Roll call for VA

[LisaB]

Impressive. Penny already has the times up.
I'll be going prelim (at the buttcrack of dawn no less)
Who else is going to be there?

[LisaB]

Oh Oh Oh!
I see Gillian is out with her Sportscar babies! I'm going to make a point of watching them!

[SuperEventer]

I'll be there going Prelim. :)

[colliemom]

I'll be there with my non-competing CANTER horse Owen (a.k.a. Afton Mountain) letting him soak in the sights and sounds of a real horse trial. Should be interesting! (Mr. Colliemom will be competing.)

[Dr. Doolittle]

Another Prelim rider here--also riding :sigh: early--but I love that they have the times up so soon!

We should try to meet up somehow; I missed all the COTHers last year (except for yellowrose, who was fortuitously stabled down the aisle from me.)

It's nice that they have the x-country after dressage, then stadium the next morning. (6 hours between the first two phases in my case; plenty of time to "recover" from dressage :lol:) I only hope it doesn't turn hot this weekend!

[pegasusmom]

Son is running the large baby horse Intermediate, and the Australian red sports car Novice - we will be up on Thursday and staying on grounds.

[Pross]

Lisa dear, The cows will have all been milked and back out to pasture long before you ride!
AND all the CCI* long formater will all have started Phase before you even start to warm-up - Buck up you don't want to miss the best part of the day!
See you all soon.
Penny

[roki143]

First time going to VAHT! Will be there on my old-baby horse in the OT and staying on grounds. SSSOOOO excited!

[jubilee.eventing]

I am going novice and am part of a team for the junior/young rider team challenge... should be a fun weekend :)

[GreyDun]

I'll be there with the Fat Baby Pony going BN & grooming for my mother's babies in Novice.... woo hoo! Also, covering the long-format CCI1*, too. Should be a productive weekend. :D

[piaffeprincess98]

I'll be there doing my guy's second novice. He did Fair Hill yesterday.

Are there seriously only five people doing the CCI* LF?

[piaffequeen]

I'll be there supporting and helping Caroline out-she has Pixie and her new horse Patterson! Can't wait!! Plus I'll be cheering some friends on!!!!!!!!!!!!:D

[BlueRidgeEventer]

I'll be there with my packer-pal, Charlie (aka My Own Agenda) going training. Had an awesome lesson with Emily today and am keeping my fingers crossed that I can carry all the goodness over to the show.

I am super excited about the weekend. I love this show and can't wait to see everyone, especially you people who I haven't seen since the Fall VHT. :)

[eventgroupie2]

Hubby and I will probably be starting the five long format CCI* riders out on Phase A and then will move to our show jumping steward positions for the duration of the weekend (actually starting that Friday afternoon.....) Looking forward to seeing everyone!

[Firefox]

Lisa dear, The cows will have all been milked and back out to pasture long before you ride!
AND all the CCI* long formater will all have started Phase before you even start to warm-up - Buck up you don't want to miss the best part of the day!
See you all soon.
Penny

I am one of those LF people, THANKS PENNY!!!! I will not have time to stew in the AM for sure, now if I will be able to sleep is another thing :)

[octavian_jazz]

We'll be there going prelim...and I love my times! I prefer going early in the morning, and I'm not even a morning person, but when you have to sit around all day being nervous/anxious/excited, it makes for a long day!

Good luck to everyone!

[Lisamarie8]

I won't be competing however. Fairweather and I will be there for the second round of The Ozzy Philosophy Award (http://theozzyphilosophyaward.googlepages.com/theozzyphilosophyaward). So if y'all know anyone you want to nominate or you want to nominate yourself have at it! Penny if you feel like putting a link on your website to the Ozzy site feel free.

See Ya Then!

[flutie1]

Hey Pegasus Mom - will the grays be with you? Come visit me. I'll be FEI stewarding (or to be PC, should I say FEI Flight Attending?)

Flutie

[rmaryman]

Colliemom -

just think...driving down to the VHT, you will pass within a few miles of the namesake of your CANTER horse - Afton Mountain - which is just a few miles off of i-81 going east from Staunton on i-64.

Hope this brings you some special luck!!!

hope to see you out on the CC course or perhaps in the dressage ring.

Rick - the perpetual volunteer - in VA

[pegasusmom]

Hey Pegasus Mom - will the grays be with you? Come visit me. I'll be FEI stewarding (or to be PC, should I say FEI Flight Attending?)

Flutie

The greys are coming up on Saturday with Mr. Pegasusmom. (pesky work schedule for him!) I'd love to catch up - we will get in Thursday around 1-ish and have a very nice schedule for the weekend.

Coffee, tea or. . . . ?

[flutie1]

The greys are coming up on Saturday with Mr. Pegasusmom. (pesky work schedule for him!) I'd love to catch up - we will get in Thursday around 1-ish and have a very nice schedule for the weekend.

