The Upstate Horse / July '16 by The Upstate Horse

the upstate

HorsE

All disciplines for love of the horse Summer, 2016

Uniting the Upstate New York Horse Community

The Upstate

HORSE

the upstate

HorsE CONTACT US: Publishers Donna Vild & Katrina Clay

Advertising Donna Vild Donna@TheUpstateHorse.com (302) 598-2495

Design & Production BeanTree Designs / Katrina Clay Katrina@TheUpstateHorse.com (518) 332-6581

Website www.TheUpstateHorse.com

Mailing Address P.O. Box 644 Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

Community ‘T

he Upstate Horse’ will miss CCE Saratoga Equine Specialist Susan Ripley, who is moving on following the recent death of her husband. Ripley’s inclusive spirit made all feel welcome at CCE horse events and we certainly appreciate her advice and help in getting the Upstate Horse going! Carter Older of the CCE office is stepping in to assist with the Equine program. Older is busy right away with the Saratoga County Fair (July 19-24, 2016) and the CCE Saratoga Horse Farm Tour on July 30th. The self-drive Horse Farm Tour is free and open to the public. FMI (ccesaratoga.org) The Budweiser Clydesdales will be gracing Saratoga Springs with their presence August 16-21st this summer. They will be stabled near the warming hut (off Rt 9/S. Broadway) in the Spa St. Park. Information is limited at press time. These gentle giants are always beautifully turned out with white socks, sparkling bits, polished brass on their harness, and unfailingly polite (and busy!) grooms. Stay tuned and stop by to see them. Dressage Daze — four month old Kase Nelson Wilt was making the best of a hot day at his second-ever dressage show. Proud grandparents Spencer and Rosemary Tracy minded him while mom Krystal stayed busy with show committee duties and showed Heza Smokn Sunsation at Fourth Level at the ENYDCTA Dressage Days. Kase was born January 26, 2016 to Krystal and Kyle Wilt of Averill Park, NY. Skidmore College equestrians brought home good ribbons from the IHSA Nationals held in May at the Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, KY. Abigail Thomas won 5th place in Walk/Trot Equitation while Charlotte Cournoyer was pleased to earn 10th place with a challenging horse in Novice Equitation on the flat. Caitlyn Fagan was 4th in Novice Equitation over Fences and Jessica Stoukides won 5th place out of 15 in the always competitive Open Equitation on the flat. Skidmore alumni Rebecca McCourt was 2nd in the Alumni Equitation class and Skidmore’s Ursula Green took 4th place honors in the top class of the weekend, the USEF/Cacchione Cup. Congratulations to the Skidmore riders, instructors, and the entire crew at the Skidmore College Stables! Nipper Knolls Equine Center located in Gansevoort NY, would like to help support our community veterans. If you are, or know a veteran who might benefit from working with horses, please contact David Lamando at 518-744-1114. Saratoga Casino and Hotel has a brand new, custom-made carriage to convey patrons of their new hotel to and from the Saratoga thoroughbred track! The Great Northern Livery Company, Inc. of Greenville, WI was commissioned to produce the new, reproduction vis a vis, French for “face to face,” as in how the passengers sit. John Lemon, president of Great Northern Livery Co., was involved in each step of the process and noted “every

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Hay, Oats & Spaghetti Caps Opening Weekend of Racing Season

2016 Saratoga Fundraiser

The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation’s Fourth Annual “Hay, Oats & Spaghetti” dinner on Monday, July 25 will be held at Bravo! Restaurant, 3246 Rt. 9, Saratoga Springs, from 6 to 9 PM. “We started at one dining room at Mama Mia’s,” said TRF Board member, Suzie O'Cain. “Last year, we had the lounge at Bravo! This year, Giuseppe and Lauren have given us the entire restaurant, as well as all the food, beer and wine. To think that one business would devote an entire evening during track season for a good cause is almost unimaginable. The TRF is so grateful to the Grisios, who have been beyond generous in their support for the TRF.” Tickets are $75 in advance and $85 at the door, and this year, limited reserved seating is available. Ticket prices include beer, wine and a sumptuous Italian buffet that will be served from 6 p.m.-9 p.m. Additionally, there will be a raffle of select signature items. All proceeds will benefit the Saratoga Springs-based TRF, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit that is the world's oldest and largest Thoroughbred rescue organization. For additional information: go to www.trfinc.org, or call (518)226-0028.

