Dear Kentucky Weather,
Please be cooler than what we’re experiencing in Area V. 100 degrees and 50% humidity at noon is a little ridiculous!
Sincerely,
Elizabeth
Well, I know it’s hot all around the world, but I tell you what, it can’t get much worse than what we’re dealing with in Area V. I took my four-year-old to his first Beginner Novice schooling horse trial in Kansas at Heritage Park, and I naively thought that going four hours north of my house in Tulsa meant we were going to have cooler weather! Boy was I wrong!!! Temperatures in the 100s with ridiculous amounts of humidity and very little breeze! Luckily, the fit little Thoroughbred sweats quite well, and between employing good 10 minute box techniques and his powerful fan, he didn’t look too worse for the wear and made me quite excited about his future as an event horse!
Ok, I’m off my soap box about the weather, (though I seriously am praying it’s at least a bit cooler in Kentucky…I’ve been checking the weather daily, and it’s looking like a high of 90 right now, which sounds amazing!) I’d like to introduce the 1* team members and grooms for Area V.
Alexa Ehlers is our only returning member of the 1* team this year, but is riding a lovely new horse, In Any Event, “Mitch”. Mitch was fourth in the 1* at young riders in 2008, and Alexa completed the 1* last year on her mare, so while they are fairly new to each other, they both know their responsibilities at this level. If you keep up with the USEA blog, you have heard details of Alexa’s adventures. Lindsay Westerfield is grooming for Alexa. She is a very experienced Pony Clubber and just finished her freshman year at LSU. I met Lindsay last year at Young Riders and we really had a great time together! I’m looking forward to being reunited with her and Alexa this coming week!
Next for me to introduce is Tori New, riding Bally Whatnot. Tori bought him last year and has learned a lot about riding an experienced event horse. I met Tori at a Karen O’Connor clinic last year ago, and she and Kobe have come a really long way in a short period of time! Julianne Foody is grooming for Tori. I met Julianne in Florida earlier this year, and we became fast friends after competing against each other on the Wii Dance, Dance, Revolution. Needless to say, we’re looking forward to showing off our dancing skills this year at the competitor parties!
Taylor Wood is another Texan competing on our 1* team. I just realized that our entire 1* team is made up of Texans, while our 2* team has an Oklahoman, (Emma Kate), and Arkansan, (Jacob), and a Texan/Virginian, (Rowdie.) I can remember competing against Taylor at the Novice level a few years ago, and she has done a great job of bringing her horse, On Eagles Wings, up the levels. I have never met her groom, Lynn Kelly, but am looking forward getting to know her over the next couple weeks.
While I’ve followed Sundance Bay for quite a while, I haven’t ever officially met Alyssa Phillips, though I’ve seen her at plenty of Area V shows. I’m not sure about other areas, but in Area V, at least for me, I know the majority of the riders and horses at the Training level and above, even if they don’t have a clue who I am! I suppose that’s my creeper mentality taking over…Mike Huber calls me the encyclopedia. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or not, but I just go with it! Anyway, Alyssa and Dancer have been together for a few years, and are looking forward to their 1* debut at YRs. I haven’t met Ashley Falls, Alyssa’s groom either, so here’s another chance for me to become friends with a fellow Area Ver over the next couple weeks!
Lastly, we have Avery Klunick riding In It to Win It. Again, I met Avery a few years ago when we were stabled next to each other at Holly Hill, but I haven’t really had much personal interaction with her since, so I don’t really know her very well. In It to Win It is the only Area V horse that I don’t actually know his barn name…so much for being a creeper! Brindley House is grooming for Avery. I met Brindley at young riders last year when she groomed for Tripp Edwards, one of Avery’s good friends. Brindley did a super job grooming for Tripp, when she didn’t even meet him until a few days before we left for young riders, and I know she’ll do a super job for Avery this year!
So there’s a rundown of the 1* team and grooms. Most of the team has arrived at Gold Chip and are beginning the training camp on Monday the 17th. I’ve been talking to Jacob on a daily basis, and am looking forward to seeing him and Falcon on Thursday. I believe Jacob has been having quite a bit of fun down in Texas, as he and Tori dressed up and went to the Harry Potter midnight premier the other night. I begged him to send me a picture, but alas, he was a bad little brother and didn’t grant me my wish. (I didn’t even tell him what was going to happen to the picture, but I’m sure you all can imagine what was going through my head!) So until next time, everyone stay cool, sound, and Go Eventing!
Elizabeth
