Saturday, October 5, 2013

Oscar Ready for Takeoff



 I am writing you from the gate at JFK Airport, waiting to board the plane to Amsterdam. Oscar is settled into his shipping container and is ready for takeoff.

We arrived at JFK around 11am in time for Oscar to enter his quarantine stall where he was monitored for several hours and checked by the vet before getting a clean bill of health to be loaded into the plane.

I just left the vet port after putting Oscar into his shipping container, which is now being loaded onto the plane.

Our flight is scheduled to depart at 10:55 pm tonight. We will land in Amsterdam at 12:00 pm local time tomorrow, which is 6:00 am eastern time. I will continue to keep you posted as we arrive in Holland and get settled in at Boekelo. We are looking forward to a great week ahead!

Lindsey



A little entertainment from our friends at Evention:












And let's not forget this one!

Friday, October 4, 2013

Silva and Rosa Cha W Receive Training Grant

Rosa Cha W
The U.S. Equestrian Federation and its High Performance Dressage Committee have awarded training grants to eight participants of the 2013 USEF Developing Dressage Program. The grants have been made possible by a generous gift from Akiko Yamazaki and Red Husky Foundation through the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation. These grant recipients were chosen following a review of their performances in observation and training sessions this year and after a review of their training and competitions plans for next year.
USEF Developing Coach, Debbie McDonald, and USEF Developing Coach Advisors, Lendon Gray, Scott Hassler, Jeremy Steinberg and Anne Gribbons, have selected the following eight combinations to receive training grants:
Nora Batchelder of Williston, Fla., on her own Bahai
Shelly Francis of Loxahatchee, Fla., on
Patricia Stempel's Danilo
Brian Hafner of Penngrove, Calif., on his own and Dr. Rebecca Hafner's Lombardo LHF
Kimberly Herslow of Stockton, N.J., on Kiroli Enterprises LLC's Rosmarin
Jami Kment of Palmyra, Neb., on her own Zania
Sarah Lockman of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., on Pamela Munson's Vinterpol
Silva Martin of Unionville, Pa., on Rosa Cha W Syndicate's Rosa Cha W
Jessica Jo Tate of Wellington, Fla., on Elizabeth Guarisco's Faberge
To learn more about the USEF High Performance Dressage program visit the USEF website.

Thursday, October 3, 2013

Middy N Me

Silva sporting a shirt from Middy N Me
 
My wonderful sponsor Kymberly McConnell from Middy N Me makes the most beautiful, classy shirts for riding or casual wear. I love every single style she makes, and the shirts are very comfortable. I also love the Middy N Me show shirts and stock ties; everywhere show I have been getting compliments about these shirts!
 
Her dresses are also amazing -- they are a great option for FEI jogs or a stylish choice for any cocktail party. 
 
Check our the website: http://www.middynme.com/




 







Training Level Winner & Amateur's Dream!!


NAME: Hard Alee

SEX: Gelding

COLOUR: Liver Chestnut

HEIGHT: 16.2 hh

DATE OF BIRTH: 2002

COUNTY OF BIRTH: Ireland

IMPORTED: From England in 2007
by Kelli Temple

BREED: Irish Sport Horse


"Rudder" is a fancy 16.1h, liver chestnut ISH who is a USEA Top-Ranked Training Horse.
He was imported from England by Kelli Temple, and competed by several amateurs very successfully at Training level for many years.

He previously fox hunted in Ireland and is a wonderful amateur's horse. His dressage scores are always in the top percentage of his division, with multiple wins and top placings!

USEA Record

Phone Boyd 610 806 2381 for an appointment!

Video Link of Boyd & Caitlin Schooling Rudder

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Video: Ballyneety and Sweden's Sara Algotsson Ostholt at Plantation Field



http://youtu.be/gbGOFS91dqs

Thanks again to George and Gretchen Wintersteen for loaning their horse so that Plantation Field could host the 2012 Olympic Games Individual Silver Medalist!

Looking Back at Devon

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner...