Championship Series Plus Thoroughbred Awards Offered at Area Horse Trials

piece of [the] carriage was hand built…and will last generations with minimal care.” The Great Northern Livery Co. has produced custom carriages for The Greenbrier and The Biltmore and has carriages in nearly every US state and quite a few foreign countries. He emphasized that even though the carriage is a reproduction, it is made of entirely new materials copied to the exact measurements of antique carriages. It would take a very discerning eye to “tell the difference from an original restored [carriage] or a reproduction.” Troy and Tammie Bapp and Doug Vance of the Lake George Carriage Co. will be the lucky drivers of the new four-passenger vis a vis. They plan to rotate three different carriage horses through the six-day racing week: a Clydesdale (Harley), a Suffolk Punch (Duke), and a Suffolk Punch/Quarter Horse cross (Copper Penny) on the mile long trip from the hotel to the track’s clubhouse gate. The carriage will operate from 11am to 7pm on all racing days and may be booked by hotel patrons according to Rita Cox, SVP of Marketing and External Affairs for the Saratoga Casino.

Steuart Pittman Lessons Tuesday, August 9 at Platinum Stables, Ballston Lake and Thursday, August 11 at Larkin Hill, N.Chatham, NY. Steuart is the founder and President of the Retired Racehorse Project and specializes in retraining Thoroughbred racehorses for second careers. He is a top event rider in his own right and is experienced across multiple disciplines. While he is known to be a Thoroughbred expert, Steuart’s skills are solid with all horses. He is returning by popular demand. For the first time, there will be xc sessions offered in Chatham on Aug 11. Entries are open now amd will close August 1 or when clinic is full. For entry form, please contact Suzanne Carreker-Voigt, 122 Dawson Rd, Scotia, NY 12302 OR by email: voigtny@gmail.com. You will need proof of coggins, strangles/flu/rhino vaccinations. The Upstate Horse I Issue #10 Summer, 2016 4

Three one-day horse trials, a form of competition in the sport of eventing, are offering a championship series for competitors who participate in all three events held at venues in the Town of Chatham. The events also offer awards from The Jockey Club Thoroughbred Incentive Program (TIP) for registered Thoroughbred horses that participated. The first Larkin Hill event on June 12 attracted nearly 200 horses and the remaining events are each expected to attract as many horses and riders from across New York State and New England to the Chatham area to compete. Recognized by the U.S. Equestrian Federation and sanctioned by the U.S. Eventing Association, horse trials are often described as a form of equestrian “triathlon” that include distinct dressage, cross-country jumping and stadium jumping phases. Each phase must be completed during the course of the competition by the same horse-and-rider combination. The events are organized by Margaret Hutchison, who owns and operates Larkin Hill, an equine boarding and training facility in North Chatham. The Old Chatham event has not been held since 2013. “We’re delighted to have the Old Chatham Horse Trials resume this year, and appreciate the cooperation Tom and Nancy Clark, who own the land where the competition is held,” Hutchison said. “It has always been a very popular venue for our competitors.” A portion of the proceeds from the Old Chatham event will benefit the Columbia Land Conservancy.

Equine Advocates To Honor Jonathan Sheppard, Steve & Lisa Caporizzo A celebrated Hall of Fame Trainer and a beloved local celebrity weatherman and his wife who have placed thousands of companion animals will be honored for their humane work by Equine Advocates on Friday, July 29th at the historic Canfield Casino in Saratoga Springs. The organization will also be celebrating its 20th birthday as well as the 15th anniversary of this event in Saratoga. Jonathan Sheppard was inducted into the National Museum of Racing’s Hall of Fame in 1990, having won numerous stakes races and training thirteen Eclipse Award winners. He will be honored

Issue #10 Summer, 2016 I The Upstate Horse

by Equine Advocates with the Ellen & Herbert Moelis Safe Home Equine Protection Award for his humane treatment of race horses. Everyone in the Capital District knows Steve Caporizzo, News10’s Chief Meteorologist since 1989 who reports the weather live from Saratoga Race Course during the meet. He is also widely known as the host of The Pet Connection. His wife, Lisa, is the co-founder of Free to Be Me Rescue for dogs and cats. Together, they are a dynamic duo. Steve has been publicly opposed to horse slaughter and outspoken against the transport of slaughter-bound equines into Canada from and through New York State. Tickets are $250 per person. The evening includes a cocktail hour, gourmet dinner, silent & live auctions and dancing to the music of Body & Soul with a special Tribute to Prince. For more information call (518) 392-0175; email: events@equineadvocates.org. All proceeds from this event will benefit Equine Advocates Horse Rescue, Sanctuary & Humane Education Programs. Founded in 1996, Equine Advocates is a national non-profit equine protection organization which operates from a 140-acre sanctuary, home to 82 equines including horses, ponies, donkeys and mules. For more information, visit: www.equineadvocates.org.

