Happy Summer! I hope everyone has survived our first heat wave and is preparing for the next one, and I hope you and your horses are staying well hydrated and comfortable.
The next big events hosted by ESDCTA are the USDF Recognized Summer Days shows on July 23-24 at the iconic USET facility in Gladstone. If you haven’t already submitted your entries, there’s no time like the present! If you’re not riding, please volunteer at the show. Even several hours on either day is greatly appreciated. Some jobs (like scribing) require an allday commitment, but other jobs (like ring steward) can be split between several volunteers over the course of the day. Shows like this rely heavily on volunteers in order to continue, so please sign-up when the emails go out looking for help.
Training continues with my new green thoroughbred, with our first successful cross-country outing with Marilyn Payne, who gave excellent instruction and guidance. We successfully cantered around, jumped a bunch of little logs, and stopped before things got too out of control. Overall, I’m pleased, but we need a lot more of these to feel totally comfortable. Patience is my word of the day.
Monthly quote: Life is Good, but Horses Make It Better
If you’re reading this, you are probably a member of ESDCTA, but I’m sure you know of someone who rides dressage or events who is not a member. You know all about the wonderful things offered like educational programs, clinics with big name trainers, horse shows, year-end awards, and not least, that sense of being part of a community of likeminded people. The more members ESDCTA has, the better the programs we can offer. Our membership numbers are also important considerations when state and local governments decide on legislature that affects us (like open space), and we advocate for our sports (We helped get better footing at the HPNJ). Please reach out to your equestrian buddies and tell them about all of the benefits of membership and have them sign up. The more the merrier!
WHAT’S YOUR TALENT??
Let us know what you would like to help us with in 2024. All skills and interests wanted. Have an idea? We want to hear about it. Remember, this club is what YOU make it. Contact president@esdcta.org if you are interested.
NEWSLETTER COMMITTEE
Have a great article that you would like to share? Please send article to: Meredith Rogers: newsletter@esdcta.org All submissions are due by the 15th of the month. Due to space considerations, the editor reserves the right to edit submitted articles. If necessary, articles will be edited and returned for your review. AND YOU GET VOLUNTEER HOUR FOR EACH STORY!
Milestone
Please Contact this newsletter if you know any ESDCTA members who have achieved any Milestones. Success at a show, regional/national/international award, new horse, or anything else you want to celebrate.
e-mail: newsletter@esdcta.org
MEMBERSHIP QUESTIONS
For membership questions including updating physical or e-mail addresses please contact: Heidi Lemack membership@esdcta.org
2024 ADVERTISING RATES
Deadline: 15th of prior month Email: newsletter@esdcta.org
Please have electronic ads in Adobe PDF or .jpg format You will receive an invoice for ad via email.
Send Payment to: Betty Adduci
102 Patricia Ct, Middle Grove NY 12850
Email: treasurer@esdcta.org
Amateur Dilemma
By Meredith Rogers
A wise equestrian guru used to often tell me that you can’t learn something until you’re ready to learn it. Time and time again, I’ve found this to be true. I could be told something over and over and over again (eg, more inside leg!) but it wouldn’t really stick until one day it did. Usually, I thought I understood until I really did understand and then I couldn’t believe I didn’t get it before.
I have also found that some trainers/instructors don’t get it. They become frustrated at having to tell their students the same thing day after day (for the 100th time, stop pulling with your inside rein!). For them, the directions they’re giving are for skills they’ve mastered years ago and that they do every day, multiple times a day. Unlike them, if we’re lucky, we ride one horse a few times a week, so it’s naturally going to take us longer to not only master something, but to stop engrained bad habits. A good trainer recognizes the constraints of those of us who don’t ride for a living and patiently repeat themselves.
“Repetition is the mother of learning, the father of action, which makes it the architect of accomplishment.” – Zig Ziglar (a motivational speaker)
Our brains need to reorganize and form new connections to learn something (called neuroplasticity), including improving motor skills. The more we do an activity a certain way, the more it becomes permanent. With horseback riding, it’s not as simple as learning one new skill at a time. We’re constantly doing something with all different parts of our body, feeling what is going on in another living being, and trying to think two steps ahead of our horse.
