Amateur Ladies Shine at Dunmovin!

Last weekend our ladies from Blue Hill Farm had a busy day with 6 of our clients competing at the Dunmovin Only Amateurs Dressage Show. 

Jean on Fie

Lynn Seeburger not only won the Intro A test with her Westphalian mare Ronja, she also won her division and was Reserve Champion in the Masters Division!

Joan Farwell took sixth in Training 1 with her home bred Chester County, a horse David Zeigler has here at the farm for training. Linda Nichols came in eighth on Anja in the same class.

Jean Good took the blue ribbon on her own Fie in First Level Test 2 class, and Kate Moore was hot on her heels taking second on Jessica's Simply Harry.

Kate on Harry

Elizabeth Pollet and Hobbs ( he polished up his show name, Idalgo for his day out) won the Second Level Test 1 class.

We came home laden with ribbons and prizes, and with all that great effort Jessica bought home the Trainers Award Trophy!!



Many thanks to Pari for reporting and for Bonnie for taking all the great pictures!!

Check out the photo album on our FB Page!

Next up to bat………………...

Today (9/30) Lynn is at the breed classes at Devon with Missy in the saddle, so we'll be sure to send updates on that exciting event once the day wraps up!!

Another Plantation Field Is A Wrap!

Once again, another glorious year at our neighborhood Plantation Field International Event is a wrap!!  We are so fortunate to have this level event literally in our back yard, and each year it just seems to improve, from the footing in dressage/stadium and warmup to the jumps on the Eric Bull cross country course.

David Ziegler & Fritz With Their Supporters

Susan Opengart, Peter Berk, Missy & Jess

Three of our Blue Hill Farm students competed in this weekend's FEI event.  David took on his first FEI event with Fritz in the 1*, and both Maggie and Madeline tackled the 3*.

We're so proud of all our riders who experienced certain challenges and also moments of brilliance!  David executed a solid dressage test, and then took on the XC course in fine form, with only a few time penalties.  This pair is just starting their career together, and certainly will be quite competitive, as they were poised in the top 15 going into stadium.  Unfortunately they just didn't find their rhythm and misjudged fence 3, which resulted in a fall, but luckily both David and Fritz came away unscathed.   I love this photo of them over the last fence on course, dedicated to our friend Seema.  

Both the girls in the 3* were up against tough competition in a division with over 60 entries!  Madeline and Ari started out the event with just a few challenges in the dressage, with Ari deciding that walking is truly over rated!  In true form, they went on to rock around the stadium and XC, with an unfortunate glance  off on the corner/brush, but quickly represented and finished nearly inside the time.  Maggie and Dante looked great in stadium with 3 rails, and then cracked around XC with just a few time faults.  Both of these horses are just jumping machines and the girls jumped up over 15 places after XC.  They should be so proud!!

Madeline In The Mist

Heading Into The Water Complex

During the awards presentation, we were so thrilled to have Jessica come up to assist County Saddlery with their raffle of a new saddle,  which was held throughout the weekend.  Jess has been riding in her favorite County dressage saddle since the Olympics and we love having our local rep, Patti Gillen, right around the corner for her custom fittings!

Raffle tickets were sold to raise money for the Work To Ride program, based out of Philadelphia.  The Work To Ride kids have been participating in Unionville based events, such as the Cheshire Hunt Camp and the DVA racing series for years, so it was an honor to be involved with this fund raiser.  County very generously donated a $5K jump saddle of choice, and the winner, Aspen Mazzatta from NJ, was so excited she was literally shaking and speechless!!  I think her mother was pretty happy she won the saddle too :)  

Jess pictured with (left to right), Aspen Mazzatta, County Reps Patti Gillen and Kim Conty

All the pictures of the BHF crew were posted on our Facebook page earlier this week.  We'll check back soon with a full report from Gigi and her adventures at the Equus International Film Festival held last weekend in Montana!

Photo Credits Lisa Thomas, Mid-Atlantic Equestrian

Fork In The Road Featured At 2015 Equus International Film Festival in Missoula, MT!

Fork In The Road,  Margaret McIntosh’s Para-Equestrian Documentary

Official Selection For 2015 Equus International Film Festival in Missoula, MT

FOR RELEASE September 8, 2015

Media Contact: Lisa Thomas 

Mid-Atlantic Equestrian Services

Lisa@midatlanticeqservices.com

Margaret McIntosh (Gigi) is an international level Para-Equestrian who, prior to her accident, rode at the highest level of sport of Three Day Eventing.  During the 90‘s she was long listed for the Pan American team, and in 1998 she finished the prestigious Rolex Kentucky Four Star Three Day Event.  

In the spring of 1999, Gigi was injured in a riding accident while competing, resulting in incomplete quadriplegia.  As a testament to Gigi’s grit and determination, she began a positive recovery, eventually getting back in the saddle to take on the sport of Para- Equestrian Dressage.  She began training at Blue Hill Farm with Missy & Jessica Ransehousen in 2010, competing upon Idalgo, a retired upper level event horse once competed by Buck Davidson and owned by good friend Jan Smith. 

