RIP Storm Cat

Rosie's grandsire Storm Cat died today at age 30 in Lexington.

Champion in Introductory Dressage

On April 14, 2013 Briar Rose completed the LKMDressage series of three schooling shows as Introductory Champion and Reserve Champion overall for the day! We're very proud of her! Thanks to trainer Julia Jesu for giving her some great rides.

Here's a video of her Introductory A test (score 74.06%) complete with uneven footing, shrieking seagulls, a dog walking around that she wasn't sure about, and a trailer pulling out right next to the arena:

Thoroughbred Celebration

Yesterday we showed in Salisbury at the Thoroughbred Festival.  Briar Rose aka "Dizzy Lizzy" (Jockey Club name) made some major breakthroughs in staying focused on her job in a busy distracting environment and we had some great moments in warmup! She earned 7s on her medium walk and on her gaits in the collective marks.

Pretty darn good weekend for a young mare just turning 5 in 3 days and a little over a year away from the racetrack. Her excellent warmups didn't all transfer into the show ring, but that's okay, each show is just training for the next!

7th - Introductory Dressage A
3rd - Introductory Dressage B
4th - Introductory Dressage C

A relaxing walk on the buckle

Dressage Schooling Show

November 24, 2012
LMKDressage at Crawford Chance, Centreville, Maryland
High 45* (dropped 15* overnight), gusts to 35mph = definitely not optimal conditions!

Julia Jesu riding, arrived late, only 10 minutes warmup.

USDF Introductory A test: 60.03%, 5th place
USDF Introductory B test: 73.12%, 2nd place

RESERVE CHAMPION INTRODUCTORY LEVEL DRESSAGE

And less than one year off the race track for Briar Rose! The one year anniversary of her last race at Charles Town was November 27, 2012.

Fall for Horses Thoroughbred Show, October 21, 2012

Held at the Horse Park of New Jersey.
Results for Briar Rose:

2nd - Walk/trot equitation

3rd - Off-track Thoroughbred Mares Model Class

3rd - Fresh off the Track walk/trot (less than one year since racing)

4th - Fresh off the Track walk/trot/canter (less than one year since racing)

5th - Introductory A Dressage (56.69%) (large class)

5th - Introductory B Dressage (58.75%) (large class)

First horse trial

Briar Rose competed on October 7, 2012 in her first horse trial at Olde Hope Farms in Earleville, Maryland.  It was their Oktoberfest (unrecognized) schooling event and a well-produced event at a beautiful facility.

She was entered in the Elementary Horse division which was split into several groups, and since it was a rainy day with a sudden cold snap (highs in the 50s) there were many scratches. We arrived a little late for an 8:20 start so had a very brief warm-up.

Julia Jesu rode her in the 2011 USDF Introductory Level Test A and scored 33.7 penalty points, or a 66.3% dressage score. She earned an 8 on a lovely square halt at the end. She ended up FIRST out of six horses after dressage - how exciting for her first real competition!

Stadium was a brief round over 8 fences up to 18" in an enclosed area and then out on the rolling cross-country course of 10 obstacles.

She was staring at the huge standards on each obstacle (something we don't have at home) and at the pond. On one obstacle she had a moment of confusion and Julia took her around again, but eventually she did finish  her first cross-country course scored with one refusal.

That knocked her down to 5th out of 6 for the day in her division, but we counted it as a huge success for a young lady only 4 years 6 months old this week and less than a year off the track!

Her stablemate and trailer companion Gandy (Silver Maestro) also ridden by Julia Jesu finished 2nd in pre-Novice on his dressage score, going double clear in jumping, so an excellent day was had by the Close Up Show Stables team!