Locals Do Well at Saratoga Springs Horse Show

espite starting the Saratoga Springs Horse Show a week later, the show continued to be cursed with cold, rainy weather at the start. Things got better as May progressed and the last week brought warmer weather and more exhibitors through the gates. Dana Schaefer’s Thoroughbred gelding Dr. Who placed 7th in tough company in the $5000 USHJA National Hunter Derby. Remarkably, this was the horse’s first hunter derby, a special class that has four optional higher fences, 2 pairs of judges, and a shortened handy round to reward athletic horses and brave riders who jump and turn well. A delighted Linda Orton, Hoosic Falls, NY had the ride on Dr. Who and admitted he was “green [and] some turns were a little tough…It was his first hunter derby [he was] better than expected!” The Hunter Derby served as a warmup for Dr. Who and Shaefer’s daughter Melissa who took the blue in a Children’s Hunter class the next day. The Modified Child/Adult Hunter division was a very local affair. The Linda Orton-trained Heartbreaker was Champion for owner Barbara Seagle and rider Maryanne Low-Havilland. Margaret Munroe of Saratoga Springs was reserve champion riding her own Quarter Horse gelding Set to Rule. Trained over the years by Don Bourque of Hudson Falls, “Rudy” and Munroe have had an extended hiatus from the show ring due to health problems that derailed both horse and rider. Now all squared away, Munroe and Rudy have come storming back to win ribbons at every stop in 2016. In addition to the Saratoga Springs and Skidmore horse shows, Munroe and Rudy have showed in several Quarter Horse shows, gaining points towards the the AQHA Select World Championship Show in Amarillo, TX in very early September. They are planning to show in the Hunter Hack and Working Hunter classes. If that goes well, Rudy may find himself in Columbus, Ohio for similar classes at the All American Quarter

The Upstate Horse I Issue #10 Summer, 2016

Horse Congress in October. Now 19yo, Rudy is Munroe’s “horse of a lifetime” who is able to win classes with little or no schooling or even much warm up before the class. “He’s a remarkable horse! He just plops around [the Munroe and Set to Rule “Rudy” hunter courses], just a good boy!” enthused Munroe. They tied for Champion at QH Congress several years ago in the Novice Amateur Hunter Hack and Munroe remembers being division champion at St. Clement’s when Rudy was just a 6yo. Calling Don Bourque the “third side of the triangle” that makes the team complete, Munroe credits Bourque with getting Rudy to “jump quietly and wait, wait, wait down the line” which was a switch from his natural “launch from a long spot” inclination! Now Munroe has to do very little besides keep her leg on and remember the course. Munroe plans for Rudy to stay tuned for their upcoming travels by competing at the local TCRA shows.

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Don Bourque went for quality over quantity for the Saratoga Springs III show with a total of two horses winning 3 champion or reserve champion ribbons in three different divisions! Munroe’s Set to Rule (Rudy) gave Bourque a Championship in the Schooling Hunter division—he got the leg up when Munroe was on the Injured Reserve for a couple of days, then watched when Munroe piloted Rudy to reserve champion in the Mod. Child/Adult Hunter. The other horse in his two horse string, Kelsey Hill’s Authentic Managerie tied for reserve champion in the 1.10m Schooling Jumper division with Bourque in the irons.

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“Horse Sense” Program a Success for Victoria Acres very Monday and Wednesday evening, the usually quiet stable at Guilderland’s Victoria Acres becomes a beehive of activities geared around kids and young adults gaining experience around horses. According to Erin Pashley, founder and executive director of Jason giving Okie a bath Victoria Acres Equine Facility, Inc., this is the fourth summer that this program has been offered through a collaboration between Victoria Acres and the Schenectady ARC. When asked why she continues the enormous task of scheduling different activities and the small army of volunteers that help make the activities go and keep the students safe, Pashley simply answered, “the individuals get so much out of it!”

intimidated by the sheer size of a horse were able to bond with a miniature horse, or, if that is still too big, a goat. Connections can be fostered at every size of equid: miniature horses, donkeys, ponies, and Jingles, a benevolent Belgian draft loved by everyone. Each student seems to have a favorite horse. Victoria Acres welcomes children and adults with or without physical and/or developmental challenges to their programs.

The program is divided into 8-week sessions that meet once a week and each week features two or three horse-related activities. The first class is devoted to “safety around horses” and “how horses see” which helps the students understand how to work around the horses, safely. Parts and colors of the horses comes next, followed by the never-ending horse keeping tasks: stall and paddock cleaning, tack cleaning, feeding the horses, etc.