FROM SCOUT: 

Well Devon has finally ended and we are all still readjusting to that sleep thing some people do. We saw some pretty impressive outfits, and won some pretty impressive (bright red) whips. Silva went out with a bang Saturday and Sunday, ending up in the top two with Duvent at 4th level and taking home the gold on Zoran. In the words of my ridiculously talented German boss: "Winner, winner, chicken dinner". 

The infamous Rosa Cha also brought home the bacon with a show stopping freestyle. The Cha leaves her heart in the ring every time she performs and this week was no different. 

A huge shout-out to the owners and syndicate members of these incredibly talented horses, and also to Afro-Sheen for making each of our horses shine bright like a diamond in the ring.

Also, thank you to the Silva's sponsors for providing top notch gear care for our all-star pack of horses:

And I think I speak for all of us students at Windurra when I say that is was truly a pleasure to meet Boyd's Aunty Jan, over from Australia...please stay with us northerners, you will be missed when you leave!!

Peace up, A-town down,
Scouty Ford

Another Great Devon!


From Silva: 

Devon is over again!!!

It is amazing to me that another year has gone by and another Devon is over.  This past week was very busy for us and I really have to think about all the things that happened because the beginning of the week seems so long ago now.

First of all I like to say again how amazingly well Melinda and Larry have done with the wonderful young horses that they bred.  Melinda and Larry should be more than proud of the results they are getting every year at the Dressage at Devon breed show. With only a small breeding program they are in the the top three in almost every class against huge breeding operations. I think that is amazing and I think that is very exiting for us riders, (especially me), to see such talented horses being bred right here in America. 
I am very lucky to be working with Melinda and Larry and those amazing horses of theirs. After the babies go and collect their ribbons and prizes at the breed show , I get to train them and show them in the performance competition. 
Scout has already written about Benny's great results in the 5-year-old class. Benny also won a huge award for being the highest-placed Hanoverian at the entire show. 

Duvent stepped up his game again this year in fourth level , winning on Thursday and placing second on Friday and Saturday. This horse is an amazing talent. He is the first horse Melinda and Larry bred and he is for sale now. His little brother Danka Schoene RRS, who also did amazingly in the breed show, is going to be for sale too. He is a three-year-old and I think he is going to be an amazing horse for an amateur or professional . 

Since our new favourite blogger Scoutie has already written about the results up until Saturday I will write about our last day:
After most of my horses went home I only had Zoran and Rosa left to go on Sunday.
Zoom (Zoran) was spectacular all week. This was his first time at a big show like this and he handled it like a pro. I am so exited about this horse! I think he is going to be a big time horse for me. It was so nice that Bonnie came to watch Zoom and I and I can't thank her enough for all the support she gives Boyd and I .
Zoom started his test on Sunday with some outstanding trot work. Unfortunately somebody very good must have gone in the other ring when I started my canter work...let's just say Zoom is a not a fan of applause...I think it really scared him when the crowd in the big ring went wild and we had a few spooks, which hurt our score but we still finished third. 
Rosa was such a good girl in her freestyle. This mare is so reliable and will try for me 100% every time we go in the ring. She was the youngest horse in the international competition and she held her own . We were first on (AGAIN ) in the freestyle and we finished in 6th place. 

I would like to thank my amazing team of girls who worked their butts off this week. Kimmy , Gracia , Scout and Emily were absolutely amazing. They were organized and worked so perfectly as a team. As you can imagine with the number of rides I had, we had to be very very organized . The whole week went very smoothly and all the horses looked absolutely amazing . I could not do any of what I do without those amazing girls that have my back at all times!!!
I am also very proud of the way they rode their own horses this weekend! There is nothing more rewarding then watching one of my girls ride so beautifully!

I am also very proud of Michelle Folden, who I have been helping for a few years now. Michelle is a very good trainer in South Carolina and has a very exciting 7-year-old mare that she showed at Devon for the first time. Michelle and Rani had some great results in fourth level . Watch out for those two in the future!

Thank you again to all my sponsors for your support!

