thanks for the wonderful words of encouragement from everyone, and great ideas!

thought I'd let you know that I also worked with my instructor, Sandie Winrich,
in a lesson Friday night.  She took one look at what I had initially sketched
out, and said, "too test like!!!"  And we re-worked a lot of it.

I had some other notes on ideas of things to incorporate, and some notes from
doing a clinic with Terri Gallo last year near Omaha.  (Terri's website
www.KlassicKur.com does a great job explaining a lot of things, and she does a
lot more depth at her clinics -- thanks to a USDF Region 4 adult Ed grant
helping make that clinic occurr.)

Interestingly, Walter Zetl's book is another source of some inspiration - - the
patterns that he talks about as training tools are not test like, and very good.

The lovely, lovely thing about the freestyles is the chance to showcase what you
do well, in a way that you CAN do it well.  My horse has much better
lengthenings following a 10m trot circle - so that's in my freestyle!  So much
goes into the choreography portion... its fun, but more time consuming than I
first thought it would be. Worth every minute though!

I'm going to try to put a first stab together for a local schooling show August
20th, and be ready to compete with it next year.

Anyone else working on one??  it would be great to hear more about it!!!  ...I
think a great venue for a 'practice ride' of this would be at our horse fairs --
great to draw attention to our discipline!


Joann Messersmith

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you
didn't do than by the ones you did do.  So throw off the bowlines, sail away
from the safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sails.  Explore. Dream.
Discover."
- Mark Twain



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hello,

I am working on putting together my first-ever freestyle, and have an
area that I am a bit unclear on...

from the list of technical requirements, I understand that I need to
show the following things on both reins: 10 m trot circle, 15 m
canter circle, leg yield, change of lead through trot. And I need to
show walk/freewalk, a trot lengthening & canter lengthening in at
least one direction.

However,
I think that a walk to canter transition would add to my difficulty.

and
if I put counter canter in, does that add to my difficulty?
or is that grounds for elimination, as counter canter is a technical
requirement at third.


other ideas to add difficulty?


thanks, in advance!!!!


Joann Messersmith


"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things
that you didn't do than by the ones you did do.  So throw off the
bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor, catch the trade winds in
your sails.  Explore. Dream. Discover."
- Mark Twain

Our gratitude goes out to the people involved in the recent USDF
Young Riders clinic with George Williams.  My daughter, Mimi Stanley was
fortunate to ride in the clinic.  What a great learning experience for
her & 7 other young dressage riders.  Maryanne Mahowald, clinic
coordinator, had things organized down to the last detail & made the
girls feel welcome & very special.  There was a summer gift bag of fun
surprises waiting at each stall, a lovely bedded stall with fans & fresh
water waiting for each horse & a well groomed arena with lessons
videoed.  Special lunches with Mr. Williams for theory & camaraderie
plus a lovely dinner at Maryanne's home topped it off.  Our thanks also
goes out to Kate Phillips of Mississippi View Farm for hosting this
clinic.  Friendly & helpful it was a great place to learn.  The wealth
of knowledge that George Williams imparted was extremely valuable to
every participant & auditor.  Simply put he made a world of difference
in these girl's horses & their riding all with a positive & enthusiastic
approach.   I want to share with you the joy on Erika Mahlen's face when
he said at the end of her lessons "you are ready!"  She will be our
representative for Region 4 at the upcoming NAYRC.  Lets all give her
our support.  But last I want to thank USDF & Sheila Forbes for without
this program where would our dressage future be???   Regards,   Karla
Stanley

Dakota Dressage & Eventing (DDE) - a GMO in North & South Dakota has formed a
Scholarship Fund, and we have now begun the process of... you guessed it,
raising funds ;-)

We are selling several clothing items over the summer, as well as Papa Murphy's
take & bake pizza discount cards ($10 each, 8 coupons worth over $22).  I'll
mail you the Papa Murphy's cards at no cost to you... shipping on the clothing
would be actual cost... Here's the details:

