At The Back Gate

Liza Boyd and Brunello Win 14th Annual AHJF Hunter Classic Spectacular

2010-02-21T19:14:00Z

I always breathe a sigh of relief once the AHJF Hunter Classic Spectacular is over. It’s not because I don’t enjoy the class but it is because it takes a lot of work from all of us to organize this very special event. Each year we wait in anticipation of who the winner will be and how that victory unfolded. This year only 3 ½ months after giving birth to her first child that victory went to 30-year-old Liza Boyd, Camden, SC, and Brunello over a Richard Jeffrey designed course.

In the press conference following the victory celebration Liza admitted that after Texan Peter Pletcher and Vibe negotiated 91 in their second round she realized she’d have to go for it. She knew that Brunello didn’t have the elegant stride that Vibe has but what he does have is a brilliance that shines if she rides for the gold. And ride she did to combine her first round score of 91 with a second round score of 91.83 which squeaked by Vibe’s 179.16 to her two-round score of 182.83.

Proving that motherhood wasn’t going to get in the way of her abilities (although these days she thinks being a mom is pretty grand) she went out there in the Internationale arena to prove to herself that she still has what it takes.

It is the staff behind the event and the Equestrian Sport Production incredible facility that helps to give Boyd and the other competitors the ability to be showcased. The staff behind the Hunter Classic spends all year and especially the last two months working diligently to organize the event. The week before is when the final riders qualify and the list to compete is named. This year there were 31 people on that list all primed to try to earn that coveted championship title.

I spent a lot of the week taking photos and watching both the veterans and up-and-coming horses and riders negotiate courses throughout the week in hopes of earning championship or reserve honors since that is what is needed to qualify.

At night I would view those photos and have a chance to notice how both the riders and horses get better and better. It wasn’t just the beauty of the horses that we now call hunters that inspires me but the whole atmosphere of these showgrounds and how the top hunter and jumper riders in the nation call this home for many of the winter months. What a great place to showcase our sport.

The day leading up to the final evening event is a bit stressful because the final horses don’t qualify until that day. And so there we are trying to organize the list of competitors in between all the other details required to organize an event of this magnitude.

The major players are Executive Director Michele Perla and her assistant Colleen Costich. President Keeley Gogul could be seen throughout the week helping out wherever she was needed. Kim Tudor and her Tudor & Company are the ones that organize the ever famous fundraising dinner, an event that has truly become the social event of the season for the hunter world. Family and friends have decided this is the place to be and they come in hoards to support this great organization.

While buying a table can be a bit pricey it is the AHJF’s major fundraiser for the year. Yet, the event isn’t limited to those that want to be in the main tent. In fact entry is free to the general public. So, it gives everyone a chance to mix and mingle, watch the show and enjoy some of the shopping and fast food provided on the grounds.

As the day progresses I feel like a clock is ticking in my mind. Since I write the story and take the photos I’m focused on where I have to be when. It was 6:00 p.m. when the riders walked the course and the grooms walked the horses around the arena. From 6:30 to 7:00 I was up in the tent capturing the first people to arrive at the elaborate dinner. By 7:00 it was back to the arena to capture a few awards presentations and the parade of the competitors. By 7:30 the first horse was on the course of the field of 31 who had qualified.

I didn’t look at my clock when the first of eight horses came back for the jump-off round and apparently neither did most of those who came to enjoy the evening. You could hear laughter and conversation happening everywhere but when a brilliant round was put in you could also hear the appreciation of the audience. It was inspiring to witness their admiration for these top hunter competitors.

Once the class was over the presentation of the awards is an event to behold because in addition to the $42,200 that is shared by the top 12 competitors with $12,000 going to the winner is a bounty of gifts for them to take away.

The ultimate moment of the evening is when the winner takes the victory gallop. I love getting those pictures because it gives me that chance to capture the winner in action but also marks the end of another successful event.