Countless times throughout my riding journey I had thought something with my riding should feel a certain way but when during a lesson my trainer said “there, you got it!” I realize it felt nothing like I had in my head. When this happens I believe that the only reason I finally got it was because of the countless times I had tried and failed previously. My brain eventually caught up with what my body was doing at the instruction of my trainer. Of course, that feeling is usually fleeting at first, becoming more frequent before eventually becoming a part of who I am as a rider and it’s on to the next thing. I also think that’s why I like dressage so much, there’s always a next thing.
Me concentrating really hard to remember how to ride a shoulder in
News from Outside the Ring
USEF Changes the Rules
The USEF held their annual Mid-Year Board of Directors meeting June 17-18 and voted in some new rules, which go into effect December 1, 2024 for the 2025 competition year. The most important for us are: 1) USEF-licensed competitions must have an isolation plan in place and must comply with USEF, local, state and federal biosecurity measures in case of infection; 2) they revised their rules on the ethical treatment of horses in response to the recent cases brought to light in social media. The USEF can now do something about horse abuse that happens away from competition grounds, as well as clarifying roles and responsibilities to report abuse at shows.
Model Horses and Models for Our Community
The 35th BreyerFest will take place July 12-14, at the Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, KY. But if you can’t make it, there will also be an online broadcast of the festivities. This year BreyerFest highlights heroic horses and humans who have overcome adversity. These include Arthenian Lady, a neglected Paint who went from rescue to Western Dressage World Champion; Alan A Day’s Work, a mule who jumps with the best of them, and Blue Zeus, a mustang who once roamed Wyoming’s Red Desert. There will be plenty of opportunities for meet-and-greets and photo ops, with demonstrations and educational activities. People who will be featured include Lauren Reischer, for whom horses help her thrive with Cerebral Palsy and who helps others through her work as Director of Development at the Special Olympics New York. They’re even hosting a 5K race for the humans called Never Say Neigh-ver on July 14. If you can’t go in person, check out https://www.breyerhorses.com/.
Learning to Scribe in the Modern Era
By Paige Zimmerman
From June 21-23, I had the opportunity to E-scribe at the Quakertown Boutique CDI held at Rhythm and Blues Equestrian Center. While I had scribed at last year’s event, I was only able to participate for one day. This time, I stayed for the entire duration of the show, soaking up as much knowledge and experience as possible. Scribing is a fantastic learning experience, especially at a CDI. You get to observe firsthand what the judges are looking for and what their thought processes are in deciding what scores to give. Plus, with the BlackHorse One online scribing system and technology, it is much faster than writing everything on paper, so you can watch more of the test! Overall, I had a great experience and I am looking forward to next time.
All CDI’s have transitioned to entirely online scribing and scoring systems. We were briefly trained on how to use the program, but it is incredibly intuitive, and I found it to be much easier than regular paper scribing. Anyone with a basic technology knowledge and is a fast typist can quickly learn to use it. All competitors and tests are pre-organized, so a lot of human error is eliminated in having everything set up and ready to go electronically. The test sheets are already all there, and all you have to do is input the score and type the comment in the correct box, then send off the test once it is done. The program is unbelievably fast: Riders had their scores by the time they saluted and walked from X to the ring gate! Some of our local shows have begun to transfer to online scribing and scoring through different programs, such as Horse Show Office, which seems to be a big hit. I am predicting that within the next few years, most of our recognized dressage shows will be scribed and scored completely online. From a rider’s perspective, it is fantastic to have your scores so quickly. And from a manager’s perspective, it’s great to not have to worry about handling and safeguarding so much important paperwork.
For the Grand Prix freestyles, the system is slightly more complicated than for all the other classes, although I still found e-scribing simple to operate after just a few rides.
For this class, they use what is called the “degree of difficulty” system, which calculates the degree of difficulty score for the freestyle (rather than the judge simply saying a number at the end of the test). Typically, degree of difficulty is one part of the artistic score of a freestyle, along with rhythm, harmony between horse and rider, choreography, and music. The new system created for e-scribing standardizes the degree of difficulty score so it’s less subjective. First, riders submit their floor plans ahead of time, which are uploaded to the e-scribing system as a “test”, and then the system highlights the difficult parts. These can be difficult transitions, such as canter to piaffe, or difficult combinations of movements, such as an extended canter to a canter pirouette immediately to a line of tempi changes. These are movements and combinations that do not appear in the regular Grand Prix and Grand Prix Special tests, thus making them more difficult. Based on a rider’s chosen choreography, they have a predicted degree of difficulty score. This score (which could be something around a 7.0 for a moderately difficult freestyle or even a 9.5 or a 9.8 for an incredibly difficult freestyle) is the maximum score that could possibly be given for that rider if all the difficult movements are performed well.