T SHIRTS with a sketch of a horse, and it says "Always remember... the horse is
smarter than you think." - Karl Mikolka   shirts are gray, heavy weight Jerzees
brand, available in youth & adult (unisex sizes)  Make great gifts to horse
enthusiasts that ride any discipline!  $10 each

HOODED SWEATSHIRTS with a horse & rider in half pass (from our logo, as seen on
www.DDE.itgo.com ) The sweatshirt is navy blue, heavy weight Jerzees brand, with
the image in gold. Available in youth & adult sizes.  $30 each

DDE Logo wear:

HATS navy blue, lovely quality, shaped, with the DDE logo in ice blue & silver
stitching, as seen on www.DDE.itgo.com $10 each

POLOS assorted colors & sizes with the DDE logo. $20 each. email me for
availabiltiy  JoannM@...


Also...
if you shop at CountrySupply.com  please use DDE in the coupon code - this
donates to our scholarship program!!!

if you shop at amazon.com or StateLineTack.com or vikingop.com (office
products), please visit these sites BY GOING TO OUR SITE
http://www.dde.itgo.com/favorite_links.html and clicking on their link from our
site... this donates back to the scholarship program as well!

the shopping links & coupon codes are ongoing... please book mark our site &
check back, as we will be adding some others!


Thanks for reading, and thanks, in advance, for supporting our brand new
scholarship program!  Maybe we have even given you a few ideas for your GMO....

Joann Messersmith

DDE Treasurer & Scholarship Chair
JoannM@...


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HI Karen:
Good to hear from you!!! The clinic runs from 8am till about 3:30 - 4pm.
Hope to see you!
M
----- Original Message -----
From: "Karen Otto" <kareno@...>
To: <usdfregion4@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Monday, June 20, 2005 8:54 AM
Subject: Re: [usdfregion4] GEORGE WILLIAMS CLINIC


>
>
>
>
> Hi Maryanne!  This is Karen Otto from down in Rochester....  I may be up
> in
> the Cities these days and am wondering an approximate time schedule for -
> mostly -Thursday... as I may be able to get up there for the afternoon
> perhaps...  Do you have an idea yet of how late it will run on Thursday?
> Or, if it's even "allowed" to only be there for a small slice of time like
> that?  Please email me back directly.  Thanks much!
>
> Karen Otto
> (507) 253-2417 / 8-553-2417
>
>
>
>             "mmahowald"
>             <mmahowald612@ast
>             ound.net>                                                  To
>             Sent by:                  <usdfregion4@yahoogroups.com>
>             usdfregion4@yahoo                                          cc
>             groups.com
>                                                                   Subject
>                                       [usdfregion4] GEORGE WILLIAMS
>             06/20/2005 08:39          CLINIC
>             AM
>
>
>             Please respond to
>                usdfregion4
>
>
>
>
>
>
> USDF/GEORGE WILLIAMS CLINIC
>
> JUNE 30 & JULY 1
>
> MISS VIEW FARM
> SAUK RAPIDS MN
>
> AUDITOR INFO/APPS:
> www.usdf.org
>
> Maryanne Mahowald
> clinic coordinator
> mmahowald612@...
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>      To visit your group on the web, go to:
>      http://groups.yahoo.com/group/usdfregion4/
>
>      To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
>      usdfregion4-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
>
>      Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

Hi Maryanne!  This is Karen Otto from down in Rochester....  I may be up in
the Cities these days and am wondering an approximate time schedule for -
mostly -Thursday... as I may be able to get up there for the afternoon
perhaps...  Do you have an idea yet of how late it will run on Thursday?
Or, if it's even "allowed" to only be there for a small slice of time like
that?  Please email me back directly.  Thanks much!