At the press conference that followed that success Boyd, Pletcher and Louise Serio (who finished third on Castle Rock) could not express enough how important this class is to them. In a word it’s not just a competition but it truly is the place to compete and/or attend for anyone who has an appreciation for hunter riders and hunter horses.

And so with that another AHJF Hunter Classic is over and is considered the kick-off of the season for many hunter riders. Yet, every one of those riders is thinking ahead to next February in hopes that will be their year for a victory in the 15^th annual AHJF Hunter Classic Spectacular.

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The Art and Mind Behind the Poster in the words of the Artist Gretchen Almy

2010-02-18T02:21:00Z

This blog is going to be mostly in the words of the artist that created the 2010 AHJF Hunter Classic Spectacular poster. Gretchen Almy has a wonderful way that she works from a photograph to create her own design. Here's how Gretchen explained the evolution of this year's poster:

"In many cover contests, I have already created the artwork. Where the AHJF Hunter Classic differs, is once you've been chosen you start the creative process from scratch. The beauty of this process is that it allows for more creative flexibility. It is also a great opportunity to work with the organizers of the event to produce something special, unique and truly representative of their event.

Thanks to the generosity of the photographers loaning the use of their images as reference, I had a variety to choose from. From the photographs submitted, most were of the traditional hunter jumping shots. My preference was to create in my own style and from a unique dramatic perspective. Thanks to the creative eye of Diana De Rosa, I chose another one of her images as reference for the art (I chose one of her images last year as well.) I appreciated the fact that her photo captured a moment that was not focused on the "competitive" side of the event. Initially what attracted me to the image was the artistic angle - from behind. But the photo had more to offer, the soft, happy, expression of the horse, the relaxed feel of the rider, the correct position of the rider, the lighting and the fact that part of the horse was cropped out of the image. These facets inspired me to create the artwork using the image as my sole reference.

The focus of my artwork is typically centered on the horse and rider. However, when creating a graphic poster, I try to produce a background with imagery that represents a specific location but doesn't compete with the foreground. So I thought what's more "Florida" than palm trees, but simplified? I also liked the negative space that the tents were creating. Instead of using a typical Florida palette of bright colors as I did last year, I wanted to incorporate a more subtle and traditional palette(in respect to the Hunter discipline). Therefore I chose a muted green/blue palette allowing the horse and rider to really "pop."

Once approved and then in collaboration with the event organizers, I experimented with a mix of border colors that would enhance the muted green hues. We agreed on the maroon block that complemented the greens, as well as graphically allowed for a place to put the event information. Art can be a random process and often hard to describe in words. However there is always an internal understanding of one's subject matter, color palette, composition, and in some instances, external input to help pull a piece together...there is great satisfaction when you know you've reached that point. I am really happy with the way this piece evolved."

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AHJF Hunter Classic Spectacular: The Calm Before the Storm

2010-02-17T02:41:00Z

I arrived in Florida on Saturday night to the Southern Palm Bed and Breakfast in Loxahatchee, FL. When I got into my room and turned on the TV thumbing through the channels I stopped when on one of the channels I was watching a dressage competition that had taken place at the FTI Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. That’s the same place that the AHJF Hunter Classic Spectacular will be taking place.

Today when I got to the showgrounds I got a call from fellow journalist Ken Braddick. Ken is involved in a new venture to televise in prime time and high definition extensive and timely coverage of premiere jumping, dressage and polo from South Florida on WHDT World Sports based in West Palm Beach, FL. The network covers four events a week; typically the WEF Challenge Jumping (Friday), Dressage (Saturday), Main Event of the PBIEC week (Sunday) and featured Sunday polo from the International Polo Club (broadcast on Monday).

