This message is from: PHILLIP Odden <[email protected]>
This message is from Phillip Odden in Northwestern Wisconsin where the summer heat has now arrived.
Columbus was especially fun for my wife Else and I since we had the opportunity to show with Bob Long. Sammy Poirier and Amy, Bob's helper joined our team to fit and show the two fjords we brought to Columbus. It takes a team effort to make it all happen. Our goal at the outset was to have fun. I have found that carriage driving people are very supportive of one another even within the division. Even though the competition is very stiff. This year the extra help was very much appreciated since we experienced heavy rains and the grass at Fireman's Park in Columbus was soggy and soon turned to deep mud in the obstacle course area. After each run through the cones we needed to wash horses, harness and cart to be ready for the next class.
I conditioned and tuned up two fjords for Columbus. In the Large Pony Open division I drove my mare Highland Prairie Gunvor. Gunnie had never been to an ADS show so she could have been shown in the maiden division but I wanted to show her with the experienced ponies. We did alright. Gunnie was fine and did nearly everything I asked of her. She lacked the polish that the other experienced ponies had but she certainly showed she has the mind to do these shows and the athletic ability to compete with several very talented Ponies and Drivers.
The highlight of the show for me was helping Bob Long gain some good experience in the Novice Whip division. For Bob I brought KeJaCo's Herger a 13 year old gelding that has had lots of experience in the driving world. Bob has driven some in other ADS shows but he and Herger had worked together for only a short period of time before the Columbus show. It was fun to see how willing Herger was to adapt to Bobs way of giving directions and how well Bob did in handling Herger. Even in the Novice Whip division there were some very well trained animals with three solid trots. The horses and turnouts get better every year as carriage driving gains in popularity in the Midwest. Herger was calm and willing the entire show doing everything Bob asked him to do. And Bob asked for the right stuff at the right time in the right way. We all had fun and everyone learned a great deal in the process.
Now I will drop my single horses and begin to show my pair Marcy and Beorn who have been neglected for the past weeks. Smedsmo is getting in shape and he may even get a chance to show this year after he first gets his mares in foal.
Else will post several pictures of Fjords at the Columbus Carriage Classic to our website. www.norskwoodworks.com in a few days.
Phillip Odden Important FjordHorse List Links: Subscription Management: http://tinyurl.com/5msa7e FH-L Archives: http://tinyurl.com/rcepw Classified Ads: http://tinyurl.com/5b5g2f
