News

Oct 8th 2008

October Update

Well so much has happened since I wrote last. As always we have not been resting on our laurels, but are always on to the next thing. Some of the highlights have been:

March 08: Mayfield Miracle won the Australian Champion Novice Young Rider Title, being on loan to the visiting New Zealand team and ridden by 15yo Rebecca. The next month he was jumping at the state Young rider jumping Squad, and winning at interschool comps with 14 yo tori, then he was out at the EFA eventing clinics jumping up to one star fences! And now he is going to Pony Club.

May08: was the CDI in Sydney and this was Pzazz and Kerry's debut World Cup. A solid performance saw 9th place in the Grand Prix and the freestyle. Excellent feedback from the international judges was really gratifying.

The week after the CDI I had surgery to fix the right hip that has been interfering with riding for a few years. A hip resurfacing is a small hip replacement, so forever more I will set off the metal detectors at the airports with my titanium and copper hip joint! The recovery was more onerous than I anticipated, and really cut in to the time to consolidate the work with both Whisper and Pzazz.

However it is all systems go for the nationals at the end of the month with both stallions being accepted for the world cup! Charlotte Pedersen has been a huge help in working toward a more rhythmical and softer picture. In fact I have been amazed at how steep the learning curve has been since arriving at the Grand Prix. The first quality on the training scale is rhythm. This is such a critical aspect of the grand Prix. I have been enjoying focusing on setting a special energetic rhythm, slower longer strides, more collection and being diligent about the rhythm in small transitions within the paces as a way of developing more expression in the work. Those transitions in and out of Piaffe/passage demand a complete commitment to the rhythm. Diligence is my favourite concept at present, as it implies commitment to excellence and truth, as well as taking responsibility for my actions, not accepting good enough.

Slowly Pzazz is building up the strength to maintain his balance in these really collected movements. It is all still coming together, but there are moments of beauty. It will be awesome when the moments become the regular work. Just give us a bit more time.