Another student, E.J. of Rotterdam, “loves to work” according to his dad who was watching E.J. ride. That was a classic understatement as this reporter had observed E.J. cheerfully wrestling an awkward, heavy 3-wheeled hay cart around a turn in the barn aisle. He never gave up no matter which way the cart went, or didn’t go, and he kept at it until the cart was heading in the right direction and the horses could all be fed. After that, riding looked like the easy part of the night!

There is an animal for each person’s comfort level at Victoria Acres. Pashley found that some of the individuals who were

Oakie, a kind Quarter horse bay gelding was the subject of the “horse

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This night, one of the first warm evenings of the spring, the students were taking turns riding, learning to bathe a horse, and finished by each painting a ceramic horse, under the direction of Suzanna Hunter, a local clay artist. One of the students, C.J. shared that her favorite horse was a paint horse named Cherokee. While talking about how she likes to “hang out with Cherokee” she keeps painting until her small ceramic horse bears an unbelievable likeness with the chestnut and white horse a couple of stalls away. Hunter was going to take all the painted horses back to her studio to fire them in her kiln and return them to the students in two weeks.

EJ riding Brynn w volunteers assisting

bath” part of the evening and he was super clean by the time he got back to his stall, having patiently stood for three different baths! Jason washed and carefully scraped him off. Jason comes every Monday night and obviously loves working around the horses!

With a big smile on his face, Chris was another rider that really appreciated Brynn, a quiet Quarter horse/Paint gelding that was giving rides. Tiffany Butler was the busy instructor in the riding ring. Not only was she teaching the students how to ride, she was also in charge of coordinating the volunteers to help each rider get on and off and provide support and assistance if needed. An informal chat with the volunteers yielded nearly the same comment from each of them: they each love horses and get a lot out of helping others safely enjoy the horses. Butler is the program trainer at Victoria Acres and is starting an equine-assisted veterans program that will run for 8 weeks at a time and may be women-only or mixed with 5-6 veterans per session. Butler, whose dad was a veteran, is excited that some funding money has just come through and expects the veterans they work with will learn to “set boundaries and goals, and learn tools for handling anxiety.” Please contact Erin Pashley for more information about the new veteran’s program, Horse Sense, or any of the other programs offered by

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Issue #10 Summer, 2016 I The Upstate Horse

Over Fence

the

Meet your neighbor horse people Bill Worthington

e’s everywhere: showing jumpers and coaching riders at the Saratoga Springs Horse Show, helping Stan Horton by running the water truck and providing levity at ENYDCTA Dressage Days, producing AIR Showjumping events, Jimmy, a very young Bill and Betsy and even running the stadium Worthington collect ribbons jumping phase at the Millbrook Horse Trials! Come to find out…it’s a genetic condition inherited from his folks. His mother Betsy used to hunt and be on staff with Old Chatham Hunt, showed homebred jumpers in the high amateur owner classes at the National Horse Show, Pennsylvania National Horse Show and the Washington International Horse Show, and raised Billy with an appreciation of good horsemanship. Billy’s dad Jimmy had a hunter-jumper stable in Wynantskill where he also ran horse shows after a successful career showing jumpers for the owners of the Troy Riding Club. Jimmy, Betsy, and Bill have all received the “Horseman of the Year” award from the local riding club. After coming up the show hunter and jumper ranks, Worthington spotted a need for an interme-diate level of showjumping. Area show jumpers were faced with an enormous jump up in the level of competition, entry fees, and travel if they wanted to step up from the local Albany-area shows to the regular member shows. A couple hundred bucks could get you through several classes at a one day local show. A multi-day rated show involved higher entry fees, USEF mem-bership fees, stabling fees, higher traveling costs, more coaching fees, hotel and food expenses. That’s assuming you and your horse were suitably prepared for the higher level competition at Skidmore, Vermont, HITS, etc. Worthington started AIR Showjumping in 2007 as a one day show jumping event designed to be a small but noticeable step up in course design, footing, and atmosphere at a price point that was still manageable. Worthington credited a former student, Casey Macksey, with coming up with the name AIR Showjumping. It stands for Advance In Riding which perfectly fit with his vision of how this stepping-stone sort of show series was going to work. According to Worthington, AIR Showjumping is “trying to create an atmosphere to allow clients to advance to the next level of show jumping, comparable to HITS and Saratoga but for less money.” Until recently, the AIR Showjumping shows were held out of his family-run Three Winds Farm in Averill Park. This 40 acre

The Upstate Horse I Issue #10 Summer, 2016

Ice Therapy EZ ICE has ICE collars for Dogs, Horses, and Riders • 386-478-3537 facility has 35 stalls, indoor and outdoor arenas, and boasts a Grand Prix field and full sets of jumps for show hunter and show jumper courses. Ensuring the success of the series is a family affair. The AIR series has outgrown the Averill Park facility and the se-ries has moved to the Crosswind Equestrian Center in LaGrangeville, NY. Crosswinds is owned by the Knapp family whose daughter Taylor is Bill’s girlfriend. It’s 225’x125’ indoor arena “with top of the line artificial footing” can handle a crowd and iffy weather at the same time without sacrificing the high quality of the show. Worthington, the show’s manager, is getting ready for the AIR Show Jumping Summer Classic (August 19-21, 2016) and the Halloween show at Crosswinds. They invite everyone to join them in August at the charity luncheon to benefit the Anderson Center for Autism while watching the Summer Classic.

