Life has been full of adversity for way too many of my friends lately, and I am still spending time every day praying for everyone as well as our four legged ones who are having health issues. With all that, I must say that it’s hard sometime to feel light-hearted about the stuff in our lives. So when Tuny came in and told me that her fabulous mare, Claire, had delivered her second baby, I just felt so happy that I thought I’d share some pic’s of the proud Mom and her kids. Claire had a colt a year ago which is growing up to be a beauty and just has a gorgeous filly a few days ago. Both Mommy and Grandma Tuny are soooo proud!

Cheers!

RD

Courtney remains in stable condition at the Hospital in North Palm Beach, Florida, though is still in a non-induced coma. The good news is that the doctors are taking her off the respirator for periods of time now and she is doing very well at breathing on her own. A tracheotomy had been performed which is normal in cases where one is not sure how long before the patient WILL wake up. I capitalized WILL, because I feel certain that all of our prayers are being heard and Courtney WILL WAKE UP!

KEEP SENDING IN YOUR PRAYERS, PLEASE! Thank You!

RD

Steffen Peters was in a class of his own at Show Park CDI today, receiving well over 77% in the Grand Prix. I was out with the Canadian riders in the wram-up but could already see that this combination was in their zone two days before. Steffen has continued to create a wonderful partnership with Ravel and this is lovely to see.
There were some very big discrepancies in the scores in a couple of the rides today, but not in Wendy Christoff’s, who with Pfalstaff, did an extremely pleasing ride to put Canada in the 5th position with 67.277%.
On the other hand, both Guenter Seidel and Canadian rider, Sharon Merkel-Beattie, received scores which included percentages ranging over 5% from the highest to the lowest judge. I would call this embarrassing, if you ask me, and the FEI is doing everything possible to prevent such a problem from affecting the outcome of classes in the major shows. Guenter had a 63.4 from one judge and a 71.7 from another, and Sharon had all scores above 64% and one 59.1 from the head of the Ground Jury. All I can say is “Hmmmm!”

I forgot to mention how nice this show is being put on over-all though. It has been safe, elegant, and a pleasure to participate at. The only thing which I would have changed today would have been to ask the gait kjeeper to not drape a grey blanket over her legs, as it was the cause of at least 3 horses stopping and/or shying down by A.

Tomorrow are both the Special and the Freestyle and Wendy, Sharon and Lorraine will all be contending in the Special for Canada. I will report back on their as well as everyone else’s results. I congratulate all the competitors and wish them all (but especially the Canadians) the best of luck tomorrow!

Cheers!

RD

OK friends, I know that I seem to keep asking you for help in one way or another, for this or that cause, but there are 3 young equestrians desperately in need of our help, so I’m asking again. These kids are Para Equestrians and each has recently lost their mounts just when the World Equestrian Games is right around the corner. Remember, this fall will not only be the WEG’s for the able bodied FEI sports, but also for the Para riders. Below are the bio’s for each of these wonderful young people along with a picture of each and the type of horse which each needs in order to keep their dream alive of representing America at the World Championships.
Please, find it in your hearts to help locate and secure appropriate mounts for these deserving kids. Thank you very much!

Rebbeca Hart

Rebecca Hart, 25, was born with a rare genetic disease called Familial Spastic Paraplegia (FSP). As an adult, it primarily affects her muscles and joints from the waist down. As a child, it also caused her to have difficulty gaining strength in her upper body for a few years and slowed all her motor development. Rebecca began riding at the age of ten.

Rebecca has been the National Paralympic Champion in 2006, 2008, and 2009. Though she did not compete in Athens in 2004, she was selected as first alternate for the team that year. It was in Belgium that year that she first had the opportunity to team up with her wonderful Hanoverian gelding, Norteassa. In 2008, she was a member of the United States Paralympic Equestrian team, competing in Hong Kong with her horse, Norteassa, and taking 4th place in the freestyle. She has also competed for the United States at the World Championships in England.