One of the nights they cover is Saturday night (and the show is then broadcast on Sunday at 8:00 p.m. on Comcast Ch. 17 or 438 (HD), DirectV44 and ATT1044. Ken said he was interested in covering the AHJF Hunter Classic Spectacular but wanted some freedom to add some life to the hunter competition. So, the plan is to do coverage of the dinner and the competition but to also get some color commentary from the riders as they leave the arena and an overview of what to look for in a hunter round. It’s pretty exciting news.

A day earlier I was in touch with Kim Tudor, president of Tudor & Company. Kim oversees the AHJF Hunter Classic Spectacular dinner among numerous other social functions. Kim also hosts a half hour radio show called "TudorTalks" on SeaView Radio 95.9FM/960AM at 12:00 pm every Saturday and has invited AHJF to be featured on the show. Kim has invited AHJF president, Keeley Gogul, and myself, to come on the air as guests of the show to chat about the AHJF Hunter Classic Spectacular of Palm Beach and the AHJF Emergency Relief Fund. We also have the opportunity to podcast on the AHJF website.

Kim is using this opportunity to create awareness of charitable and social events occurring in and around the Palm Beach area. SeaView Radio reaches as far North as Port St. Lucie, as far South as Boca Raton, and as far West as Indiantown. "I hope to encourage the listening audience to take part in the social events taking place in the neighborhood, to give them the chance to have some fun while giving back to the community."

So our week has barely begun and already great things are on the horizon.

Sunday the AHJF hosted a different kind of event. Bowling for Equestrians is an event geared to raise money for the benevolent arm of the organization, the Emergency Relief Fund. ERF has helped numerous people over the years by providing close to $500,000 to worthy recipients. It could be someone facing a life-threatening illness, an equine-related accident, a flood, a fire or some other catastrophic situation. When the night of fun and camaraderie was over, the AHJF collected close to $32,000.

My favorite quote from the evening came from Gerry Briggs, who was a recipient of the fund when he had to undergo heart surgery. Gerry commented, “What better way to spend an evening then by have fun with friends for a worthy cause.” That comment truly says it all.

I spent Monday reading through the comments of the many raffle recipients. Those comments had one constant theme: “fun” was the word just about everyone said to define the evening. You can read more about this event in the press release on this site and take a look at the many photos of the award winners and raffle recipients. It really was a fun time.

Tuesday was a preparation day because the show competition doesn’t start until Wednesday. So, today was setup day and a chance to wander around the showgrounds. There was a lot or horses doing their thing in the arena but it was still rather peaceful. It felt like the calm before the storm.

That storm starts on Wednesday when I’ll be capturing a lot of the action with my camera and will be sure to post those photos for you to see. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to email me at dsderosa@ipellc.net or add a comment below.

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Hunter Week Begins in Florida for the AHJF Hunter Classic Spectacular

2010-02-14T20:44:00Z

Anytime I travel there are always mixed emotions. I look forward to the destination but not the journey. By that, I am not just talking about the actual flying time and lugging of my camera and computer equipment but the home and office preparation required for any long trip. This is my 10th year heading down to Florida to handle the PR for the AHJF Hunter Classic Spectacular and even today it amazes me at what a unique idea this event truly was and still is.

The American Hunter-Jumper Foundation is an organization that was the vision of well-known hunter riders and trainers Louise Serio, Geoff Teall and others whose efforts all made the vision become a reality. The idea of the Hunter Classic was to showcase the hunters in a way they’d never been before. So, a class under the lights at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, Florida, was the beginning of a real breakthrough for getting visibility.

The first time I had the honor of seeing this class in action was in 2000. I remember being in awe of how many people were in attendance to watch hunters. I realized that somehow the AHJF, with the help of then Gene Mische, Michael Morrissey and others, managed to create a hunter event that people actually wanted to attend. Over the years the management has changed but the visibility of this class and the importance it holds for hunter riders has not wavered.

The battle to get in is serious as riders visit the tent all week long to check out their status (and take a few snacks). Of course they are in it to win it but they also feel a need to qualify to be among the 25 or so riders who make the cut. Getting in the class already says “you are a winner.”