During the actual freestyle ride, the judge follows along with the choreography and gives scores for each movement, like in a regular test. When it comes to the difficult movements/ transitions/ combinations, if the judge sees that they are executed correctly and well, they tell the scribe that they “accept” them. There is then either a checkmark or an “X” for the scribe to click based on what the judge said. If the judge accepts the movements, then points will be put towards the degree of difficulty score. If the judge does not accept the movements, such as if there was a mistake, then points are taken from the degree of difficulty score. By the end of the test, the degree of difficulty score has been calculated on its own. It is very efficient, and while it sounds complicated, it really is very helpful!
Thank you Monika Dujardin for inviting me to scribe at this wonderful event, and thank you Chris Dickenson for organizing all of the volunteers! Thank you to the Emersons for opening your beautiful facility to hold this CDI. It is a fantastic location with great hospitality! And of course, thank you to all of the judges, my fellow volunteers, the officials, and the competitors who attend these events and make them so enjoyable.
WESTERN DRESSAGE
2024 HAS BEEN A BUSY YEAR SO FAR!
By Joann Sarni
Hello Friends!
This has been quite a busy spring for our Western Dressage community, which seems to be growing more and more each year. We were fortunate to start of the show season with two WDAA/AQHA rated shows followed by a long list of schooling shows offering Western Dressage.
Our spring weather was not very kind to us, with rain every weekend making outdoor rings a challenge to ride and practice in. Thank goodness for the Tuesday schooling nights at the Horse Park of New Jersey, which I and a few others took advantage of over the winter months.
New season kicked off with two WDAA rated shows!
Our show season kicked off on Saturday, April 6 at SLM Dressage, which was the day after a 4.8 earthquake rocked New Jersey and parts of southern New York. Despite the heavy rain all week, SLM Dressage, Eastampton Township, NJ, had their outdoor ring in tip‐top shape for the WDAA Rated Show. Riders from New Jersey, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, came out to compete under Judge Danielle Toscano.
I was very excited to enter this show because it would be the very first time that I would be showing the mare that I’m leasing, named Whiskey (Smoken Red Badger) in Western Dressage. We had been working hard getting to know each other over the winter months and I was eager to show her. Unfortunately, Mother Nature was still angry. She brought high winds that made horses spooky and rides challenging. Whiskey seemed to be fascinated with the chickens far across the field every time we were on the “B” side of the arena. I guess she needed something to spook at so why not something running around in the distance! Because of the bone‐chilling wind, we were all happy to huddle up in the nice indoor arena. The poor ring steward got in her steps that day walking to and from the outdoor ring to the indoor to tell us that we were on deck. Despite the challenging weather, SLM put on a really nice show. It was great to see old friends and make new friends with other riders who traveled from neighboring states to compete.
Two weeks later Bella Rosa Stables, Howell, NJ, hosted their WDAA rated show and clinic with WDAA “R” judge Lynn Newton. The show was donating proceeds to the Care from the Heart Foundation, Bella Rosa Stables therapeutic riding program. Of course it rained in the morning. However, the sun managed to come out late morning, and stayed into the afternoon. The show drew more entries with a full show card in the morning, follow by a fantastic clinic with Lynn Newton in the afternoon. Lynn worked with parts of the tests that each rider needed to improve on. Mine was my free walk. Whiskey has a Ranch and Trail background and is still learning to lower her head and stretch on a loose rein. Lynn showed me a little trick that she learned from a French rider and Whiskey started to drop her head and stretch at the free walk! It’s still a work in progress, but we’re getting better scores for it.
We’re hoping to have Lynn back for another show and clinic this season so stay tuned!