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Worthington finds the job of show manager “stressful but rewarding.” He is in charge of having the site properly prepared with regards to footing, jumps, food, and secretarial support; finding judges, awards, and enough help to make the show a comfortable, fun place to which exhibitors will want to return and compete again. Worthington recalled they started off with “a very limited budget” but are growing to the point that multi-day shows are a reality and he is liking what he is seeing develop in terms of “the finished product.” As if all this weren’t enough, this wellBill and rounded Upstate horseman is also Colorado looking to get his judge’s license and course designer’s certification for USEF sanctioned shows. He is hoping to expand AIR Showjumping shows from 3 days to “a week, similar to [the] Saratoga [show].” Meanwhile, he continues to ride, train, show, and teach out of Three Winds Show Stable. He did well in the 1.30 meter classes at the Saratoga Springs horse show on the ultra-handsome and per-sonable Hannoverian warmblood, Colorado owned by Michael Kirby from Madison, CT. Colorado is helping Worthington “stay relevant” while he is waiting for his 4 yo homebred Sun Tzu to come up the showjumping ranks. Hearing that Sun Tzu is a homebred product of Worthington’s former junior jumper Tempest, success seems almost assured for this high achieving homebred operation! Three Winds Farm is at 59 Rabie Rd., Averill Park, NY and Worthington can be reached at 518.275.8461 for more information. Information on the AIR Showjumping Summer Classic and benefit luncheon can be found at airshowjumping.com. Issue #10 Summer, 2016 I The Upstate Horse

ENYDCTA

Dressage Days (formerly Dressage at Saratoga)

ressage at Saratoga has found a comfortable new home at the Stockade Showgrounds in Glenville. There were several factors involved in this move, including far fewer costs and a peaceful, welcoming site. The showgrounds sports a new permanent pavilion this year. Built by D&J Construction East, the well-designed structure has doors on all sides and is attached to the secretary’s office. It is a great area for vendors, prize-giving, and sitting in the shade keeping an eye on the show. A large digital clock that can be seen from the warm-up areas keeps the shows running on time. (See photo of pavilion in the D&J Construction ad on page 9 in this issue.) The eye-catching black Fell stallion pony Willowtrail Black Robin produced solid tests at Training Level 3 and First Level 1 Jr./Young Rider both Saturday and Sunday. “Beau” is owned by Anita Castricone and shown by her niece Gracie Rizzo all of Ballston Spa, NY. Looking like a pony-sized Friesian, Fell ponies are native to Great Britain and are Queen Elizabeth’s favorite riding companions. Fedrik, Terri Anne Dougherty’s 7 yo Friesian Fedrik gelding, was the real deal at First and Second level for rider Kristal Gessler of Rexford. At 17 hands, 13 inches taller than the Fell stallion Beau, Fedrik had a string of blue ribbons to his name by the show’s midpoint, winning Second Level 1 on Friday and Saturday, and First Level 3 on Saturday, giving him an early lead to win the Second Level Open Championship! Trainer Marcia Kulak indicated that this pair had summer plans that included more Stockade Dressage shows and possibly trips down to Saugerties for the dressage shows there. Jennifer Saunders of Schoharie won the FEI Adult Amateur Championship on her 22 yo Dutch Warmblood, Merritt, while Jeffrey Lindberg, Ballston Spa, claimed three Championships on the weekend! He rode Ruth Andrea Levinson’s Lusitano gelding Bon Orpheo to the FEI Open Championship, the Third Level Open Championship on Whitney Lawlor’s 9 yo Belgian Warmblood gelding Harmony Van’t Eusselshof, and the Training Level Open Championship on the 6 yo Westfalian gelding For Valentine HW for owner Gail Distefano. The most exciting occurrence of the weekend was a carefully orchestrated surprise marriage proposal. Hopeful-Groom-to-be Kyle Moore had the show organizers, the Technical Delegate and the judge at C of Ring 1 all working together to allow him to propose to his fiancé Cody Pritchard immediately upon her completion of the FEI Prix St. George class early Friday with Laura Fay’s horse Kyle proposing to Cody Obligato. As the two officials approached, so did her boyfriend who was carrying flowers! Suddenly, the officials stepped aside and Moore handed her the flowers and started to propose, over the PA! She said yes! Who said dressage shows were boring? The Upstate Horse congratulates the happy couple!