Last year after Kelley Farmer won the class aboard Early Applause, the owner of the horse, Larry Glefke, oozed with compliments about the class. Yet it was one statement that captured my attention. He called it the Kentucky Derby of hunters. That’s a pretty big compliment. And for the winner it is like winning the Derby, the Hunter Derby that is.

When I think back at what strikes me most, it’s not just any one thing. It’s a combination of the support it receives both in and outside the fundraising dinner tent. The dinner attracts hundreds of people and benefits the AHJF and its programs. Those that sit on the sidelines are often the local folk who have come to realize that the AHJF has figured out a way to make the hunters fun to watch. That enjoyment is helped along by the variety of boutiques and fast food that can be purchased and the chance to mingle with friends.

Yet it’s not just about those watching but also about appreciating those competing in the class. They jump a course at night in the huge international arena, where normally the hunters are the ones being featured. The course is a bit more challenging and includes a wider variety of fences to make it more exciting to compete in. Before the class begins there is a parade of the competitors allowing the audience to get to know who is competing while the riders get their chance to be recognized. And at the end of the class a victory gallop and awards presentation is the added bonus.

In the early days the surrounding area around the arena was grass, which people would sit on. That grass has now been replaced by seats, which makes it possible for even more people to attend and so you see people doing their own kind of tailgating.

The event doesn’t take place until Saturday night, and we’ve got a lot of preparation to do before then but I’ll be here all week long to update you.

In the meantime, my focus today is on another AHJF event. Bowling for Equestrians is all about strikes and spares that bring in money for the Emergency Relief Fund, one of the truly bonus organizations that the AHJF founded. This philanthropic division of the AHJF assists equestrians in a time of financial crisis. The monies come from the AHJF, private gifts and other donations such as the Capital Challenge Horse Show and each WCHR horse show member event. All donations are tax deductible as charitable contributions. Established in 1995, over the past 11 years the ERF has assisted numerous equestrians and distributed over $450,000.

I’ll be there with my camera and will be posting pictures from the event. So, be sure to come back all week long to this special AHJF section at Club Equestrian.

In the meantime, if you have comments or questions feel free to email me at dsderosa@ipellc.net or leave a comment on the blog. I always enjoy hearing from people who have a passion for horses.

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my last blog post on Abu Dhabi

2009-12-24T00:01:00Z

I am sorry about the late post. I have been traveling a lot, and have had trouble with the internet. The trip was fun. Some things just do not go your way, but you have to try and ride through it. That happened to me, but I still kept a smile on my face the whole time. I would like to thank the USEF for helping me out with the equipment that had the USA flag. I would also like to thank them for paying for my trip to Abu Dhabi. I would like to thank all my trainers for helping me get to Abu Dhabi, and especially to Maja and Guy. Maja helped train me all the way when I was jumping small fences and helped me work up to this. Guy helped me while I was in Abu Dhabi and came along for the ride. He was a very important part of this trip. I would like to thank Butch and Lu for also helping me through this and pushing me forward. My last trainer I would like to thank is Jeni. Jeni taught me some important tips to help me out with my riding. I would like to thank the FEI for putting on this competition. I would like to thank the host country for supplying the horses we rode. The last person I would like to thank is my mom. My mom is the one who let me go on this trip and have a great time. The trip was a blast and a great experience.

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Competition days

2009-12-16T06:09:00Z

The past few days have been very interesting. My rounds have not been very good. My horse is difficult to ride, but I am going to try and dig deep and make it work. My goal is to at least make it through one course. We went to some cool places. We went and had lunch on a boat. That was very relaxing. Also we went to a soccer game. In the game they gave out three red cards. It was a lot of fun. I have made even more friends from everywhere. On the bus rides we like to play games and fun hand games. One of my friends is from Germany. She tried to teach me some German, but I was not very good at it. We went to the vegetable market and they had a lot of food. One of the stands gave me a free corn and I ate it raw. It is a little different tasting, but I liked it. It has been fun and I hope the days get better as they go on.