Suddenly Farms Western Dressage High Score Award and Championship Show
Once again this year, Suddenly Farms, Lumberton, NJ, will be offering a high score Western Dressage award at each show. In addition to the high score award, they will be also hosting a Championship show on Sunday, September 8! Suddenly Farms offers a fun and relaxing environment to show in. If you were thinking of trying Western Dressage, this would be a good place to start. In addition, there are other local barns in the area that are offering Western Dressage TOC classes at their schooling shows. Check the omnibus and our Western Dressage Enthusiast of NJ Facebook page for the listing.
WDAA 2024 International Challenge
As I had mentioned earlier in this article, the interest in Western Dressage is growing. In 2021, I was the only rider representing the state in the Challenge. This year we have 10! There are 7 amateur riders, 1 junior rider, 1 open rider and 1 handicapped rider!
The Online International Challenge is literally a World Show. By being virtual, the entries are open to riders all over the world. This is an opportunity to show on a world stage without the expense of traveling a thousand miles away to the in‐person World Show in Guthrie, OK in September. Although it is a virtual show, the challenge is not the stiff competition, the challenge is recording the rides! For many of us, we board our horses at local barns. If your barn is as busy as mine, you have to find time to reserve the arena, set the arena up, schedule time with your trainer for a mini‐lesson/warm‐up and beg friends and/or family to do your recordings. Once that’s done, you enter the show online and print out the sign that is provided by the show secretary. The sign will have the name of the show, the date, the rider’s number and name, the name of the horse, and the class name of the test that is being recorded. You must use the printed sign. If you make a hand‐written sign, your video is automatically rejected and you will need to re‐record the tests with the printed sign. Sometimes during the recording, things can go wrong such as the camera shutting off during the equipment check or the camera falls off the tripod, or the person who’s recording phone rings or animals running into the ring while recording, etc. The WDAA offers a bloopers reel contest each year for the funniest video because what could go wrong with the recordings, can go wrong, and so why not laugh about it. This year, my bloopers reel consist my horse being terrified of my sparkly shirt. She kept freaking out at the rhinestones on my cuffs of my shirt and ran away during the bit checks. I had to change my shirt 3 times before she found one that was acceptable.
Lynn Newton with me and Whiskey at the Bella Rosa show
When the videos are completed, they are uploaded to YouTube and shared with the show steward. You pray that your videos have been accepted. The steward reviews the video to make sure it follows the recording guidelines and to also make sure that your equipment is “legal.” If your video is rejected, you need to go through the whole process again and re‐record the test(s) with the corrections that needed to be made in order to get your video accepted. This all has be done before the submission deadline. Talk about stress!
Once the video has been accepted, it’s forwarded to the judge to be judged. The show will have a live scoreboard so you can see your score once the video has been judged. The class placings doesn’t happen until the entire class has been judged and completed. Once the entire show has been judged and the winners have been announced, the WDAA has a virtual awards ceremony to celebrate. The top 10 riders in each class will receive a jacket instead of ribbons. The jackets will have the rider’s name, the name of their horse, and a list of the classes that they had placed on the back of jacket. Division Champions will receive a belt buckle as well as a felt saddle pad in addition to the jacket. Riders who didn’t place in the top ten will get a WDAA International Challenge patch as a way of saying thank you for participating.
If you have ever done an online show, you may agree that getting up early in the morning, packing up your horse and your gear to haul to a local show is much easier. However, these virtual shows are a lot of fun. The WDAA also offers a team competition where three to four riders form a team, select what they think are their best tests and submit the information to the Teams show secretary the day after the closing date for the video submissions. There are several divisions for the team competition; Adult Amateur, Junior, Adult Open, Blended (mix of junior and amateurs), Mixed (combo of amateur, junior and open riders), Pairs, and Musical Freestyle. The results of the team completion is announced shortly before the awards ceremony, when the judging has been completed and the classes pinned.
Last year my team, Friends in Low Places, came in 6th in the Mixed (amateurs and open riders) division. My current team, The Jersey Girls, is considered a Mixed team consisting of 2 amateur riders (me and Lindsey), one Junior rider (Jenna) and one open rider (Megan). Paula Zimmerli‐Angulot is riding with her Georgia Peaches friends on several teams. I will let you know the outcome of how we all did in the next newsletter.