Karen Otto
(507) 253-2417 / 8-553-2417



              "mmahowald"
              <mmahowald612@ast
              ound.net>                                                  To
              Sent by:                  <usdfregion4@yahoogroups.com>
              usdfregion4@yahoo                                          cc
              groups.com
                                                                    Subject
                                        [usdfregion4] GEORGE WILLIAMS
              06/20/2005 08:39          CLINIC
              AM


              Please respond to
                 usdfregion4






USDF/GEORGE WILLIAMS CLINIC

JUNE 30 & JULY 1

MISS VIEW FARM
SAUK RAPIDS MN

AUDITOR INFO/APPS:
www.usdf.org

Maryanne Mahowald
clinic coordinator
mmahowald612@...

Yahoo! Groups Links
       To visit your group on the web, go to:
       http://groups.yahoo.com/group/usdfregion4/

       To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
       usdfregion4-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com

       Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.

Cesar Parra Symposium Update

The deadline for application for the Cesar Parra Symposium has been extended to
August
1. Contact Kathy O'Brien at KOBrien21@... for rider/audior application.

The symposium will be held October 15-16 at White Fox Manor, Olathe, KS (just
outside of
Kansas City)

The cost for riders will be $200 per ride and an application process is being
developed for
the selection of riding participants. KCDS members may attend the symposium as
auditors
for $40 per day or $75 for the weekend. Non-members may attend at a cost of $60
per
day or $100 for the weekend.

ABOUT DR. CESAR PARRA

Dr. Parra, a Columbian native, has been competing as an international dressage
rider since
1995. He has competed in the 2004 Olympics, the 2002 World Equestrian Games, and
the
1999 and 2003 Pan American Games. He has also been a frequent winner in the
United
States having taken highest honors at Dressage at Devon, CDI Wellington and CDI
Raleigh.
Dr. Parra and his Olympic mount, Galan du Serein, have qualified as one of the
18 riders
selected for the 2005 World Cup in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is also aiming his new
horse,
Wild Dance, for the 2008 Olympics.

Since 1999, Dr. Parra has provided full service training at the Piaffe
Performance Farm in
Whitestation, New Jersey. Dr. Parra's philosophies by which he conducts his life
are
courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control, sharing and strength of
character, and he
tries to pass on these same qualities to his students. His training methods are
based on
the Classical German Training Scale: relaxation, rhythm, contact, impulsion,
straightness
and collection.

Dr. Parra's classical training combined with his international competition and
teaching
experience offers riders and auditors a wonderful educational opportunity. The
symposium format will allow him to interact with both riders and auditors as he
uses the
horses and riders to demonstrate his training methods and philosophies. You will
see
these principles applied through the levels. All participants will also have the
chance to
attend a dinner and lecture with Dr. Parra on Saturday night.

There is an Awesome Accomplishment in progress!!

I wanted to take a moment and publicly thank our show management
team, Sarah Patrick (show manager), and Melanie Ware (show
secretary).

The Dakota Dressage & Eventing (DDE) recognized show, dubbed "Dakota
HorseFest" this year, as it is being held at the SD state fair
grounds next weekend with several other breed shows running the same
weekend, has become larger than ever.

Let me give you a little history to put this incredible
accomplishment in perspective.  We are a GMO of about 100 members
now…

In 2002, we held a one-day show, 73 entries…
2003, one-day show, 81 entries…
2004, we moved to a 2-day show format, and had 119 entries.

This year… We added an adult & youth team competition on Friday,
moving to a 3 day format… and have 297 entries! We hired a second
judge & will run a second ring for about 9 hours over the weekend!

So Melanie & Sarah – for all the hours of data entry, scheduling,
fielding calls from inexperienced competitors, taking the time to
train us less experienced folks in how to do all this stuff! and all
the behind the scenes work of running a show –  while juggling your
own horses, family commitments, & full time jobs -   THANK YOU!

To all the people who are volunteering at the show, and before, and
after - THANK YOU! Every little task that YOU do makes this become a
reality!

When you see these phenomenal folks, tip your hat! We are really a
lucky GMO to have people like this!

Joann Messersmith
DDE Treasurer & Scholarship Program Chair