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First day of riding horses

2009-12-14T02:22:00Z

Today was an interesting day. We woke to see that it was pouring down rain. We ate breakfast, got on the buses, and went to watch the vet check. The horse I had was the first one out to get tested and didn’t pass the jog. We were going to see how it was when I rode it. We went up to the arena and had some drinks and some snacks. The parking lot near the arena was flooded with water that was about six to twelve inches. After we finished our snacks we headed off to go ride. When I got in the bus I looked a my helmet that had fallen into pieces. I told my mom and we ran to the venders up by the ring. Luckily they had speed airs and found one my size. After this problem we went to the barn to see how the horse trotted with me on it. It did not pass with me on it so we took it back to the barn and got a new horse. The next horse was not the best horse either. This one was sound but a little bit of a brat. I was cantering along and then I heard the horse grunt and it grabbed the bit, took off, and bucked me off right on a hill. I got up and got back on, My trainer had me work in a circle and I went to pick up the canter again the horse did the same thing, and got me off again. My trainer said there was no way I am riding a horse that bucked me off twice. At least I broke in my new helmet. The third horse we tried looked very nice. My trainer got on it first, but did not have much time to ride it because it started to pour down rain once again. We went back to the hotel and had an easy night.

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First day in Abu Dhabi

2009-12-13T03:04:00Z

Today was not the best. We were supposed to have the vet check and ride our horses today. But we could not because of the rain. The rings were too wet and we had to sit in a room while we waited to have a meeting. During the meeting we picked our horses. I go fourth in the order and I am riding a horse named Rakado. After the meeting we went and looked at the ring we were going to be riding in. It is a huge grass field and has two warm up areas. The ring was very nice. Once we were done looking at the ring we went back to the hotel and relaxed for a little bit. At 8:30 we had a welcome dinner that was very nice. I met some new people and made some new friends. So far this trip has been amazing!

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second day in Dubai

2009-12-13T02:53:00Z

Today was very fun! We started are day with having breakfast at the Burj Al Arab. The buffet was unbelievable. They had everything. After that we went back to the hotel and packed our bags to get ready to go to Abu Dhabi. We had a little bit of free time so we went and walked down the beach. On the beach there was a man giving camel rides. We went over and I got to ride a camel. They are a lot of fun! After that we went back to the hotel, grabbed some lunch, and got in the taxi to go to Abu Dhabi. We arrived at are hotel and relaxed in our room. Then we went downstairs and had dinner with some other riders and families. I met new friends from South Africa, Canada, Britain, and New Zealand. After dinner we went to the Gold Souk and then went home and went to bed.

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The plane ride to Dubai

2009-12-10T19:23:00Z

The plane ride was very long. We left from San Francisco and had a direct flight to Dubai. The flight was fifteen hours. I sat with my trainer, Guy, and my mom, Sara. I have a hard time sleeping on airplanes so I stayed up most of the flight. I watched a bunch a movies and played some games. When we arrived in Dubai there were lots and lots of lights. In the airplane you could see some of the tall hotels that lit up. When we landed we went to the baggage claim and got our stuff. The airport was amazing. They had waterfalls and lights everywhere. We took a taxi to our hotel. On the ride to the hotel we saw lots and lots of cool things. There were a lot of cranes everywhere. All the hotels had cool and unique shapes. One hotel had a big white sphere at the top that blinked red at night. We saw the Burj Al Arab. At night they light it up purple. It looks stunning. When we got to the hotel we settle in, had some dinner, and went to bed.

