Morven Park Dressage Update from Silva

Rosa Cha and Silva Martin, photo courtesy Mike McNally

We had a great time at Morven Park this past weekend. It was nice to be showing my horses again since we have not shown since we came back to Pennsylvania.

 

Showing at Morven Park is always a great weekend because Melinda Walton and Larry Smith have all of us stay with them at their beautiful breeding farm in Purceville . We had so much fun. Sara Reese (part owner in Rosa) and Sara Sanz ( owner of Ballatale) also stayed at Melinda and Larry's. I loved having Sara and Sara with us this weekend. Melinda and Larry cook the best dinners and look after us amazingly I can not thank both of them enough for making all of us feel so welcome!

Kymmy, Scout and I took 6 horses this weekend. I rode Rosa Cha, Elite Pharis, Benefactor RRS and Duvent. Kymmy rode her new young horse Hot Date and Scout rode her mare Fancy.

Elite Pharis is a new horse for me and it was so nice to meet his owner Liz Marenakos this weekend. Liz lives in SC and came to Morven Park to watch Pharis show. I was very impressed with Pharis this weekend: we showed in first level test 2 and 3 and we won both classes with 72,5% and 74,6%. Pharis is with me to be sold and I know that he will be an amazing horse for somebody that is looking for a fancy and honest horse to take up the levels.

 

Benny with Melinda Walten and Pam Murphy. Pam also stayed with us at Melinda and Larry's. Pam is a long time friend of Melinda and Larry's and lives in Kennett Square. She has become a very good friend and supporter of ours.

 

Benefactor RRS is owned and bred by Melinda and Larry. Benny really really impressed me this weekend. This was his first show ever and he is four years old but he acted like his has done this for 15 years. Nothing bothered him at all. We showed in the materiale class on Saturday in the outdoor ring and he was amazing. We won the class with 81%. On Sunday we did our first 4 year old test and we won that class with 79%. I am so exited about riding Benny in the Markel 4-year-old qualifiers and at the east coast selection trail in June.

Duvent, who is also owned and bred by Melinda and Larry, cleaned up as well. We won both fourth levels with 72% and 68%. Duvent is really growing up and I believe he is going to be a fantastic horse.

 

Rosa with part owner Sara Reese and Ballatale's owner Sara Sanz

Rosa Cha is still unbeaten in 2012. She has not come second once yet. We showed fourth level test 3 for the first time on Saturday and won with 73% and fourth level test 2 on Sunday and won with 69%. Rosa is a very special horse and she is one of the best competitorsI ever had. She will be a big-time horse!

Kymmy's new 4-year-old Hayden also impressed us a lot. He was amazingly calm and super rideable. They finished second in the materiale class and scored 71% in the four year old test on Sun. Hayden is going to be a very nice horse!!

Scout rode her mare Fancy in first level and finished third and fourth. Scout has an amazing young mare that we will start up again soon. The mare is three  and a half now and we are planning on getting her ready for the materiale class at Dressage at Devon and the four year old classes next year.

Jacky Gilbertson who owns part of Rosa also came on Sunday to watch us go. It was so nice to see Jacky!!

Silva