Coffee, tea or. . . . ?

Any or all of the above. My schedule is nice too.

[colliemom]

Colliemom -

just think...driving down to the VHT, you will pass within a few miles of the namesake of your CANTER horse - Afton Mountain - which is just a few miles off of i-81 going east from Staunton on i-64.

Hope this brings you some special luck!!!

hope to see you out on the CC course or perhaps in the dressage ring.

Rick - the perpetual volunteer - in VA

Rick,

Thanks for reminding me! I'll be sure to look over that direction and see the landscape, maybe I'll be looking at the actual mountain!

We won't be out on CC, other than possible hacking around the perimeter, since we are not actually competing. But we will definitely be "out and about" wherever we are allowed to go!

[piaffeprincess98]

Well how did everyone do? My guy was great. His dressage warmup was really awesome, the test, maybe a few steps down, but still progress. I actually had my dressage trainer there to help me warm up for like, the third time in the 10 years I've worked with her (she's always judging rec. dressage shows). She's never seen my guy in competition, so it was educational for both of us. He got a 33, so respectable. Show jumping was great and cross country today was clear. Now we just need to fine tune things like control in between the fences. He just wants to be "racehorse" and pull downwards in between fences. That makes it harder for me to get him up before the fence. The steeplechase fence at the end was big for novice and probably the biggest XC fence he's ever done, but we sailed over it. We finished 2nd in the NH A division. I'll try to get my video up on YouTube tomorrow.

[NeverTime]

Big congratulations to Jess and River Radiance who won the CCI*JY. They won the training three-day at Waredaca last fall, and now this, at the culmination of the mare's first season of prelim. Jess is a great rider and Remi's a really nice horse with super supportive owners, so it's nice to see their hard work and teamwork pay off!

[pegasusmom]

Unbelieveable weekend!!

Son had a much improved dressage test, was actually not last after dressage, show jumped double clear - then sailed around the cross country course like a pony club course to bring home a second at Intermediate.

He and his little sale horse, a five year old Australian Stock Horse mare, won the Novice Horse C division - only her fourth time competing, and her fourth time to finish on her dressage score.

And I got to catch up with Flutie! :D

[eventgroupie2]

Dana - so good to see you and Andrew -it is certainly a pleasure to see such a fine young man like him doing so well! Congratulations!!! All in all, I think it was a grand weekend and hope all the competitors enjoyed themselves as much as we did being a part of it. :yes:
Diane

[octavian_jazz]

We had a decent weekend. Dressage was way better than it ever has been...in warm up. We got to do our test in the Wiley Arena, and I've always wanted to...but we ended up being a bit distracted in our test. Cross country was amazing, I love how different the course was from anything in the past. We did not go out of the start box on time, probably about 10 seconds late because we were overly excited and then agitated, or something, so ended up with some time penalties. I was a little dissapointed in the ride I gave him in stadium today, we had two rails and two time penalties - all of which were my fault...but overall it was a good weekend!

Thanks Penny and Brian!

[piaffeprincess98]

Unbelieveable weekend!!

Son had a much improved dressage test, was actually not last after dressage, show jumped double clear - then sailed around the cross country course like a pony club course to bring home a second at Intermediate.

He and his little sale horse, a five year old Australian Stock Horse mare, won the Novice Horse C division - only her fourth time competing, and her fourth time to finish on her dressage score.

And I got to catch up with Flutie! :D

I think I saw your son at the score board. Since there are so few young men competing, I think it's easier to narrow it down! Didn't he win by being closest to the optimum time on XC?

[pegasusmom]

I think I saw your son at the score board. Since there are so few young men competing, I think it's easier to narrow it down! Didn't he win by being closest to the optimum time on XC?

That would be himself.

I am very proud of him as he chose to ride safely, steadily and smartly with both horses - a decision based on footing and terrain on the Intermediate course to slow down a bit (his Intermediate horse is 17.1 with a huge stride and he comes close to making the time pretty easily) most likely cost him the win as well. The Novice mare is green and gets jazzed after the fences - he concentrated on keeping the same pace with her and got rewarded for his efforts. It was great to see him putting horsemanship into practice as opposed to chasing ribbons. This morning I feel like a success as a parent! Tomorrow??

[pegasusmom]

Dana - so good to see you and Andrew -it is certainly a pleasure to see such a fine young man like him doing so well! Congratulations!!! All in all, I think it was a grand weekend and hope all the competitors enjoyed themselves as much as we did being a part of it. :yes:
Diane

Thanks - we LOVE Virginia! and appreciate you sitting at the end of SJ for two solid days herding cats!