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Preparing for the FEI Children's International Jumping Final

2009-12-09T06:11:00Z

Hi, I am representing the United States in the FEI Children’s international jumping final. The event will be held in Abu Dhabi. To prepare for this event I have been riding various horses to be ready for whatever kind of horse I will get. My trainer and friends I ride with have been very generous to let me ride their horses. Every day I would ride a different horse and on some occasions I rode two horses. Each horse was different, but a lot of fun to ride. Since the competition is not in the United States, I have to ride a barrowed horse. There are sixteen people from the host country and sixteen people from around the world. The sixteen people from the host country have to supply two horses. That rider will pick out of a hat for which horse she or he will ride and the horse she or he did not choose will go in the hat for the sixteen people from all over the world. It will be challenging for me to have to adjust to a new horse, but I am very excited. It will be a once in a lifetime opportunity and I will learn so much. I can’t wait for the competition to start.

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children's FEI finals

2009-11-30T04:07:00Z

I am excited to represent the United States in Abu Dhabi.

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Arabian Nationals: Romeo's Magic Feet

2009-10-31T01:25:00Z

By Amy Train, Managing Editor of Modern Arabian Horse

Just as the late 90s country song says, Romeo has some "magic feet." Springwater Farms in Stockton, N.J. is home to a gray gelding that has been catching the eye of National judges with his magic feet for several years. Romeo Afire (Afire Bey V x Flames Lullaby) took home the Arabian Country English Pleasure AAOTR 36-54 Championship for the third year in a row earlier this week in what has seemed to become an effortless routine for the gelding.

"Romeo truly loves to show. He's very balanced, very mobile, easy to show. You can put him on the rail, off the rail, you don't have to do much," says John Ryan, Romeo's trainer. "He's very in-tune with the rider and he's very bright. Outside the ring, Ryan says Romeo isn't as easy. "He's a bit of brat. Someone in the barn has spoiled him rotten. And he's kind of become my pet, which is my fault," smiles Ryan.

Arabian Nationals: Retirement Full of Adventure

2009-10-30T01:15:00Z

By Amy Train, Managing Editor of Modern Arabian Horse

About 10 years ago, Bob and Becky Nash were in transition and looking for a new way to spend their retired time together. The two had just moved to the Austin area from Huston and sold their Bed & Breakfast. The fairy-tale thought of retiring and owning a quaint B&B had lost its luster and the two were looking for a new adventure. The Nashes did some traveling. They played some tennis; they played some golf, but could not find an activity they truly enjoyed.

Just down the street from their new home, the Nashes watched big trucks pull into the drive of their new neighbor, Bob Battaglia, and one day Bob and Becky realized that they had always shared the same desire-they both wanted to own a horse. The only horse experience the Nashes had consisted of the occasional dude-ranch trail ride through the mountains, but they went ahead and bought their first Quarter Horse. Shortly after purchase Bob knew the horse was not all the sellers had bragged about and a friend suggested he talk to Russ Vento.

Arabian Nationals: A Perfect Fit

2009-10-29T01:58:00Z

By Amy Train, Managing Editor of Modern Arabian Horse

During a farm photo shoot a few years ago, photographer Jerry Sparagowski told Diane Athey, "This is your next horse," because he "framed-up" well. While Pshenandoah (Padrons Psyche x Sonora Love) jogged across the field that year, Sparagowski said the stallion framed well in the camera and normally that was hard to do with a Western horse. "He put down his camera for a second, and said, 'You need to buy this horse'," recalls Athey.

Less than two years later, Athey of Enid, Oklahoma, likes to tease her trustee trainer Liz Bentley by telling her that Sparagowski's commission keeps going up. And, it did once again on Tuesday night when Athey and "Boss" were named unanimous champions in the Arabian Western Pleasure AAOTR 36-54 Championship.Following that photo-shoot day, Athey began to seriously think about buying Pshenandoah. Of course, a short time before that, Athey had taken a test ride on him. "The first time I rode him, we fit perfectly-from the first moment I sat on him." Athey had kept quiet and not yet shared her feelings with Bentley, who had been trying to convince her to buy him from early on.