Cajun Dressage

Louisiana is a very unique state. We have lots of things that set us apart from the rest of the nation. The French and Spanish influence is very strong here. We do not have Counties as most of the nation does, we have Parishes and yes, it began as Church Parishes then carried over to area government. Our laws were based on Napoleonic code….till recently! Hunting and fishing are a way of life, a staple of existence for many people here still. At one time is was the way the people in the coastal areas made their living, before oil, but now it is a passionate hobby.

I was at a local dressage show, Le Bon Temps and the usual “bell” to start the test had a unique and unusual sound. Definitely not a bell or a whistle. I had heard that sound many times growing up, it was a duck call! The judge was sitting in a very roomy, glassed in, air conditioned judges stand with the announcer and the riders could not hear the usual devices so our amicable announcer, Andy Jones, happened to have his duck call in his truck. I guess we should be thankful he didn’t offer the use of the shot gun!

The Starting Bell

The show was held at Amen Corner Farm, a beautiful show ground with lots of white fencing, green grass, roomy stalls and Southern hospitality.

The Joys of Puppyhood

McKenzie

Last year I lost my long time friend and companion McKenzie. He was a goofy fellow that brought much love and laughter into our lives. I was often asked what breed he was, the answer of which was “Resturant Dog”. My daughter brought him home one evening after leaving work. She was 16 and it was her first real job, a hostess at a new upscale resturant . She turned on the overhead light in my bedroom, which is a no-no, then dumped this puppy in the middle of my bed. He was pudgy with these funny ears and a bright expression, white with black spots, and covered in dirt. He had been under her jeep when she left work and some local kids were throwing rocks at him. After I fussed at her about bringing yet another dog home from the streets, we decided he looked like Spuds McKenzie and thus named him McKenzie.

He quickly grew much larger than Spuds and his ears began to lay down. He was a handsome fellow, we think part Catahoula and part Bulldog, but that’s just a guess. He made us laugh so much as he went threw puppyhood. We had another foundling at the time, Rodeo (breed Road Ditch Dog) that was full of energy and loved to run and play. He would try to get McKenzie to run with him, and McKenzie would try to keep up on his short little puppy legs, but soon figured out that Rodeo was going to come back around, so he would run half way, sit down and wait for Rodeo to come back, then he’d run half way again, and wait for him to come back.

I called them my Thoroughbred and my Draft Horse. McKenzie was just not a sensitive sort. He would lay on the patio under the chairs. I would look out the window to see a chair going across the yard. He would be totally unaware there was a chair on his back. Then he decided laying on the glass topped table was a good idea and no matter how many times he was chased off that table when I would come home he would be on top of it. Eventually he got heavy enough to bend the little legs, so I would turn it upside down to keep him from breaking the glass. I told him with my luck he would only cause lots of vet bills! He was such a loving dog and I miss him still.

I made the mistake of telling my daughter that I missed not having a large dog in the yard, even though we had 3 other dogs. Within a day, I had this odd looking puppy, with big feet and a funny face. He is choclate with beedy eyes, and webbed feet. His Dad was a large black Labador Retriever and his Mom an American Bulldog. I decided his breed is Bullador!

Aren't I handsome?!

The kids named him Jake. He grew rather fast and has a goofy, sweet personality. Everyone loves him, most guess he is part Bull Mastiff because of his unusual face. He has the largest feet I’ve seen on a dog. The last trip to the vet, for his “brain surgery” he was over 100#’s.

Jake Running

The Victim

Unfortunately he hasn’t outgrown his puppy chewing. We tried to keep a large leather bone to pacify him at night, but it was getting expensive! He would go through a large bone a night! So, I bought this hard rubber hollow bone that you can put peanut butter in. It worked great! He loved the peanut butter! Well, it lasted a week. This morning I discovered a bit of hard rubber on the floor, he had enlarged the hole…. it’s still less expensive than the leather bones! Guess I’ll be making a trip to the pet store today.

Pony Club

Emma Beckers on Mystic

Pony Club is a great organization! It offers our youth a chance to learn so much, not only about horse care, but about life and working with others on a team. The older ones, helping the younger ones. I photographed the Deep South Region’s Dressage Rally over the Memorial Day weekend. I hadn’t been able to photograph for several years due to personal and work obligations. I was delighted to find myself working with many of the parents that were running the organization 10 years ago, even though they no longer had children participating in Pony Club and as always the hospitaly was generous and warm.

The ponies were ponies! Most of them so good at taking care of their young charges. The kids were cute! You can’t help but think these are the stars of tomorrow.

The gallieres are here.

US Wins World Cup!

Steffen and Ravel's Freestyle

Steffen Peters and Ravel kept their magic going into the World Cup Freestyle Saturday night at the Thomas Mack Center in Las Vegas. Anky Van Grunsven and Isabelle Werth both had errors in their tempis, leaving the door open for the American pair. The crowd was hushed and the tension in the air was palatable as they began their test. When they made that last halt on the center line the crowd exploded. The impression was one of relaxation and harmony in spite of the closeness of the arena.

