Stacy on Ellen, Tommy coming back to RTTH in 09

Wow, what a day for horses!
Many of you know that 06 Road to the Horse Champion and awesome horsewoman (in fact one of HorseSouth's top 4 most influential horsewomen in America!) was on the Ellen Degeneres show TODAY! Visit Ellen's website to watch the video of Stacy and Ellen riding Roxy!
Looks like Tootie granted Tommy Garland's request and he will be back to compete at the 09 Road to the Horse! Go Tommy ... he is a superlative competitor!
Look for a cover feature on Tommy in an upcoming issue of HorseSouth!

I spent yesterday meeting Richard Matthews .... Richard is a horseman based in Winder, GA. At first glance Richard strikes you as the consumate southern gentleman with a love for horses ... but stick around a while.
Richard is both a cutting horse and a dressage enthusiast. Yep, you read that right!
I'll be posting some video and pics here tomorrow so you'll believe me.

For now here are some pics of Tommy from Road to the Horse

VSE - Very Small Equines needed!

Great Oaks Horse Driving Trial
26-27 April 2008
Great Oaks Farm
2836 Mt. Carmel Rd, Newnan, GA

Saturday: Dressage and Cones, starting around 9am
Sunday: Marathon, starting around 9am

VSE (this means lil bitty horses ( Very Small Equine) , Pony and Horse
Single, Pairs, Multiples
for entree information
Contact Mary Deatherage
deatheragem@bellsouth.net or mary.deatherage@us.army.mil

H: 256-964-1999; W: 256-313-5344; C: 256-698- 9202

Spectators are Encouraged and Welcomed!
Free Admission!
Food Available for Lunch

Y'all give it a try!!

Here I am with Chris just after he got his $10K for winning! That's Brenda Wright from Hoofbeats standing next to me. You can see Kent just behind me. All around us are the other sponsors. Kathy from Valley Vet, Rocky with Rockin J Horse Stalls, The Wick Building folks, WW Livestock Equipment, Horse and Rider and tons more.

Karen took this just as the winner was announced right before Chris threw his hat in the air!

Chris rode his colt during the freestyle portion of the competition with a little AC/DC music! I think it was "Hell's Bells" only the intro thou.

It's Chris ... again!!!

I am going to have to rethink this whole getting to know the clinicians thing I have been doing. Honestly when Chris stood on his horse during the second day of RTTH all I was thinking ... is "GET DOWN from there." He kept himself safe, as did Tommy when he too stood on his horse.
If I were a judge at this year's event, I would still be sratching my head for a clear winner. Chris has amazing work ethic and I think of everything he did the most impressive was during the obstacle course - his horse got away from him after a bit of arena sking the colt was loose in the arena. Chris told the crowd he'd use the moment as an opportunity. He did! Wow ... in less than a minute using only body posturing he had the horse back and bridled. It was amazing.
About his win, Chris told me "I worked my butt off" ... and he did. He never stopped, some felt he was more aggressive than they usually see him. I didn't have a chance to ask him to respond to that. Knowing Chris ... I feel like he'd say what he did the first day and that was he was doing what was best to get that particular colt broke.
One of my most favorite trainers competing was Ken McNabb. Ken and his wife DeeDee are just the nicest people. There boy's Curt & Trent played with my boys Wade and Wyatt til Friday night when my kids left to visit their uncle in Lynchburg.
Ken drew such a nice horse. A top pick among spectators! He was a slow starter and spooky but Ken pulled out the obstacle course like a true champion. I loved that Ken talked his horse thru all the obstacle course (as did Mike Kevil). I couldn't have been more proud to know Ken McNabb and of his performance if he were my brother.
Mike Kevil I think displayed the most consistant techniques, he was quiet and calm even with his colt bucked like a rank bronc he just pulled him out and completed the course with style, grace and humor. He said his colt was like a diesil - slow to start. So I'll forever think of that colt as "Diesil".
Tommy Garland has so much postive energy it radiates out of the round pen and into the crowd. It's no wonder he is an arabian trainer ... not too many other trainers have that same spirit and exuberance as the world's oldest breed. At one point on day one ... Chris and Tommy were laying on their horse's back at the same time. To me it raised the level of intensity and made the crowd's heart skip a beat to know how close the contest was actually going to be. Interestingly, there was no real rivalry like last year between Chris and Clinton ... but the competition was much more fierce.
I told Tootie I thought it was the best one yet. I do think because it was so close and even Chris said he didn't know he won until it was announced that a lot of folks will be yammering for a rematch of these four.
Congrats to Chris ... I'll bet it'll be a good week at the Double Diamond C this week!

