Scout's Saturday Morning Dressage at Devon Update

Silva and Trading Aces (Oscar) in the Dixon Oval

Two days and countless outfit changes later, there is still no word from Deb. There are also many more dominating performances to discuss. Bear with me here because Windurra had a lot of horses competing, and organization is not a highlight for my brain. 

 

Silva and Boyd with the multi-talented Oscar

 On Thursday, Silva rode Zoran and Trading Aces to 2nd and 4th in the 4th level, and Zoran again on Friday put in another top-notch performance.

Zoran

 

Gracia and Colin also put in a great test, only to be topped by her BEAUTIFUL test with Colin on Friday night. It was her first time doing 4th level, at Devon, and managing to place well in the top 10 against well-known riders in a huuuge class is something to be truly proud of. 

Silva and Duvent also rode 4th level on Thursday, crushing the competition and grabbing the big win, just to do it again on Friday with an even more amazing test. 

 

Benny getting some love

Benny, another one of Melinda and Larry's incredible horses, had similar results, ending up in the top three in what I am pretty sure is the biggest 5-year-old class ever to happen anywhere. 

Benny

Kymmy and Hot Date had incredible performances both Thursday and and Friday. She rode like a true professional out there and has one of the most exciting up and coming horses around. This shows in her top 4 placing against dozens of well known horse and rider pairs. Congrats Kymbo, your success is really inspiring, and something to look up to. 

 

The Cha was also incredible, coming in 6th out of 43 horses with a 68%. She set the bar since she was unfortunately first to go. Silva and Rosa Cha are a truly incredible. I want
 spot in the order of go! to be them when I grow up. Stay tuned to their win today... 
much better spot in the order of go!

Team Windurra...it takes a village...

Michelle also rode two stunning tests putting up there with the top contenders, continuing my realization that we somehow have managed to form an unstoppable group of juggernaut horses and riders.

Something else happened on Friday that was a bit disappointing.. you see, Kymmy was needed to collect Silva's awards since Silva was competing during the ceremony, and word around the block is Kymmy decided to opt out of the victory lap...on foot. That lap was well earned Kymberly Pullen, and more importantly I was looking forward to watching you canter around the Dixon Oval without a horse under you! Just imagine it: ribbons flowing elegantly from your belt loops while you held imaginary reins and acted slightly spooky because of the crowd going wild. It would have been magical...lol. 

 

-SCOUT

Boyd Martin Clinic at Stony Brook Farm

We had another fantastic clinic over the weekend at Denise Lahey and Pierre Colin's Stony Brook Farm in Peterborough, NH. We had a lot of great horses and riders but Pierre and Cedric really stole the show. Denise and Pierre are great supporters, owning Steady Eddie and SBF Cortez, and as members of the Trading Aces Syndicate. It's always fun to spend the weekend at their farm teaching and enjoying the beautiful countryside of New Hampshire.

-Boyd

Pierre and Cedric

Boyd imparting words of wisdom

Pierre and Ying Yang Yo

Successful End of Summer for Boyd and Silva

As Lisa and I put the finishing touches on Boyd and Silva’s website, it was an exciting and successful past couple of weekends for them at their respective competitions.

In New Jersey Silva was busy competing at Dressage at Stone Tavern at the New Jersey Horse Park. FS Tiger Lily, owned by Meg Williams, was a real superstar and was First Level champion both days that she competed. Silva’s young horse Fendi, brought over from Australia not too long ago, was Reserve Champion in the breed show.

Moving up the levels, it was a lucky day for Silva’s Irish Sport Horses: Ballatale, a 12-year-old gelding owned by (Tale Quale xx X Punaballa, by Ballinamona Boy), owned by Sara Sanz De Acedo, placed second in Third level, while Felix, (breeding unknown), owned by Cayla Kitayama, placed fourth in Fourth level.

Up at the Seneca Valley Horse Trials, Boyd said he saw the opportunity to pick up a few ribbons since everyone was packing up and heading home due to Hurricane Hannah sweeping through. In spite of 5” of rain falling in 24 hours, Boyd jumped clear around cross-country on all three of his intermediate entries, winning Intermediate B2 riding August Vettorino’s Clifton Imperial and bringing his own homebred mare Shatzi W, also a recent import from Australia, home in third place.

“Shatzi is still quite green and it was a lot to ask of her, so I’m very pleased,” said Boyd.

In Open Intermediate A1 Boyd finished fourth Falcon Splash, another good Aussie-bred horse. Kudos to Boyd’s mate Ryan Wood from Australia who finished second in Intermediate B1 riding Wynella Wolverine.

Boyd also cleaned up in the preliminary divisions, winning open prelim A4 riding Minotaure du Passoir, who is just back in competition after undergoing colic surgery at New Bolton Center earlier this year, and also winning open prelim B3 riding Bellaney Destiny, an Irish gelding imported by Darren Chiacchia and now owned by Deborah Kuhn.

Boyd said, “This is a new horse I just started riding and I really feel he’s super talented on the flat and a good jumper.”

This weekend Boyd heads to the Wellpride American Eventing Championships in Chicago…more to come about the horses he will ride there as he attempts to bring home a pile of prize money and prizes.