them of dust from the dry wall that had been taken down. A clever sales man gave us a razzle dazzle conversation about how we lovely seniors deserved to live in a clean air enviorment, and he was going to provide it. He flicked open a ceiling vent I was not tall enough to see and said.” Oh dear it is covered with mold and mildew”. I panicked as that is what cause the three outside walls to be taken down and all our carpet to be ripped out. He said,” I will only charge you for 5 vents though you have 8.” He threw in many more freebies or so he said. Next he offered his GPS so we could find our way to a Home Depot to buy a clamp for the lint pipe connection which was supposed to be 39.00 but in his kindness to us he would clean free… I said.” That is OK I know the way. We returned in about 30 minutes and he was outside all done. We went back in so he could connect the clamp then sat down at the table for the invoice to be presented. He listed all the freebies on one side for his boss and that total was over a thousand dollars. But he was only charging us 633.00. The ad was for 29.99. He promised a two year guarantee. It wasn’t on the invoice. He said” Don’t worry. if anything goes wrong just call me and I will come right out.” I insisted on a guarantee. He promised it would be here in a week. The second straw is that when we went into our house I found the clamp still in the bag. Wait until he hears from me tomorrow. You will probably hear me yell where ever you live. NO MORE Sweet Me.                              Roberts Mom

Where, you might ask, have I been the last few days?  OK, here’s the answer, the best way I can describe it.
If I were to have a special day of the year, which is not in any way, shape, or form stating that I do in fact have one of those days, but if I did, which I don’t, it would have been one of those over the past few days while I’ve been out of touch.  Was that what they call a “run on sentence”?

Anyhow, I am back after having spent a wonderful time in Fire Island, which I described for my readers the other day as simply one of my favorite destinations in the world.  And since coming home I’ve been working on all sorts of “stuff”, from riding my horses to preparing for my USEF Coaching Position interview (still not sure when or where that’s going to take place), to working on the first ever FEI “Judging Systems Trials” to be held September 7-9 in Aachen, Germany.  That and working on my website and moving into our new condo in South Miami Beach.  Oh, and working out daily. Enough said?  Yes, I’m EXHAUSTED!  But happy.

I’d even say I was ecstatic were it not for my ongoing Joe Zada saga.  Nope.  Nothing new from his end other than the same old promises of more promises.  But like I say, I’m happy!

I was truly saddened by the news about Wash Bishop when I read of his death in the Chronicle.  I couldn’t believe it since we’re about the same age and I had not heard he was ill.  So I went on the web and found out he had taken his own life.  I am still shocked and don’t understand how or why this could happen to such a great guy.  Wash and I grew up near each other in the South and both Pony Clubbed and went to the same Rallies.  Both being boys, we naturally formed a palpable rivalry, sometimes exhibiting our animosity toward each other through pranks.  He would make fun of me for going off course (which I did A LOT!), and I would make fun of his acne.  He would short sheet my bed, and I would lean a trash can full of water against his hotel door the morning he was dressed for Dressage so he could open it and take a bath.  In other words - we hated each other.   But, as life went on, we became friends who respected each other and could laugh about our younger days in Pony Club, knowing that those times taught us how to be the horsemen we both became, including our sense of humor.
So, though I have no idea what could have brought Wash to make the decision to end his life, I hope more than anything that he has found peace, love, and a wonderful horse to ride in heaven.

RD

 Dear Friends of Robert’s Mom. Last month I went to the Orthopedic Doctor I told him my right knee was hurting when I kneel down. He asked if I was Catholic. I laughed and said no. He said then don’t kneel. I said but I do Yoga and he answered don’t do that position. I said that is the most important one. Get a pad he said. Nothing I made worked. Here is the amazing part.    A maintenance Man fixing holes in the wall in the house we are renting while ours is being rid of mold and mildew, was wearing a special pads on his knees. He said when asked he bought them at Home Depot and they allow him to be on his knees all day with out pain. Off we went and sure enough they worked for me. I now go down on my knees with No pain. The reflux Dr. said I shouldn’t put my head flat for anything. You try standing on your shoulders with your head on a pillow. No way. I tried the pad and sure enough it worked. Today I  went to see what the pads were called. I couldn’t believe my eyes. The front in large  print said ROBERTS! Yesterday I read of a sure way to get rid of reflux. I bet many of you take pills for it. The article said to drink 1/2 of a fresh lemon squeezed into a glass of water to rid yourself of acid. Oh my goodness I can’t believe It worked. No bad feeling when I streach out flat with NO Pad! So all of you who suffer or know someone who does remember you are never to young or old to live and learn.                       Love Roberts Mo

Dear Rhonda,

I have a huge dilemma.  My sister who I love dearly is a slut.  Yes, she goes out with numerous men and sleeps with all of them even on the first date!  I am concerned not only for her safety but also for her mental stability.  Is this normal behavior or is she having a mid life crisis?  She did turn the BIG 4-0 this year.   But don’t single women who have mid life crises typically buy sports cars or extravagant jewelry, not take home different men each night?   How do I tactfully tell my sister that this behavior isn’t good for her and that she should settle down with just one nice guy?

Sincerely:

Monogamous

Dear Monogamous,

Before I get to your actual question, which is really a question about communication between you and your sister and not about her open-leg policy, I feel it my duty to enlighten you a bit. These are a few important points that I felt the need to share as I ready your letter.

1) The definition of a “slut” is relative. Paris Hilton and Hanna Montana probably have very different definitions.

2) There is no such thing as a “typical” midlife crisis. If you have means, you may choose to use money to make you feel better. If you don’t have the means you may use your muffin to make you feel better. In my experience it is usually a combination of both.

3) A highly utilized muffin does not lead to mental illness or instability*

4) “Settling down with one nice guy” sounds a bit like the “picket fence” dream. Just make sure you are not projecting your hopes and dreams on others.

5) Calling people sluts is not very nice.

Now that that is out of the way, lets get down to business. I can tell by your letter that you can be a bit of a judgmental little bitch yourself. And lets be honest; sometimes a slut is more fun to be around than a bitch (just some food for thought). You clearly love your sister, so my answer to your question is to work on your communication and delivery skills so that your message is not muddled by the delivery. Try something like this. Sit her down and ask her questions. Maybe ask her if she is happy? Making accusations and judgments will get you nowhere fast. Which of these two scenarios would you respond better to?

1) How are you lately? Are you happy? You know I love you and am always here for you if you ever want to talk. You are such a smart and attractive woman, but I sometimes worry that your big heart and trusting nature will get you in trouble. You know there are lots of creeps out there. You deserve one special guy to treat you like a queen.

2) Why don’t you act your age, settle down with a nice guy and stop acting like a slut. I hate that I have to worry about finding you dead in a dumpster.

I hope that my not-so subtle way of making a point helps you find a more subtle and loving way to let your sister know that you care.

Best,

Rhonda

*Rhonda has no medical training or expertise. Her views are not verified by any governing body whatsoever.