Update on Demo Team: Galanta and Oryla

Demo rider Oryla Ramey showed her Demo horse, Irish Draught Sport Horse gelding, Galanta, at Intermediate Level 2 Dressage for the first time May 15-16, 2010 in California. He won his classes both days, showing all their hard work is paying off!Photo credit: Roncie Weatherington

Oryla and Galanta are extremely excited to have been invited to participate in the USEF Developing Dressage Clinic with Olympic medalist Debbie McDonald June 3-6, 2010. The Developing program has been created to identify and cultivate future US Dressage stars. Participation in these clinics is by invitation only, with riders invited at the direction of the USEF High Performance Dressage Committee.

Oryla and Galanta recently started to work with Olympic medalist Charlotte Bredalhl, who is helping them make some big improvements.

Watch for Oryla and Galanta on the show circuit the next few months, and performing Dressage demonstrations in conjunction with the Irish Village at the World Equestrian Games. See the below video of Oryla and Galanta doing Intermediare I at Dressage at Thermal in February 2010:

Spotlight on Demo Rider: Emma Wexler

Emma Wexler is the 12-year-old owner/rider of Registered Irish Draught Sport Horse gelding, Rebel's Run. Emma and Rebel teamed up when they met in 2008. Best to hear Emma's first impression straight from her:

"In anticipation of meeting my new horse, I looked up “rebel” on dictionary.com: “a person who resists any authority, control, or tradition.” Knowing this certainly didn’t make me feel any safer in the saddle, as I swung clumsily up onto the back of a 16h, heavily muscled, dappled grey gelding. It was October 2008, and I was just 10-years-old. So far, the most experience I’d had with a jumper was gaping while Jenny Nelson groomed her horses. So this powerful, playful gelding named Rebel was more than my brain could handle, and I was going to try him out. I was apprehensive as we walked tentatively around the ring. The contrast between my mount and I was like night and day. He was calm, confident, and just a touch cocky, while I was small as a flea on his back and had the confidence of a tulip bulb. You could say I was feeling the pressure, as half a dozen trainers sized us up. I’m still unsure how we “passed” the test, but we did somehow, and that’s what counts. Diane Nunn, my trainer at the time, called out something, probably correcting my posture. To be honest, I think most of it passed over my head, I was exhilarated and in awe, I was riding a "Jumper." I was a little intimidated at first - actually, a lot! Rebel had a solid reputation in many different disciplines. He's definitely named 'Rebel' for a reason! He's mischievous, loving, and loyal all rolled together. He'll nibble my hair just to get a reaction."

Emma began showing Rebel soon after. It was at the Late Fall Pima Academy Cup horse show in Tucson where Emma took her first fall off Rebel in the show ring. Rebel, true to form, finished the line perfectly. After realizing Emma was no longer riding him, he trotted around the ring handsomely and controlled, stopping right at her side. From then on, they became fast friends. This season, Emma and Rebel showed well together in many places including Des Moines, Mason City and Chicago--especially over fences. At the MN Hunter Jumper Association year-end awards dinner, Emma won “Best Child Rider” for 2009. Winning the IDHSNA Hunter I award was also an honor for both horse and rider. Emma is so proud of the work she and Rebel have accomplished to date.
Emma lives in Minnetonka, Minnesota, with her mom, Elizabeth, and her Corgi, Sammi. They own three horses: Rebel’s Run, Bam Bam, and Rose. Look for Emma and Rebel performing jumping Demonstrations in conjunction with the Irish Village at the World Equestrian Games.

Spotlight on Demo Horse: Rebel's Run

Rebel's Run is a 16 hand grey 9-year-old Registered Irish Draught Sport Horse gelding. It has been said that Rebel was born to jump! His sire, Rebel Yell, is by Glenagyle Rebel out of Neaptide, by Seacrest. His grand sire was a Grade A show jumper and successful stallion, before being exported to Zimbabwe, where he was the champion sport horse stallion in “98.” His grandmother is by Seacrest, one of the top show jumping stallions in Ireland and sire of “Cruising.” Rebel’s Run’s dam is Gala Rose, a thoroughbred mare who was off the track, having won 10 races.