Til next time!
Tess

Road to the Horse Day 1

One of my most favorite parts of Road to the Horse every year is when the clinicians do their introductory rides.
We were not disapointed this year!
Tommy Garland rode a beautiful white arab in probably THE most tricked out show saddle I've ever seen to Brad Paisley's "She's everything to me". It was a beautiful ride. Ken McMabb jumped his horse through a ring of fire! Mike Kevil raised the bar high and quite possibly changed the RTTH logo when he got his horse to stand all 4 feet on a pedastal and then proceded to stand ON HIS HEAD!! ( well, his shoulder but STILL!)Mike's a funny guy. Chris Cox came out on Pepto with no bridle and rode to a montage that included the "Snowy River" theme and "Unchained Melody". It was a gorgeous ride, completely inspiring.
This year the clincians talked a bit during their rides, which seemed different to me.
The competition -

First the remuda was presented and this year, my LORD the horses were just beautiful. Palominos, light buckskins, a bay roan, a jaw dropping grey ... I think even the sorrels were duns.
Tommy chose the #1 horse, one of the light buckskins. Actually, I am not sure on the color because they are so light. Then Ken chose horse #3 - a horse colored like Tommy's, Chris chose a smallish sorrel horse with really unusual face markings. Very cute lil guy!! Mike chose a dappled palomino ... the horses being more colorful really changed things up this year.
The round pens were set and the boys went to work!! It's early to tell but here is a quick run down.
Chris and Tommy saddled and rode their horses. They both got all three gaits ... I am not sure if Tommy got his in both directions. He told me that his colt was a little one sided. Chris described his horse as "threatened" but not fearful and said he'd get over it just fine. Tommy's horse bucked a bit and Chris' liked to kick out in the same spot but rode on through it. Mike didn't saddle his horse, roped him pretty quick in and said his strategy was just to get as much in as he could - where ever possible. He said it was not his goal to ride on the first day.
Ken McNabb has a bit tougher horse ... but the horse is hooked on to him emotionally even if he is fearful and spooky or skittish. Ken told us after the end of this session that if he had it to do over again he would have roped this colt right away.
He admitted that it felt like a pressure cooker in the pen. Mike and Tommy both commented on how its difficult to know from one moment to the next what's going to happen and how to best approach for the colt to understand more easily.

My opinion - this RTTH first day is the most intense one I've been to. All four of these guys have MONSTER work ethic and they never ceased working. Chris and Tommy were laying across the backs of their colts at EXACTLY the same time. It lent to the "heat" of the moment. I asked Chris if he thought the bar had been raised this year ... he didn't think so. I think Chris' work ethic dictates that he totally zones in on his colt and the task at hand. He said he did what was best for his colt at the time ... which knowing Chris ... I don't doubt one bit. But sometimes at RTTH what the crowd and spectators percieve to be happening or not happening is deceptive. There are a lot of finite details that we/ I miss or don't even understand. It's not like watching baseball or football were you can know the game and root for the team. Horse training is so individual ... for the horse ... for the trainer ... for the conditions that even if you are a horse trainer yourself or an expert it's impossible to see everything that these guys are accomplishing in the jam packed hour.

Oh, my party went well. I'll post pics when I get home ... maybe tomorrow sometime. We have tons to go thru. I have to admit I was a bit star struck myself to have in one room ... Larry Mahan, John, Josh and Jody Lyons,Chris, Ken, Mike, Tommy,Miss Tootie too and SO many more. Templeton and Sam sang and were beyond awesome as always!! I sang one song and Ed Dabney recited some cowboy poetry for me.

We had a blast! Missed y'all!

Til later ...
Tess