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Albany Leatherworker Awarded Patents on Belt Design

n Albany leatherworker with a keen eye for detail and a sense for what’s needed has been awarded a patent on one of her leather belt designs. Penny Ploughman of Ploughman’s Saddlery and Belts in Albany, NY initiated the patent process on a double buckle leather belt that would allow a buckle front and center and another, smaller buckle opening over the side zipper of side zip riding breeches. Five short years of complicated legal work later, she was awarded a utility patent for her “SZ” Side-Zip Belt (which protects both the design and the method of making the belt) meaning that no one can copy her method of making or the design of her “SZ” belt without a license. Ploughman mentioned that a utility patent “is an unusual patent to get for clothing or accessories” since leather beltmaking is not a new field. Ploughman, an attorney whose fulltime “regular” job involves “administrative and higher education law” for SUNY, admitted she had to hire a patent attorney after the first round of impenetrable patent paperwork came back! Ploughman started fiddling with leather after finding her dream saddle, a Keiffer Udu Lang dressage saddle, on Ebay at a price she was willing to pay. “It needed a lot of work, rehabbed, reflocked, overlay on the seat, fit to the horse…” She soon found herself at David May’s Cumbria School of Saddlery in England, learning the proper way to do all the above tasks. One thing led

to another, she repaired her own tack, then tack of friends, more complicated repairs, tack of friends of friends and her reputation grew. She kept returning to David May to learn bridle making, reflocking, saddle fitting, and other new techniques. Soon she started designing and making unique belts using horse tack hardware and harness/carriage hardware and now makes more than 40 styles. Started in 2006, Ploughman calls her business a “micro scale business” meaning that she “buys her own leather, cuts her own leather, hand stitches and finishes the product.” She does all her own work from beginning to end. That might be about to change. Ploughman said she is currently in discussions with Noble Equine regarding her patented belt design and her patent-pending hook & loop closure spur straps. She “went out to California with a suitcase of belts” to show them her wares (her work is a delight for the eyes, fingers, and nose!) and has found herself in a creative design relationship with Noble Equine, a company which is run by equestrians for equestrians. They are also interested in some of her unique bracelet designs. If things work out, Noble Equine will be licensing some of her designs to produce belts. Lots of belts. Even though this high volume work would go on overseas, Ploughman would still retain the right to custom-make these belts for those of us lucky enough to know about her!! Another trip to David May’s is on Ploughman’s agenda for late October when a leather box and case-making class is being offered. The creation of fine fox hunting appointments like sandwich cases and cases for flasks, wire cutters, binoculars (and Con’t on page 15 Issue #10 Summer, 2016 I The Upstate Horse

Area Entries Get Ready for

$100,000 TB Makeover

trio of Upstate horses will hopefully be heading to the Kentucky Horse Park in late October to take part in the Retired Racehorse Project’s $100,000 Thoroughbred Makeover. The Upstate Horse caught up with the riders for a quick update on their horses’ progress. Millions in Motion, a 7yo bay mare by Hook and Ladder o/o Thanza Million, by Millions, has been owned by Leandra Cooper since March 2016. She came out of Finger Lakes with earnings of $73,125 from 5 wins in 61 starts. Cooper, a 2012 Skidmore graduate, was looking for a TB Makeover project and “liked the look of her, [she Millions in Motion had] a good eye, natural impulsion and was a nice mover.” Cooper said Milly was the “most naturally balanced and rhythmic horse” she’s ever ridden. Milly is certainly a work in progress and Cooper cited her canter work as the part that is taking the longest in coming together. Straightness can be an issue, along with changing leads behind, and occasionally becoming too quick. Cooper has Milly registered for the Show Hunter segment of the TB Makeover and knows that she is ready to try taking their new skills to a horse show but they have already encountered some bad luck with one show being rained out and a minor pasture injury keeping Milly home from another show. Boss Daddy, a 6yo bay gelding by Distorted Humor o/o Highest Standard, by Silver Deputy also exited Finger Lakes after a 16 race career that included one win and total winBoss Daddy “Bodie” nings of $46,321. We got to know “Bodie” in the May issue of the Upstate Horse which explained the local collaborative effort involved with this particular Makeover candidate. Catching up with David Cornell, Bodie’s rider for the Makeover, we found out that Bodie, who is aiming for the Eventing segment, had just that day shipped to local upper-level event rider Marcia Kulak’s stable in nearby Glenville for a week of intensive work around Kulak’s cross country course! Cornell mentioned that Bodie was very polite and was taking to both his riding job and his job helping veterans through Saratoga Warhorse with uncommon aplomb. “Melody (Squier, Saratoga Warhorse’s Equine Development Director and Lead Instructor) loves him,” Cornell said. “He’s phenomenal with veterans!” Cornell went on to discuss how Bodie’s two jobs require two different speeds of advancement. As an event horse, Bodie needs to be exposed to a lot of different jumps and situations so he can become as steady as possible as quickly as possible. But as a