She has done many demonstrations promoting riding and dressage for the disabled, and has spoken recently at several fundraisers to promote therapeutic riding. She has served as a youth consultant for the United States Equestrian Federation. In addition to riding in events for para-equestrian riders, she has competed extensively in shows for the able bodied. She and Norteassa recently began showing the Prix St. George classes, and she has completed the elements for her bronze medal in dressage. In addition to her equestrian activities, Rebecca is a full time college student studying accounting and international finance, achieving honors at Pennsylvania State University. She has worked as an accountant, a barrista, a riding instructor, and as a farm hand to help support her riding. She and Norteassa are currently training at Blue Hill Farm in Pennsylvania, hoping to gain a place on the United States team for the World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Kentucky in 2010.

-Holly Bergay

My name is Holly Bergay and I am a seventeen-year-old dressage rider. My dream is to compete in the 2010 World Equestrian Games as a para equestrian. Though I was born without my left hand, I have competed through Prix St. George and have competed in the North American Young Riders Championships. I have been fortunate to receive training from Debbie McDonald and Sarah dodge. To make it to the World Equestrian Games I need one thing; a horse. A horse showing at least Prix St. George that is relatively small would be great for the games. I need to compete in the selection trials in June on the horse that I would do the WEG with in order to make the team.
If you have a horse that is for sale and you want it to get great exposure, or if you have a horse that you are willing to let me ride in the World Equestrian Games, please let me know. I believe, if I have the opportunity to compete, I could represent the United States very well in these games.

The dressage community has done so much for me so far, and I appreciate all the wonderful people I have rooting for me!

Please spread the word and help me make this dream come true! Thank you!

To learn more about me: hollybergay.com

Contact:

marybergay@aol.com

Jonathan -

Heres  more of my story

Jonathan, a freshman at SMU, is studying history; economics & political science with plans to go to law school. His plans also include representing the USA in the 2010 World Equestrian Games in Lexington, KY, and the 2012 Paralympics in London!

Combining college and riding is a huge challenge, but Jonathan is used to challenges, he has been facing them all his life. Jonathan was born with cerebral palsy, which affects his strength, balance, coordination & flexibility. Jonathan was first put on a horse at age two as part of his physical therapy, at age five he continued his therapy, and began riding for fun including vaulting, jumping, quadrille and equitation. He also participated in many hippotherapy and therapeutic riding demonstrations and was the youngest member of a quadrille team that consisted of adult paralympians who were both teammates and mentors. At age twelve Jonathan was told he could no longer jump because his legs were too weak so at age thirteen he began training in dressage competing in his first recognized show at age fourteen with his sights on the Paralympics.

During the next several years Jonathan faced the ongoing challenge of finding a quality dressage horse with which he could consistently train and compete. He had to overcome the heartache of losing horses to a freak fatal injury, degenerative disease, and career ending injuries. He himself had to fight through extreme pain from a surgery, determined it would not end his riding career just as it was getting started.  Despite the challenges Jonathan has continued to work hard and has consistently made strides toward his goals. In May 2009 he competed in his first CPEDI3*, where he earned his certificate of capability for the 2010 World Equestrian Games. He also competed in his first USEF PE Nationals where he placed 7th. He currently ranks #2 for Grade II, and #3 overall on the USEF Para Equestrian Ranking List.

Jonathan has always been an ambassador to the equestrian sport. Speaking and fundraising for local therapeutic riding centers, and riding in demonstrations to promote the Para-equestrian endeavor.

Recently he was named to USEF youth council to represent the Para-equestrian discipline.

Jonathan is in need of a horse that will be able to compete at an international level in order to represent the United States at the World Equestrian Games.

Please contact

info@uswarmblood.com or check

www.jonathanwenz.org

Close to 500 people from all around the world have sent in their prayers for a miracle for Courtney. This sounds like a lot until one thinks of the numbers of Dressage people and general horse enthusiasts world-wide. Literally hundreds of thousands of wonderful souls who may or may not know about Courtney’s fall and brain trauma.

