Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Orange is the new blue

With the overall KWPN - NA keuring tour over, and back from break/vacation. I feel more confident about recapping things.

Keuring was probably one of the most stressed out times I've been through.

This was our end of year hurrah and it was the first time I felt like the program was being seriously evaluated with what we training for and choosing horses out of the fields. I love choosing the raw horses, but sometimes it's hit or miss.

This was an important time in each mare's life and would add street credit to not only their future as broodmares, but to the overall concept of the program that we're doing.

Keep in mind, Haiku is only three years old with less than a year under saddle going against horses that are more mature, and Flair, while five, only had less than 90 rides at that point. 

There was heavy amounts of Tums being passed around, possibly some mimosas.


Combine this with a spike from cooler (we were training with 70 degree weather) to hot (keuring day was 90 degrees). I was really worried about horses becoming flat, tired and dehydrated.

Needless to say, things worked out.

Flair made Ster and PROK; with complements on her topline and overall suppleness. The juries asked that she be represented next year for her Keur and Elite since she will be more developed then. Overall she ended up in the top 10 of the North American tour. I couldn't be more pleased with the development at that keuring and her continued development.

In the end it was Haiku's day- earning 80.5 percent for the under saddle work, 80.4 for the DG Bar Cup, 75 for conformation; making Keur. The compliments and comments were too many to really go over. A huge accomplishment considering she is only three. Her PROK status is still in the air due to KWPN head office but it should be resolved out within this month.

Overall she ended up taking home Mature Dressage Horse at the site. Then going on to win the DG Bar Cup for Three Year Olds, is the top three year old in the North American Keuring and was fourth overall for the IBOP against mature horses with very established farms.

I'm thrilled and excited for her to finish out her three year old year on top, and undefeated. I'm even more thrilled for the recognition for the program that I developed with horses taken from point zero. I'm really looking forward to going out in 2016 and doing something special again.