Mystery Box

The Rolex Corporation hosted a cocktail party for the press before the Freestyle competition began. It was a very nice affiar. Gave us all a chance to mingle without our cameras or our computers in front of us. The fun began when we got back to the media center and opened out gifts from them. It became a contest to decipher the use of the green box with a waved piece that sat in the middle and a hole in the bottom to remove that piece. The guesses were everything from a photo frame to a jewelry box. Of course we were all sure they simply forgot to put the watch in the box!

Anky Van Grunsven on ISP Painted Black

Back to the competition, Anky and Painted Black put in a beautiful performance. He is a special horse and I am sure we will be hearing many wonderful things from this pair. His lightness and power were showcased in the extended trot, a joy to photograph. Isabell and Satchmo had a solid test with a mistake in the tempis, however Isabell seems to think the judges didn’t score her high enough.  So, it’s either the photographers clicking or the judges not giving a fair score. There appears to be a pattern here.

World Cup Pas De Deux

Guenter Seidel and Elizabeth Ball as the Phantom and his lady.

The Pas De Deux was entertaining to say the least.  It is obvious that all the riders put a lot of effort into their costumes, themes and choreography, but Guenter Seidel on Fandango and Elizabeth Ball riding Orion  were over the top in all categories in their rendition of Phantom of the Opera. The pair did a stirrup to stirrup half pass and near perfect matching footfalls in all their movements. Elizabeth was splendid in a wedding dress draped over Orion’s rump and Guenter was the Phantom. They topped off the performance when Guenter pulled a rose out of his sleeve to present to Elizabeth as they rode up the center line to a perfect halt.

Debbie McDonald on Felix and Adrienne Lyle on Wizard had a fun ride to a jazzy Blues Brothers theme in their sparkling red and black costumes. Wizard put on quite a show for us.

The third pair were Charlotte Brehdahl on Liberty Light and Charlotte Nielson on Mid West Decapo in electric blue costumes to the tune of Saturday Night Fever.

The judges had a lot of fun, and in American Idol manner, the audience had a clap meter to have their input into the placings, which had Guenter and Elizabeth clearly in first, followed by the two Charloettes in second and the Debbie and Adrienne in third.

Meredith Michaels Beerbaum Wins Tonights World Cup Show Jumping Competition

Meredity Michaels-Beerbaum on Shutterfly

I was lucky enough to photograph the Rolex World Cup Show Jumping Finals tonight. It was thrilling and exhausting, it’s hard getting those horses over the jumps from the photographers pits. Whew! Show Jumping is a adrenaline rush. The audience ohhhs and ahhhs in unison as a rail comes down or a rider has a  run out, then break out in spontaneous applause when the pair recover and jump the next fence. The winner of tonight’s competition was the American born Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum of Germany riding her super horse Shutterfly. The pair have won several World Cup titles. Wish she were still riding for America!

Brentina Retires

Debbie McDonald and Brentina's Final Ride

The retirement ceremony of Brentina, the 18 year old Hannovarian mare ridden by Debbie McDonald was a bitter sweet occasion. As I watched this incredible pair enter the arena, in the spot light as the announcer highlighted their impressive career I couldn’t help but tear up. Debbie was obviously emotional as she made that last ride around the ring, then stopping to take the mare’s tack off and replace it with a spray of roses.

Steffen Peters Wins Grand Prix at World Cup

Steffen Peters on Ravel

Today history was made when Steffen Peters riding Ravel won the Grand Prix at the Rolex FEI World Cup in Las Vegas. This is the first time an American rider has achieved this goal. He had to beat out two of the most decorated riders in Dressage, Anky Van Grunsven of the Netherlands, and Isabell Werth of Germany. The fans went wild.

Kentucky Winter

If I need a reminder of why I live in the Deep South, it came this week. I am in Kentucky. My husband was from Kentucky and swore it was a Southern state, but I knew it was a border state! It doesn’t get this cold in the real South! The high today was below freezing with a “brisk” wind blowing. That means I didn’t bring enough warm clothes. Just long sleeved t-shirts, which it was too hot at home to wear, and a fleece pull over and a heavy jacket! I needed a ski suit todayto block the wind as I walked from the building to the car. There was also a dusting of snow flurries, that funny white stuff they show on the weather channel. I’ve decided it needs to stay there, on the weather channel, inside the flat screen and not in MY reality.

When I fondly remember living in the upper South, I always forget the winter months. I return next next week to the Deep South. To sunshine and warm breezes and short sleeve shirts. I leave behind my brief visit with winter. I keep reminding myself that I’ll be longing for this weather in August when the temperature reaches 105 with a 95% humidity. But for now, that too is a fond memory!  A few fun experiments are here.

Where's the Sunshine????

Dressage Reining

Hold onto your cowgirl hat Anky!

Life is full of interesting turns. I was able to photograph the kick off to the World Dressage Masters Series in Wellington, FL this past month. It was fun to catch up with photographers I only see a few times a year. But I was surprised at the number of friends I ran into from all over the world. The horse world is indeed a small world.

I also enjoyed watching one of the top dressage riders in the world do a reining horse demonstration. Anky van Grunsven came out in jeans and cowgirl hat, wearing a Dutch-orange western shirt, riding a little quarter horse doing some slow spins and gallops to promote her new hobby. They could not do the sliding stops as the footing was not appropriate. It was a beautiful fiber filled footing, great for dressage and show jumping, not so for sliding horses evidently.

A fun way to end a great show experience.