The Upstate Horse I Issue #10 Summer, 2016

warhorse assistant, Bodie needs to stay in a “raw” state and not get too used to what the veterans are likely to do so he stays reactive. One week in June looked like this: Monday he was schooled under saddle by an instructor from the Aiken, SC branch of Warhorse, Tuesday he was helping veterans, Wednesday Cailin Rotkowitz schooled him, Thursday was another veterans class, Friday and Saturday he was prepared for a dressage show, shipped, stabled overnight and showed with Cornell on Saturday, taking a first and a second place ribbon! So far, this horse has done just about everything right, even though Cornell admitted “the first dressage test was a little rough” the next one was better. And even though Bodie is “very polite,” he can get “extremely forward.” Please see the Saratoga Warhorse Facebook page for further updates and photos. Away Game, a 5yo bay gelding, by Lemon Drop Kid out of Tasha’s Delight by Afternoon Deelites is a KY bred alum of the New York Racing Association circuit. Trained by Rick Violette for owner Ralph M. Away Game Evans, Away Game had 3 wins from 13 starts, with two seconds and a third for earnings of $193,284. His final two starts were in Grade 3 company before stepping away from the racing game. He came into the ReRun program in East Greenbush in December of 2015 where his current rider, Amanda Bonath works. “Dexter” is being pointed towards Foxhunting for the TB Makeover and Bonath, an Ohio native, qualifies as a youth. Bonath, who spent time hunting with Chagrin Valley Hunt and Grand River Hunt (now defunct) loves fox hunting and thinks she may have found a great prospect in Dexter. Bonath started riding the 16.2hh Dexter in February and found that, for a 5yo, “he needs a lot of leg!” She and Dexter have just started to take some jumping lessons at a neighboring farm and Dexter is “getting really brave — he loves the jumping!” So far, the jumps are around 2’. In addition to the jump lessons, Bonath works Dexter on the flat at home (the East Greenbush ReRun facility) and trail rides around the property. Dexter has been surprised by all the deer, and also finds picking up the right lead difficult, although that is getting better. Next up for Dexter will be meeting some Old Chatham hounds and quietly learning about hunting while the hunt staff is roading the hounds, a traditional summer exercise of hounds where new horses and hounds can gradually work their way into hunting. Bonath is “pretty excited” about that part and the TB Makeover in general after hearing about it for the last couple of years. We will check back in with Milly, Bodie, and Dexter in late August for a progress report. The Upstate Horse wishes these horses and connections the best of luck in this endeavor!

Calendar July 8-Sept 4, Saratoga Polo, Fridays & Sundays at 5:30pm, Saratoga Polo Field on Bloomfield Rd near Denton Rd, Saratoga Springs (saratogapolo.com) July 20-21, Dressage at Stockade Summer Heat, USDF/USEF rated, Stockade Polo & Saddle Club, Glenville, NY (stockadepolo.com) July 20-24, Vermont Week III (H/J), Manchester, VT (vt-summerfestival.com) July 23, Open Horse Show, Eng/West/Trail, Cambridge Saddle Club, Cambridge, NY (cambridgesaddleclub.org) July 24, WNEPHA Series Schooling Dressage Show, Stockade Polo & Saddle Club, Glenville, NY (stockadepolo.com) July 24, Winter Glen H/J show, C-rated, Guilderland, NY, (cdhjc.org) July 30, Old Chatham Hunt Club Mix & Match Three Phase Schooling Show, FMI (oldchathamhuntclub.com)

Aug 9, Steuart Pittman Clinic, Platinum Stables, Ballston Lake, NY (voigtny@gmail.com for en-tries/info)

Give Back to the Horses Summer Fundraisers

Aug 11, Steuart Pittman Clinic (w/xc), Larkin Hill Farm, N. Chatham, NY (voigtny@gmail.com for entries/info)

July 25 • Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF) 4th Annual Hay, Oats, & Spaghetti Dinner at Bravo! 3246 Rt. 9, Saratoga Springs. 6-9pm (trfinc.org)