[flutie1]

This was my first time at VAHT, and I am so very impressed. What a gorgeous facility and a tremendous competition. Penny and Brian make it look easy!
Catching up with Pegasusmom was one of the many highlights - and meeting the totally charming Mr. Pegasusmom - (Pegasuspop?)

flutie

[SuperEventer]

My boy and I had our best dressage yet, placing us tied for 8th in the huge Prelim Rider division....jumped clear XC with 9.6 time.....jumped clear with 1 time in SJ...

We finished 3rd! I'm so thrilled with my awesome boy!

[Dr. Doolittle]

Hey SuperEventer, did I maybe see you in the secretary's office, picking up your ribbon at around 10:30 on Sunday?? (If so, I was the short blonde middle-aged woman who was with my 14 year old daughter, whose hair was in a "I Dream of Jeannie" pony tail, and who had sunglasses on :cool:) Congrats! I was in your division, and finished 2nd (and was thrilled to do so, after our *ahem* "overly generous dressage score" *cough* of 32.2...Lucy Eddins seems to look the other way when my mare is naughty--an example: during the counter canter left lead, to simple change, to right lead canter--Her Majesty did a clean FLYING change, and Lucy gave us a 7, with no comment in the remarks box...:uhoh: :lol:)

The woman is officially in my will....

Anyway, the cross country course was simply spectacular (LOVED it, and thank you Brian Ross, who was the CD in this case! ;))--got some time faults, but it rode great, and the stadium course was appropriately challenging, and would have ridden well for us had *I* not made the blunder of failing to set my horse up properly for the tight turn to the yellow oxer on the rail--as a result, she ran under it, which screwed up the line--she had a chip 'n' barf at the next oxer, and had the rail down. The rest of the course rode fine, though she did "overjump" a few of them, probably just to be on the safe side :p The rail was totally MY bad, and so of course I had to beat myself up for at least half an hour afterward. Stadium is usually being a strong phase for us, and my careful mare hates to touch anything, so if I had been literally able to kick myself in the ass, I would have done so; I *was* F-bombing myself for it in any case! However, as my wise DH always says, anything can happen in eventing, and we did get lucky enough to pin, though that was truly the icing on the cake.

Sometimes you have a bit of good fortune, and I am very proud of my horse, who though she was her usual "difficult self" in warmup, put her game face on when it was time to compete, and jumped her little heart out.

I love the Virginia HT, the venue is just gorgeous (my daughter got lots of *great* photos for posterity!), and it's always run like a Swiss watch; the Rosses deserve a HUGE pat on the back for running this HT (AND for preserving the long format), and also (as another poster mentioned) for making it seem effortless. I plan to be back there in the fall for the P Championships, and will encourage as many students as I can to join me.

Big congrats to piaffeprincess and to pegasus-son, who clearly is acquiring a degree of horsemanship--and virtuosity in this sport--which belies his (still tender) age. I did notice a handsome young man in riding attire in the barns (I was stabled in Sliverbrook), and wondered: Hmmm, could THIS be Andew, son of pegasusmom? There are only a relative handful of men in the sport anyway (unfortunately), and even fewer *young* men, so he stands out in the crowd. ;)

And a BIG thanks to Steve Symansky for his usual uber-efficient scoring.

The whole "crew" was tireless, cheerful, and made the experience a true pleasure. :yes:

[piaffequeen]

I did start my own thread about the VHT this past weekend but will put in my congrats to Caroline Atherholt(Dowd) and her group of students who did AWESOME this week. Caroline was VERY PROUD of both her students and her boy Doc who finished in 3rd place in Novice Horse. This was his second event ever and he was a rockstar! :lol:

Pegususmom-congrats to Andrew & both his horses! Wish I could have seen them go! See you at Lumber River!:D

[Firefox]

We completed our first CCI* and it was a blast!!! Thanks to Penny and Brian for doing all that extra work for the long format, I just dont get it for those that choose the SF. I understand that it doesnt qualify for anything but it was a almost 30 year goal of mine to do a CCI* and what really made it cool was that it was done on a horse that I bred and raised and have done all the work with!! He was fantastic! I hope that in the future that all prelim riders would make it a goal to complete a "Classic Three Day" it is soooooooo much fun!

[BlueRidgeEventer]

Congrats, Cindy! Glad that you had a good outing and a completion. That is so awesome.

I am definitley making it a goal of mine to compete is a Classic Three Day event (another thanks to the Rosses and the other oraganizers who support the long format).

[pegasusmom]

Her Majesty did a clean FLYING change, and Lucy gave us a 7, with no comment in the remarks box...:uhoh: :lol:)

The woman is officially in my will....