Rebel was bred and raised by Gayle Sheahen of Irish Ridge Farm. Gayle originally envisioned Rebel to be her retirement horse, but he excelled so well in competition, she had to see how far he could go. Rebel's professional training began in 2006 with Carlie Beisel, and they placed first in eventing Beginner Novice his second time out. Carlie and Gayle agreed that Rebel's passion was jumping with a "10" jump, so he began focusing on Hunter/Jumper. After six month, Carlie recommended Rebel begin training with Mike and Heather Bonham. The Bonham's daughter, Kels, rode Rebel first at the 2007 Hits Desert Circuit in Palm Spring, California, and ended the season in Syracuse, New York at the Maclay Finals, where Rebel was the youngest horse there. In 2008, he competed in his first Grand Prix at Lake St Louis. That fall Kels said goodbye to Rebel and went on to Harrisburg, PA where she competed against 274 riders to win the 2008 Pessoa/USEF Hunter Seat Medal Final. Rebel headed north to the Fall Harvest show in Minnesota to meet his new owner Emma.Awards
6 yr Old Young Jumpers Championship Midwest League in Lexington KY. 5th place
2007 USEF/USHJD Zone Horse of the Year 5th place
2008 USEF/USHJD Zone Horse of the Year 4th place
2008 Ranked National points 64th for USEF Jr Jumper
Irish Draught Society Year End Awards
2006 Hunter Reserve Championship
2007 Jumping I Reserve Championship
2007 Jumping II Championship
2008 Jumping I Reserve Championship
2008 Jumping II Championship
It was at the Minnesota Harvest Horse Show that Rebel found current owner/rider, Emma Wexler. Emma was 10-years-old at the time. Since teaming up, Emma has ridden him very successfully in the hunter jumper arena. Last year, Emma won the IDHSNA year-end award for Hunter I. She also won the 2009 Minnesota Hunter Jumper Association Best Child Rider award. Since February, they have begun competing at the show jumping level. Right now, they’re competing at levels 0 and 1 and having a great time! Emma is definitely finding her way in show jumping since she made the transition from hunters. Emma and Rebel are beyond excited and working very hard to prepare for their jumping demonstrations in conjunction with the Irish Village at the World Equestrian Games this fall!

Spotlight on Demo Rider: Anne Gaudet

Demo rider, Anne Gaudet, started asking to ride when she could barely walk. When she was 6, she started vaulting with the New England Valkyries, immediately showing talent and dedication while driving her coach crazy with questionable attentiveness. In contrast to constant distraction at practice, at competitions, Anne would remember everything she’d ever been told and produce impressive performances. Unfortunately, after several years of vaulting (and competing twice at Nationals), Anne sustained repetitive stress injuries that ended her vaulting career.

Fortunately for Anne, she had also started riding ponies and showing with Red Acre Farm in Stow MA., so she still had an outlet for her love of horses. She was a successful competitor at local shows and taught two of Red Acre’s ponies to jump, including a grey paint mare who was a great great grand-daughter of Native Dancer. After moving to Colorado in 2006, Anne purchased her first horse, a TB hunter named Ernie. She showed Ernie in hunter and equitation classes for a season before soundness issues ended Ernie’s jumping days.

When looking for a replacement mount, Anne decided to switch to eventing so she could ride with Martha Deeds of Middleground Farm in Larkspur CO. She found a new partner in Rompope, an aged palomino Spanish Barb/TB who could jump the moon but had never evented before. Anne and Rompope entered 11 events over two seasons, competing successfully at Novice and Training level, in Colorado and then in Illinois, after a family move to a farm west of Chicago.After two seasons of competition, Rompope’s age started to catch up with him and Anne was looking for a new mount again. This time she wanted to find a young horse with the talent to take her through the Young Rider program. After searching the Internet and visiting several barns to look at prospects, Anne found her forever horse at Gina Kirby’s farm in Pennsylvania. Celtic Manor Forever Diamonds ("Ziggy") is a delightful opinionated IDSH mare with athleticism to spare. Ziggy and Anne have quickly come to trust each other while look for challenges to tackle together. Anne took last season off to bring Ziggy along, and now the pair is ready to start gaining competition experience at Novice level. Anne looks forward to continuing up the levels with this talented mare who looks like her sire in slightly smaller package. Look for Anne and Ziggy performing Demonstrations in Dressage, Show Jumping, and Eventing, as part of the Irish Village at the World Equestrian Games.

Spotlight on Demo Horse: Celtic Manor Forever Diamonds

Celtic Manor Forever Diamonds ("Ziggy") is a 15.2 hand 2004 grey IDSH mare by Flag of Diamonds RID out of Caretaker (TB). She inherited her dam’s size and her sire’s movement and athletic talent. Her breeder, Gina Kirby, reports that she jumped out of her stall, over the wheelbarrow, when only a few days old. That says it all about Ziggy – “never mind the obstacles, I’m on my way.” Ziggy was purchased by junior rider, Anne Gaudet, in March 2009, to be her Young Rider mount in eventing. Ziggy was green but exhibited lovely movement and a determined attitude that fit well with Anne’s own zest for life. The idea of bringing a young horse along, rather than retraining an older mount was appealing to the 15-year old.
Anne and Ziggy have spent the past year working on developing trust and balance. Anne had ridden geldings before Ziggy, and had to master the fine art of “asking” rather than “telling” to get maximum cooperation from the mare. Ziggy was all heart but needed to learn to listen and to wait for Anne’s requests. Ziggy’s balance and turning ability have improved tremendously as she has built muscle and strength through dressage. Her jumping ability was never in question, but it is much easier to get to the fences with her haunches engaged.

The pair have just started to compete and look forward to an exciting season eventing at Novice level this year. Their first official competition is the Fox River Valley Pony Club Mini-Event on May 15.
Anne and Ziggy have qualified to perform Demonstrations in Dressage, Show Jumping, and Eventing as part of the Irish Village at the World Equestrian Games.