In The News . . .
Napa Valley Register
Saturday, January 7, 2006
Local equestrians earn awards
On Dec. 3, 2005, three riders who train at Napa's Rapp Ranch were invited to attend the United States Dressage Federation's national awards banquet in Burbank.
Junior rider Rebecca Snider, 16, and Dust Buster, a 28-year-old Appaloosa thoroughbred cross, were awarded the All-Breeds award at Training Level as well as Open for the Appaloosa Sport Horse Association.
Adult Amateur Wendee Walker and her 5-year-old Mustang, And the Crowd Goes Wild!, were awarded an All-Breeds award in their first year showing at Training Level for the American Mustang and Burro Association.
Trainer/owner Sherry Harker and her 18-year-old American Quarter Horse mare, Gena Wild Jig, received the Silver Medal Rider Award, and an All-Breeds award in the Open at the Prix St. George level.
Harker also rode Violet Jackson's American Morgan, Winter Green King Richard, to place second at First Level in the Vintage cup.
Jane Ewer, also from Rapp Ranch, rode Marilyn Berg's Dutch Warmblood Kasper to second place at Intermediate I All-Breeds award. In addition, Kasper and Ewer were recognized for their Intermediate I musical freestyle.
Napa has a quiet but active equestrian community. Horses live in backyards as well as small boarding facilities. While visiting Skyline Park, it is not unusual to see horses in the arena as well as out on the trails. Most everyone has heard of Western and English riding styles, while Dressage is a form of English riding.
When showing dressage, horse and rider work in harmony like dance partners to complete patterns in a 60- by 20-meter arena, before a judge.
The exercises are combined to form patterns or tests, and the tests vary in difficulty from the Introductory walk/trot Level, for beginners, up to Grand Prix as seen in the Olympics.
Judges are looking for specific skills at each level. Precisely placed letters along arena walls help the rider know where to change gaits, directions or perform maneuvers.
Within the tests, horse and rider must show walk, trot and canter with varying degrees of extension and collection. Some riders choose to ride with music and this is known as the Musical Freestyle division. According to the United States Equestrian Federation, Dressage is the fastest growing equine sport in the nation.
One aspect of dressage is that horse and rider are never finished improving. Whether just beginning or competing at the international level, there is a place for those who want to have a great relationship with their horse. The basic skills learned in dressage help horse and rider stay safe and in control wherever they ride.
For more information about dressage, visit usdf.org, winecountrydressage.org, or Rapp Ranch at www.dbicnapa.com.
|