Big congrats to piaffeprincess and to pegasus-son, who clearly is acquiring a degree of horsemanship--and virtuosity in this sport--which belies his (still tender) age. I did notice a handsome young man in riding attire in the barns (I was stabled in Sliverbrook), and wondered: Hmmm, could THIS be Andew, son of pegasusmom? There are only a relative handful of men in the sport anyway (unfortunately), and even fewer *young* men, so he stands out in the crowd. ;)



We adore Lucy - she is one of Andrew's favorite judges (mine as well). I had dinner with her on Friday evening and we were talking about scoring - one of her early mentors in judging once told her there are judges who start at zero and work up and judges that start at 10 and work down. She has always tried to be the latter.

Yes we were stabled in Silverbrook - on the back half of the barn, inside, on the side closest to the covered. Tall elegant dark bay gelding and fiery little chestnut mare who was quite unhappy for the first 24 hours until she could actually SEE other horses.

And congrats to all (the brave five) who did the LF. The son did the CCI* (LF)last year - and the knowledge he and his horse gained was well worth the time and effort.

[mythical84]

Anyone know who the photographer was?

[pegasusmom]

Brant Gamma

[LisaB]

and pics of you I thought.
Our weekend was very educational. Folks are NOT kidding when they say there's a huge leap to prelim. We definitely learned to jump up hill :D
Still cranking away at this whole mileage thing. Onto Rubicon!

[Divasgroom]

Brant is working hard to get photos posted to her website, www.brantgamma.exposuremanager.com. Hoof Pix Sporthorse Photography was the other photographer there. www.hoofpix.com. We had alot of fun reuniting with friends and seeing everybody enjoying a super event, BIG THANKS to Brian and Penny as well as all the volunteers who made it possible.

[piaffeprincess98]

I forgot to post the link to my video. Here we are this past weekend. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XHv-l_a_64

He landed hind feet first off the bank on XC. We have never done one in competition or one that big! But trotting is definitely the best thing for him right now.

[Dr. Doolittle]

I forgot to post the link to my video. Here we are this past weekend. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XHv-l_a_64

He landed hind feet first off the bank on XC. We have never done one in competition or one that big! But trotting is definitely the best thing for him right now.

pp, your horse is *stunning*; WOW!

Thanks for sharing! :)

[Firefox]

on Brant Gamma's site!!

here is a link to mine :)

http://brantgamma.exposuremanager.com/g/wood_cindy_v19

[piaffeprincess98]

on Brant Gamma's site!!

here is a link to mine :)

http://brantgamma.exposuremanager.com/g/wood_cindy_v19

I saw you! Now that I see your photos. I was in the barn on the left side as you drive in to the horse center and I saw you practicing your jog on Sunday morning outside my stall. Now I can actually recognize someone from COTH.

Here are mine so far. http://www.brantgamma.exposuremanager.com/g/berreth_lindsay_v19
I think the other photog will have more XC plus dressage. I'm glad they got a pic of that last fence. It was pretty big for novice.

[Firefox]

[QUOTE=piaffeprincess98;4128652]I saw you! Now that I see your photos. I was in the barn on the left side as you drive in to the horse center and I saw you practicing your jog on Sunday morning outside my stall. Now I can actually recognize someone from COTH.

we were seeing where we where as to soundness, he was a bit foot sore :) pass the jog and SJ good if it wasnt for the bamboo on his back :)

[piaffeprincess98]

Hoofpix photos are up!. I'm a little disappointed that I requested dressage photos and they only got two; one at the halt and on of me coming off the center line, not even showing the whole horse. Since GRC isn't doing dressage photos anymore, I wanted to buy a couple. Anyways, the jumping ones are pretty good. They got us launching off the bank.

[LexInVA]

:cry: That is sad. People love Dressage photos. More than XC photos I think.

[piaffeprincess98]

:cry: That is sad. People love Dressage photos. More than XC photos I think.

Well, I don't know if you're trying to be funny or not, but I really do like dressage photos. Especially since I'm training this horse, it helps me to see his progression. And since I requested them, it was just disappointing, that's all.

[Firefox]

I took my guy out for a "walk" today after his two weeks off from the LF CCI*, OMG he was a power keg ready to explode at any bug that touch him, it was wayyyyy tooooo funny, cause this guy is sooooo laid back, I guess he still feels like King Tut!! which I am thrilled about, once to stop him from bucking we kicked into a lovey kickass extended trot to die for, then got him to walk and luckly came in with no more issues, just had to blow some steam :)

[octavian_jazz]

Firefox, after my horse did a long format last fall, he was the same way! He was full of himself for weeks, he would come into the barn galloping and bucking, and he was never that way. :lol: Doing the long format really boosted his ego, I think. :D

Hoofpix only had dressage photos of us, but a couple of them I really like:

http://www.hoofpix.com/index.php?module=media&pId=102&id=35147&category=gallery/Proofs/This_Year/VA3DHT-052309/G/Greer_H&start=0
http://www.hoofpix.com/index.php?module=media&pId=102&id=35150&category=gallery/Proofs/This_Year/VA3DHT-052309/G/Greer_H&start=0