In closing, I want to wish everyone a safe and wonderful summer. If you ever get the urge to switch saddles from boring black to fancy Western, you will find several schooling shows on our Facebook page to dip your toe in.
Here are the riders and horses representing New Jersey in the 2024 WDAA International Challenge!
Youth Rider Jenna Komor and Nova Megan Offermann and her Mustang, Sailors Warning (Brody)
Cheri Caprio and Dotzy Playgirl
Paula Zimmerli‐Angulot and Just The One (Bally)
Lindsey Medio and Blue Suede Irons (Elvis) Joann Sarni (me) and Smoken Red Badger (Whiskey)
Marcie Hagar and A One
Erin Taffin and Sly San Lina (Sly)
My Bloopers Reel: https://youtu.be/alz_wsSK1q8?si=9Wah2jrYRe4CbniQ
Want to learn more about NJ Western Dressage? Follow us on Western Dressage Enthusiast of NJ https://www.facebook.com/groups/1178940859511996
Tracey Brown and Flojo
Patty Keeler and Talkin About Smart
Horse Treats
By Meredith Rogers
If you saw the movie War Horse that was released in 2011 (highly recommend), you may have wondered about the history of horses in battle, and how it evolved into sport. While there is no straight line from warhorse to pleasure mount, below are some milestones in the transition from an instrument of war to our partners in sport.
The earliest evidence of horses being ridden in war is from Eurasia and dates from between 4000 and 3000 BC. Chariot warfare was seen as early as 2500 BC in Samaria, and a training manual from 1350 BC for training chariot horses for war was discovered in the Ancient Near East. Xenophon, the famous Greek cavalry officer wrote his treatise on horsemanship in 360 BC, and is the basis of modern day dressage.
World War I marked the most significant change in the use of horses in war. In the early years, cavalry battles were common, but with the introduction of trench warfare, barbed wire, and machine guns, not to mention tanks, the horse became almost obsolete other than as a pack animal. During World War II, several nations continued to use horses. The last British cavalry charge was on March 21, 1942, and the only American cavalry unit was the 26th Cavalry, based in the Philippines, who charged the Japanese in the town of Morong on January 16, 1942.
Show Results
Applewood Farm Dressage, Combined Test & Clear Round Show Wednesday, June 12, 2024
Applewood Farm Dressage, Combined Test & Clear Round Show Wednesday, June 12, 2024
Four Farthing Farm Dressage Schooling Show
6/30/24
Class 7a: 1st Level Test 1
Bridle
Class 7b: 1st Level Test 2
Bridle
#1 USDF Test A
Bridle
Level Up Equestrian Dressage Schooling Show
May 11th, 2024
#2 USDF Test B
#3 USDF Test C
#6
#1
#1 USDF Test A
Bridle
Level Up Equestrian Dressage Schooling Show
June 8th, 2024
#4 Training Level Test 1
#5 Training Level Test 2
Lehigh Valley Dressage Association Schooling Show II at Hearts Journey Stables 6/1/24
Lehigh Valley Dressage Association
Schooling Show II at Hearts Journey Stables 6/1/24
Dressage at Rhythm & Blues I June 15, 2024
Class: 122 - SECOND LEVEL TEST 2 OPEN/2023 CBLM Q
Rider Name Horse Name Test
Yvonne Emerson Fuerst Wilhelm
Emelia Lewis Ganando
Class: 123 - SECOND LEVEL TEST 3 OPEN/2023 GAIG/USDF Q
Rider Name Horse Name
Yvonne Emerson Fuerst Wilhelm
(S) Emily ONeill MW Empire
Lynn Rzonca Champ of Dance P
(S) Emelia Lewis Ganando
Alexandra Hutzel Now Playing HU
Paige Dolon James Dean
Heather Dice My Duet
Class: 131 - THIRD LEVEL TEST 1 OPEN
Rider Name Horse Name
Ruth Munroe First Look
(R) Samantha St. Jacques My Maserati
(R) Devon Frinzi Figuero
Class: 132 - THIRD LEVEL TEST 2 OPEN/2023 CBLM Q
Rider Name Horse Name
Courtney Sarge Dutch Knight's Dream
Class: 133 - THIRD LEVEL TEST 3 OPEN/2023 GAIG/USDF Q
