Schatzi W Sold to Nancy Calhoun of North Carolina

I am both happy and sad to announce that I sold Schatzi W today.

I bred "Robyn" back in Australia in the year 2000. Her mother was named "Batwoman", so naturally her first daughter was "Robyn". She has been a great horse for me over the last decade. I bred her, broke her in and then trained and competed her to the advanced level in Australia and here in the States .

In the end Robyn was not quite sound and tough enough for a big-time four-star horse. The sad part was that this mare's heart is so big she would try to do anything; she would never give up or stop at anything, even if it was a bit too much for her. To be honest, I thought it was not fair to ask her to do something that she was not up to. In the end, I believe it was best to place her in a situation where she would get treated like a princess and still have a job to do every day to keep her active.

I am very happy and very lucky that Nancy Calhoun of North Carolina has purchased Robyn. Nancy is aiming at third level dressage and maybe some low level eventing. I believe Nancy is a kind person and a good horsewoman who will give Robyn a great life. This mare has plenty left in the tank, as she is only 11 years old, so I look forward to following their success.


Boyd

The 2010 Horse Radio Network's Hottest Horseman Awards!

The Horse Radio Network
2010 Hottest Horseman Awards

HORSES IN THE MORNING host, Jamie Jennings, along with Helena Bee of HRN’s Stable Scoop Radio Show, are hosting the First Annual Hottest Horseman Awards Show on Thursday morning December 30, 2010 at 9 am Eastern.  Listen live at www.horsesinthemorning.com or on your iPhone or Droid Phone at www.horsesinthemorning.mobi.

Jamie and Helena are leading the charge in this fun and exciting celebration of the fabulous horsemen in all our lives. With such a diverse population of dedicated, bright and handsome men in the horse world, the ladies of HRN thought the end of the year would be a lovely time for us horse girls to show our appreciation for the men among us.

THE BEST IN BREECHES IS OUR OWN BOYD MARTIN!!:

COME ON LADIES.....I THINK THIS WAS A "NO CONTEST"!!

Australian native Boyd Martin, 31, relocated to the United States in 2007 to pursue his dreams of international eventing competition. He and his wife Silva, a Grand Prix dressage rider who is originally from Germany and now rides for the USA, operate Windurra USA out of Phillip Dutton’s True Prospect Farm. Now riding for the United States, Boyd, who has dual citizenship, was the top-finishing American individual and a member of the 4th-placed US Eventing Team at the 2010 Alltech World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Kentucky.

With three horses competing at the three-star level, in 2010 Boyd was named a member of the US Eventing team’s “A” training list, with the WEG as his goal. Three top-twelve finishes at the Rolex Kentucky CCI4* event placed him on the short list with Neville Bardos and Remington XXV. Following his success at the WEG, Boyd capped off the year with a top-ten finish riding Ron and Densey Juvonen’s Remington XXV at the Pau CCI4* in France, his first competition in Europe. Boyd finished 2010 ranked 5th on the international HSBC FEI Rider of the Year Rankings, 3rd overall on the US Eventing Association’s Rider of the Year Leaderboard and USEA Preliminary Rider of the Year. He has also been named to the 2011 “A” train

The winners are announced in the HRN 2010 Hottest Horseman Awards!  Jamie and Helena reveal the winners and even chat with some of them.  Do the names Boyd and Monty mean anything, listen in and see…

HORSES IN THE MORNING Episode 44 – Show Notes and Links:

• Title Sponsor: Kentucky Performance Products
• Hosts: Jamie Jennings and Helena Bee and produced by Jennifer H. (See host bios.)

LISTEN NOW!!

Merry Christmas!

We wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone that was involved with us and our horses this year. We both had a fantastic year that would not have been nearly as successful if it was not for the wonderful people around us. This means owners, grooms, working students, sponsors, coaches, farriers, vets, landlords, event organizers, clinic organizers, friends and family! Thank you all and see you next year!

Best wishes,

Boyd and Silva

Arizona Young Rider Clinic

Straightening out a horse in Arizona! Photos thanks to Michelle Klein

I had a warm and successful weekend teaching some of Area X’s top Young Riders in Phoenix, Arizona over the weekend. It was a busy and full clinic; these talented young riders trained in dressage and show jumping on Saturday and cross-country on Sunday. It was a new experience for me coaching out West – there were cactus on the cross-country course and prepared footing in all the schooling areas - it was all wood chips on the cross-country course!

Photo thanks to Sarah Lindsten. To view her photo album from the clinic, click here

The group of riders, 24 in total, were fantastic; they showed a huge amount of potential and are definitely riders for the future. What I enjoyed most are their attitudes – they are all rough and tumble kids and true horse people, not only with event horses but with young horses and roping and cutting. I think they’ve all done a bit of everything. There were no mothers dashing out in the middle of the lesson giving their kiddies a drink of water, these guys were ready to learn. They were riding an assortment of horses, from Quarter Horses and Appendix Quarter Horses to Thoroughbreds and Warmbloods, all of which showed ability and improvement throughout the clinic.