Silva

Monday, September 30, 2013

Windurra featured in Dressage Today's Post Card from Dressage at Devon

Longtime journalist Nancy Jaffer caught up with Boyd at DAD, and also talks about being a fan of Rosa Cha W in her "Post Card from Dressage at Devon":

"Silva Martin, wife of Olympic eventer Boyd Martin, has been showing a legion of horses. The one that caught my eye is Rosa Cha W, sixth in the I-1 freestyle with 68.475 percent. Rosa is a homebred, imagine that, and there's quite a story behind her dam, as Boyd will tell you.
Boyd was on hand at the show to ride in a 5-year-old class and sign autographs, as well as to support Silva. He was surprised to see me there, since I had been interviewing him last week at the Plantation Field International Horse Trials. I'm guessing he thought I only cover eventing; I hope he didn't think I was stalking him!

We had a good chat about Rosa's background. See, there still are bargain horses around, and American-bred, yet."
For the complete story and an audio interview with Boyd, follow the link:


http://www.equisearch.com/news/nancy_jaffer/postcard-2013-dressage-at-devon/?utm_source=EquiSearchNL&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter

Cynthia Hankins Clinic, hosted by MGM Stable, to be held at Windurra

Cynthia Hankins Clinic 
October 5th and 6th, 2013 

hosted by MGM Stable 
at Boyd and Silva Martins’ Windurra Farm 
 
Please join us for one or both days of the clinic. Riders should register and pay as soon as possible as we have had a lot of positive response and the clinic is filling rapidly. Prompt registration and payment will guarantee your spot! 

Groups are limited to no more than 6 riders and there will be various horse/rider sessions available. Cost is $145 for each session, prepaid please! 

Auditors welcome at $30 per day, which can be paid “at the gate.” 
Each paid rider is allowed one auditor free of charge. We encourage riders and auditors to stay all day and watch all groups. 

GPS ADDRESS
2027 Gap Neport Pike (rt 41)
Cochranville, PA, 19330

 While at Windurra, please: Park where directed, be sure trash goes in the proper container, leave your pets at home (Boyd and Silva have plenty already!); please do not move any vehicle without first checking for sleeping animals!

Please contact Maria Jones
mgmstable@yahoo.com
(484)686-2726

About Cynthia:

Cynthia Hankins
Wellington, FL

 Cynthia worked with George Morris as a junior, (and won the Hunter Seat Medal Finals in 1975).  She credits her riding experience to her mother, George Morris, Bernie Traurig and the legendary coach of the USET, Bertalan DeNemethy, with whom she had the honor of training and working with at the Gladstone, New Jersey headquarters for over two years.

    This summer she helped move a junior rider from ponies up to horses with great results at Spruce Meadows (with 7 class wins including the Mini Prix).  

    Cynthia has shown and trained equitation, hunter and jumper riders on both US coasts as well as in Europe.  She has trained an ASPCA Maclay finals winner herself (Megan Johnstone, who was also 3rd in the AHSA Medal class the same year). 

   While living in France from 2000-2011, Cynthia trained and showed at some of the top jumper venues in Europe including:  Arezzo, Italy; Valkensvaard, Holland; Paris, France; Vimeiro, Portugal and Monaco, to name a few (as part of the prestigious Global Champions Tour). She also assisted George H. Morris on the Samsung Super League Tour from 2007-2008 at La Baule, Lucerne, Rotterdam, Lummen, Dublin and the Finals in Barcelona. In addition to her jumper credentials she has numerous times won the four-, five-, and six year–old Hunter Finals along with the Hunter classic held at the renowned Grande Semaine at Fontainebleau in France (on catch rides!).

Cynthia has been an “R” judge for the USEF for over 35 years and has judged all the major USEF and USET Equitation Medal Finals on multiple occasions.  In addition to judging Cynthia is a USEF Certified Trainer and was selected to run a number of the EAP (Emerging Athletes Program) Clinics sponsored by the USEF and USHJA thoughout North America in 2012 and 2013.