Perfect Summer Breeze in Millbrook, NY

Anne Hennessey’s Summer Breeze (pictured left, photo Paul Davis), shone like a star at the Millbrook HT this weekend in NY. She’s only had a couple of events but she showed her class, destroying the field! She scored 20 in dressage and went clear in cross-country with a couple time faults and clear show jumping to finish on 23. She’s a super Australian TB/Dutch Warmblood mare. I breathed a huge sigh of relief, as I was the one that recommended Anne to own this mare and there’s always a feeling of responsibility whether you picked a good one or not, and after this weekend I’m pretty sure I’m on a good team.

I took three upper-level horses: Nev in advanced, (pictured right, Amber Heintzberger photo) Remi intermediate and Charla in prelim. It was their first start back after a 3-day: KY for the Boys and Charla went to Bromont. I opted to play it safe with Remi and Nev, giving them a slow run to make sure they are nice and rideable before the pressure and heat of the selection trials hits us.



I was blown away by Ron and Densey Juvonen’s Charla’s performance (pictured at left, photo by Amber Heintzberger and at right, photo by Silva Martin). She had a wonderful test, but unfortunately a couple expensive mistakes in the dressage cost her the win. (She jogged a bit in the free walk and on her last halt she jumped sideways – in those tests it puts you from 25 to 35 unfortunately). Cross-country Charla is getting better and better: faster, smoother and more rideable, each time I take her out. In a weird kind of way it’s one of the first horses I’ve had to try to teach to jump lower over her fences and she show jumped the best of any horse in the division.




Lillian Heard (left, photo Silva Martin) also gave Share Option his first run after the Jersey Fresh three-star. She’s on the road to hopefully competing at Boekelo, (Holland) in late October and put in a huge performance on “Whitey” winning the OI, beating a few of the short-listed horses for the WEG. The jumping coach was happy to see her ride the best she’s gone cross-country, nailing every fence and jumping with spot-on class.


-Boyd

The Dutton twins collect a few ribbons for Dad
(Photo Silva Martin)