I’d like to thank the clinic organizers for getting me out there not only to teach this enthusiastic group of young riders but also to enjoy the 70 degree weather and sunshine! The farm where they put me up happens to have some leading cutters and ropers, Trapper Rogers and Lee Poncelet. After a few beers with the boys I tried my hand at reining riding – it was a wonderful experience and education for me. I rode a young horse that was trained to perfection in the art of chasing a cow and I got a very in-depth lesson on riding a reining horse, which had similar aspects to training a dressage or jumping horse. (Photo at right and video below thanks to Jen Smyser). In all I had a wonderful weekend and hope to get out there again soon.

-Boyd

Silva Heads South!

It's only fair that Silva gets to share in the sunshine this winter in Aiken.  Current plans are for Silva to leave after the new year to travel down to Aiken, which will be home base for both she and Boyd over the winter months.

Silva will be traveling further south for many of her competitions as well.

Here is her current competition schedule, which will certainly be amended.
Clinic schedule to follow!

Competition Calendar

2011 Winter Schedule:

January 29-30
Snowbird's Paradise, Orlando, Fl.

February 11-13
Wellington Classic Spring Challenge
Wellington, Fl.

February 26-27
Dressage at Canterbury
Newberry, Fl.

March 4-6
Palm Beach Derby
Wellington, Fl.

March 25-27
March Magic
Williamston, NC.

Vote for Boyd and Support Eventing

Josh Walker Photo

VOTE FOR BOYD!
Text Vote 09 to 85944
("Vote" + space + "09")
A $5 charitable donation will be charged to your phone

America's Favorite Equestrian is an interactive fund raising effort presented jointly by partnership of The EQUUS Foundation and The United States Equestrian Federation to raise funds to advance the equestrian sport on an annual basis.

Using mobile texting, you can vote to select America's Favorite Equestrians and support The EQUUS Foundation with a $5 gift. 100% of all donations will be used to support charitable causes. How To Vote Select your favorite equestrian listed under each discipline and follow the instructions provided. After texting your vote, you must reply YES to confirm your vote/$5 donation. If you want to cast more than six $5 votes in a single month ($30), please review the separate instructions listed on each equestrian profile; a credit card is required.

How It Works

Starting on December 15, 2010 through February 28, 2011, fans will be given the chance to vote for their favorite equestrians from among a slate of international athletes.

Winner Selections

The winners will be the athletes from each discipline with the most votes and announced in March. The EQUUS Foundation will award a minimum of $10,000 in grant awards in support of the eight equestrian disciplines. The discipline generating the greatest number of votes will receive an additional $5,000 grant award.

Working Draft

NAME: Working Draft

SEX: Gelding

COLOUR: Chestnut

HEIGHT: 17 hh

DATE OF BIRTH: 2002

COUNTY OF BIRTH: USA

BREED: Belgian Draft, Thoroughbred Cross

PLACE OF BIRTH: Ohio

OWNER: Susan Ballek


Working Draft (Bentley) is an 8 year old, 17.1hh Belgian Draft Thoroughbred cross gelding with the best characteristics of both breeds. Bred in Ohio, Bentley moved to Lyme, Connecticut at age 4 to begin training and eventing with owner Susan Ballek.

A calm, athletic and hard working guy, Bentley is a fast learner who is ready to move up the levels. He has a solid foundation at the Novice level, and is ready for a move to Training or Prelim.
Eventing dressage scores for summer 2010 were consistently in the low to mid 30's, placing Bentley in 1st place after dressage at several events. Training Level dressage-only highlights for 2010 were a 70.4% and a 75%. Bentley won all four of his dressage-only classes at Training Level this summer, as well as achieving high-point dressage score of the day at the Connecticut Dressage and Combined Training Association's dressage and two-phase competition at Mystic Valley Hunt Club in July.

Bentley spent September and October of 2010 in Vermont for stadium and cross country work with event rider and trainer Caitlin Romeo. He returned to Lyme, Connecticut in November for intensive dressage work with his owner at Ann Guptill's Fox Ledge Farm in East Haddam, CT. Ann is a Grand Prix dressage rider and trainer. He is currently in training with Four Star event rider Boyd Martin in Pennsylvania.

Bentley is currently jumping 3'6" courses in the ring at a beautiful, steady canter and skips over 4 foot oxers without a problem. Fun and adjustable over jumps, he never gets strong on course and is great alone or in a group of horses. Loves water, ditches, banks and drops, has done tons of hunter pace experience, would also make a great fox hunter. No vices; clips, loads, great for vet and farrier and is an excellent traveler.



You can also go to:
http://workingdrafthorse.blogspot.com/
for more video's and details from his owner.

Please call 610-806-2381 or email Boyd to set up an appointment to see Bentley!