Looking forward to international para competition, Margaret purchased Rio Rio,  a lovely RPSI mare,  with the goal of competing with her at the 2014 World Equestrian Games in Normandy and ultimately the 2016 Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro. This pair had great success in 2014 in Wellington, FL and in European competition, earning the United States Para Equestrian Reserve National Champion Title. After a successful European tour this spring, Rio Rio and Margaret are currently in second place in the U.S. Paralympic ranking list for the 2016 games.

Fork In The Road is a compelling documentary about Gigi’s journey from International Event Rider to International Para-Equestrian.  The film features those who have been most influential in her career, including Bruce Davidson, Mary Hazzard, Jan Smith, Jane Cory and Missy and Jessica Ransehousen.

Many thanks to Cindy Connors and Brian Troy, the producer/writer and cinematographer, and the cast and crew at Blue Hill Farm and Bruce Davidson Eventing for making this moving documentary!

Photo Credit During Filming
Para Nurrish

While the focus of this year's film festival is on the relationship of horses to Native Americans, Janet Rose, Director/Founder of EEIIF wrote about her choice to feature Gigi’s film, 

"Your story is inspiring and heartfelt!  You give hope to so many.  We are honored to share it."

  

Gigi is equally as thrilled to be traveling to Montana with her husband to attend the 2015 Equus International Film Festival.

“Having spent a lot of time in Montana skiing, I have great friends in and very warm feelings towards the state! I am grateful to The Equus International Film Festival for the opportunity to show Fork in the Road to my dear friends from Missoula to Bozeman! My husband Brian and I will be at the University Center Theater on Saturday, September 19th at 5:00 PM for the official screening.”

In addition, please come to meet Gigi at Jaker's Bar and Grill, 

3515 Brooks St, Missoula, Sunday, Sept 20 at 4:00pm!

The EQUUS International Film Festival® is an education and outreach project of Horse Haven Montana, a not for profit equine rescue, adoption and education organization.  

Link to Program page:

http://equusinternationalfilmfestival.com/saturday-program/

EIFF Facebook Page

https://www.facebook.com/equusinternationalfilmfestival

Fork In The Road
https://vimeo.com/107626983

Consider supporting Margaret “Gigi” McIntosh for her bid for the US Paralympic team!

Learn more about Gigi and the Para-Equestrian Sport at Paraquest.net 

Happy To See Keegan In His New Home!

It was definitely bittersweet when the decision was made to put Keegan on the market and find him his new owner.  He recently sold to Stef Kanter who trains with Chris Grant in Malvern, and we couldn't be happier that he's stayed local.  We reached out recently to Stef to get an update on her new relationship with Keegan and she was kind enough to send this wonderful note and a picture.

We wish Stef and Keegan the best of luck and know that Seema's spirit and love for Keegan will continue on in their relationship.  Thanks Stef for this wonderful note:
____________________________

Stef Kanter & Keegan

I feel so blessed to have Keegan join my equine family :) I met Seema at a few events and she had quite a presence and was always so sweet to me at the ingate. In purchasing Keegan, I spoke with Bonnie Kibbie and Henry and they couldn't have been nicer, we are so lucky to have so many people and horses with such heart and integrity. Seema absolutely was one of those who made the sport better and Keegan has such heart I believe because she nurtured that in him.

I've been riding for 24 years, I'm currently 31 and have been eventing for roughly 5 or 6 years, having spent most of my former years in equitation and dressage.  I was horse obsessed as a kid and begged for a pony and actually still have her! She is 28, little white connemara named Faith. I trained with Jan and Jeremy Beale for many years in dressage and got my first taste of eventing when I moved to Alliquippa with. ...no joke. ..no saddle and a single horse - Faith. My how things have changed!

I train with Chris Grant out of Alliquippa Stables in Malvern, PA and have a total of 4 horses right now; Keegan, Rudder, Tempi and Faith. I had a fifth (another retired kid) but had to put him down recently at 24, he was a lovely appendix quarterhorse rescue named Guinness. Chris is very patient and has a talent for matching people with their horses. She never pushes too hard but she does let her students develop coping skills and encourages the care aspect of this sport which I love. 

Hard Alee "Rudder" is an ISH that I purchased alittle over 2 years ago, and has taken me from beginner novice to most recently our first training level at Carousel Park. This horse is such an Irish gentleman! I purchased Keegan with the hopes of continuing to get comfortable with training level and share the competition load with Rudder :)

Keegan has settled in so well at Alliquippa and I can't express enough how truly happy I am with him. He is also my first thoroughbred and my first bay!  On a more boring normal note I work full time as a marketing manager at Siemens Healthcare as my day job but when I'm not at work I'm always at the barn escaping with the boys and girl!