The Shamwari Syndicate is Complete

I would like to congratulate the new members of the Shamwari Syndicate! It is an awesome group that came together to purchase the ten shares. I would like to also offer a big thanks to the two individuals that bridged the loan for me to purchase this great horse.

The complete Shamwari Syndicate:

Bonnie Stedt, NY
Steve Blauner, NY

Craig and Gloria Callen, NY

Cuyler and Katie Walker, PA

Nancy and David Hathaway, NY

Mike and Anne Laver, SC

Fernanda Kellogg and Kirk Henckels, NY

Doug and Cindy Howe, PA

Denise Lahey and Pierre Colin, MA

George and Gretchen Wintersteen, PA

Andrew and Sandra Holden, NY

Boyd Martin

Duvent is Still for Sale!

Duvent has come a long way! He has grown up so much and is getting calmer and steadier by the day. Here we are schooling the Prix St. George here at FoxFrolic Farm in Aiken:

Shamwari 4 Update with Videos

Shamwari has set into his new American life well down here in Aiken, SC.  I have tried to contain my excitement since getting him, and deliberately taken in easy on him.

I gave him a light jump yesterday over a couple of fences and he felt super:



The rest of the the time, I have been delegated to hacking him while Silva has done most of the flat work on him:
 

I nearly have the syndicate complete, with only one or two shares left. He seems to be a really sweet horse that is fitting in well and I have been in contact with Ludwig nearly every day asking questions about his training and management so that we can have the easiest transition possible to life in America.

Boyd Martin

More Dressage Schooling Videos

Coquette, owned by Cheryl Griffith: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkuJyJV-C_Y

Coquette is turning six this year. Bred by Melinda Walton and Larry Smith, Coquette is out of Heidekleid, whom is also the mother of Benefactor, Duvent and Cece. Cheryl rides Coquette most of the time at home but I brought her to Aiken for a month of "dressage boot camp"; Cheryl will take over the riding when we get back to PA.

Here is Benefactor practicing his six-year-old test for this year's young horse qualifiers:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PT9EHS6E13E

Benny of course learned everything with ease again. He is not even six years old, and it is so early in the year yet, and he can do the test pretty nicely already! I am excited for the Markel Young Horse program this year!

Thanks again to Melinda and Larry for breeding such amazing horses, and for letting me train them!

Silva

Fun Sunday Jumping Clinic in Tryon, NC

Eric Dierks

It was a fantastic day teaching jump lessons at Eric and Trayce Dierks’ Renovatio Farm in Tryon, NC. 

Rachael Wood with Boyd - courtesy Stephanie Wood

We had an enthusiastic group of riders sitting on novice right up to advanced horses, all ready to learn, and the facility was fantastic. I very much enjoyed getting out there and teaching the clinic. 

Boyd

I had the riders work on some turning exercises and gymnastics to get the horses jumping well and rideable, then towards the end of the session I added in some technical lines that you typically come across in today’s jumping courses.

Katharine Knauz

Thanks to the Dierks for hosting the clinic, and to our sponsors who provided a few tokens of appreciation for the riders to take home with them. 

-Boyd Martin

Photos Courtesy Linda Valerio Stenzel:
lindavaleriostenzelphotography.zenfolio.com

More images will be posted soon, at Linda's site.

Congratulations to Pierre Colin

Pierre accepts his blue ribbon from Sporting Days Farm owner Joanna Hall Glass

A big congratulations to Pierre Colin who had his first win of the season on his horse Cedric at the Sporting Days Schooling Show over the weekend. Pierre is a wonderful supporter of a number of horses that we have in training here, and it was wonderful to see the Frenchman get out there and start his competitive year off with a bang.

-Boyd

Save the Date! George Morris Coming to Aiken

George Morris chats with auditors during a clinic at Windurra in Cochranville, PA in Sept. of 2013. Photo copyright Amber Heintzberger

 George Morris is making his way to our farm in Aiken! He’ll be teaching three groups of jumping lessons to some of the upper level riders in Aiken and we encourage everyone in town to come watch the clinic, which will take place the February 24-25, the Monday and Tuesday after the Pine Top Spring Advanced Horse Trials.

George is charging $60/day for auditing, and you can pay on the day.

Fernanda Kellogg will host an afternoon reception for George at her beautiful FoxFrolicFarm on Monday afternoon, after the first day of teaching is complete. We encourage riders and auditors to come meet George and enjoy an afternoon cocktail.

DIRECTIONS TO BRIDLE CREEK FARM:

From Atlanta or Augusta

Take I-20 East to Exit 18(SC 19 S/Edgefield Hwy) toward Aiken

Turn left on to SC 118/Rutland Dr

Continue on SC 302/E Pine Log Rd

Turn left at Banks Mill Rd

Continue onto Colbert Bridge Rd

From Columbia, SC

Take I-20 West to Exit 22(US-1) toward Aiken

Keep left at the fork and follow signs for Hopelands Gardens/U.S.C. Aiken/Aiken Tech. Col.

Turn left on to SC 118/Rutland Dr

Continue on SC 302/E Pine Log Rd

Turn left at Banks Mill Rd

Continue onto Colbert Bridge Rd

Video: Rosa Cha Canter Work January 2014