Aug 12-14, D4K (Dressage for Kids) Hosts Lendon Gray’s Youth Dressage Festival, HITS showgrounds, Saugerties, NY (dressage4kids.org) Aug14, TCRA Summer (tricountyridingassociation.com)

Show

Aug 16-21, Budweiser Clydesdales visit Saratoga Springs, NY (stabled in the warming hut area of the Spa St. Park.) More info on our FB page as it becomes available. Aug 18-21, CDHJC Annual Show, Stockade Polo & Saddle Club, Glenville, NY (stockadepolo.com or cdhjc.org) Aug 19-21, AIR Showjumping Summer Classic, Crosswinds Equestrian Ctr., LaGrangeville, NY (airshowjumping.com) Aug 30, ReRun Annual Saratoga Fundraising Dinner at The Lodge, 1 Nelson Ave., Saratoga Springs. 6-10pm (rerunottb.com)

July 30, CCE Saratoga Horse Farm Tour, Free, Self-driving, Noon-4pm FMI (ccesaratoga.org)

Sept 3, 7th Annual 5K Run/Walk for the Horses and Kids Fun Run, Orenda Pavilion, Spa St. Park, Saratoga Springs 7am -11am (trfinc.org)

July 30, Side Saddle Clinic w/Maggie Herlensky of the American Sidesaddle Association, Vertical Farm, Queensbury, NY FMI (meredith1110@gmail.com)

Sept 11, Stockade H/J show, Stockade Polo & Saddle Club, Glenville, NY (stockadepolo.com)

July 31, Ridge Brook H/J show, C-rated, Ridge Brook Farm, Argyle, NY (ridgebrookfarms.com) Aug 3-7, HITS 6 (H/J), HITS showgrounds, Saugerties, NY (hitsshows.com) Aug 5-7, Stockade Dressage I/II, (USDF, USEF Qualifier) Stockade Polo & Saddle Club, Glenville, NY (stockadepolo.com)

Sept 11, Old Chatham Hunt Trail Ride, (oldchathamhuntclub.com) Sept 11, Saugerties $1Million Grand Prix, HITS showgrounds, Saugerties, NY, (hitsshows.com) Sept 18, Skidmore H/J show, Skidmore College Stables, Saratoga Springs, NY (cdhjc.org) Sept 18, WNEPHA Series Schooling

July 29 • Equine Advocates 15th Annual Awards Dinner & Charity Auction at Canfield Casino, Congress Park, Saratoga Springs. (Tickets/info 518.392.0176) July 30 • Heading for Home 683 Lake Ave., Saratoga Springs (on CCE Saratoga Equine Farm Tour), Open House, family activities, donations welcome! Noon-4pm Aug 3 • ACTT Naturally “If Wishes Were Horses” Drinks & Light Fare at Saratoga Winery, 462 Washington St., Saratoga Springs, 5pm Silent Auction, Demos, Live Music (Tickets/info 570.578.6377 or acttnaturally.org) Aug 7 • Old Friends at Cabin Creek Cocktails, Dinner, Silent & Live Auction at The Lodge, 1 Nelson Ave., Saratoga Springs, NY 6:30pm (Tickets/info 518.698.2377 or oldfriendsatcabincreek.com) Aug 30 • ReRun Annual Saratoga Fundraising Dinner at The Lodge, 1 Nelson Ave., Saratoga Springs. 6-10pm (rerunottb.com) Sept 3 • 7th Annual Run/Walk for the Horses 5K, Orenda Pavilion, Spa St. Park, Saratoga Springs, benefits multiple horse organizations 7-11am (FMI trfinc.org) Dressage & Combined Tests, Stockade Polo & Saddle Club, Glenville, NY (stockadepolo.com) Sept 25, Larkin Hill Horse Trials, Larkin Hill Farm, N. Chatham, NY (larkinhill.com)

Con’t from page 13 mobile phones!) is very nearly a lost art. Ploughman hopes to keep these skills alive and keep knowledgeable riders properly appointed! She enjoys the creative part of the leather working job after the full-time legal work that engulfs her day.

ENYDCTA Dressage Days revealed a lot of exhibitors’ tack that needed last second repairs or alterations which kept her quite busy for the duration of the three day show. Customers could see first hand the outstanding quality of her belts, bracelets, repairs and other work and discuss ideas for one-of-a-kind custom items.

Ploughman’s belts and bracelets can be seen in the gift shop at the National Museum of Racing in Saratoga Springs, NY or by appointment at her studio in Albany. Her pop-up store at

For more information, please see her website: ploughmansbelts.com or contact her by email at ploughmans.belts@yahoo.com. Issue #10 Summer, 2016 I The Upstate Horse

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