So, my friends, I am asking you all to ratchette it up in the prayer department this week. Each time someone goes on Dovers World and write and says the words, “I believe in a miracle for Courtney” , we are combining our amazing powers with a common goal. Now, what we really need is for each and every one of us to ask 10 of our friends who have still not taken a moment to sign a prayer for Courtney today. If the 4 hundred who have already signed would make it their mission to find and get 10 more friends to do the same, we would have the power of over 4000 friends buy the end of the day combinig their power of prayer to ask God and the universe for a major miracle for our Courtney. Come on, Floks! Let’s DO IT!

Cheers!

RD

Well, I’m out in Del Mar just in time to have left behind the first warm weather in South Florida to now have more 50 degree temperatures here. I am told it will be better starting tomorrow. We’ll see.

Kim Keenan is amazing and building the show a la Den Bosche right before my eyes and including her usual flair for design. She is a very hard worker and I know the show will be lovely and show great respect for the horses and riders, from the footing to the food service.

The other thing I want to mention is that I and everyone else are wearing the green ribbons in honor of Courtney and prayers as well as helmets abound on the show grounds everywhere. We are all waiting, though it is hard to remain patient, for word of a miracle. I pray every day that she will wake up and be perfect. I know my prayers are shared by thousands of people all around the world and I will remind everyone daily to keep her and opur other friends in the hospital in their thoughts. Thank you!

I will be reporting daily from Del Mar and keep you abreast of the results and points of interest from my perspective.

Cheers!

RD

As you all know I’m a strong believer in miracles, and know that the more people there are praying for one the better! So I am asking everyone who reads DoversWorld or my posts on Facebook and twitter to post, “I believe in a miracle for Courtney!” under this post. Let’s see how many of us around the world can put everything aside for just a minute to say those words as they write them. There’s unmeasureable power in numbers when we set our minds to something! So please join me in wishing this miracle for Courtney today and every day until she is well again.

Thank you all!

I believe in a miracle for Courtney!

RD

There will be a moment of prayer this afternoon at the Palm Beach Derby at 11:00. Mary Phelps told me yesterday that it will be led by a minister and I will be sure to be there along with everyone at the show to collectively ask for a miracle for her. Miracles are happening in every moment of our lives and the combined power os so many peoples’ thoughts cannot help but move the universe in the direction of our common desires and wishes. If you are not present but would still like to join us in that moment, you may do so.

Love to all!

RD

RD

Can you guess what they are???

We are talking screw-ups that actually helped humankind! Let’s see if you now any???

This man, halfway through an experiment with bacteria went on vacation. Slob that he was he left a dirty Petri dish in the lab sink. When he got back, he had found the bacteria had grown all over the plate, except where an area where mold had formed. That discovery let to two things? What were they and who was he?

In 1943, the war years, a General Electric engineer combined silicone oil and boric acid in an attempt to find a cheap alternative to rubber for tank treads boots ext, What was his name, and big discovery???

In 1870 this man was experimenting with the sap from a South American tree, as a substitute for rubber, After mounting failures, The dejected inventor popped a piece into his mouth . He liked it. He discovered what?

At the end of world war two, this engineer was looking for forms of magnetron, which generated the microwave for radar systems. While he was standing next to the device one day, a chocolate bar in his pocket melted. This magnetron worked better on what? Who became very rich from this?

In 1856 : this man was interested in finding a cure for one of the deadliest diseases, Malaria by replicate Quinine in his laboratory he inadvertently discovered the color mauve instead. As a result he forgot about malaria and made another product establishing what?

In 1987 This couple were using small does of a deadly toxin to treat “ aspasams and other eye spasms when they noticed another interesting side effect, wrinkles magically disappeared What did they discover & who were they?”