One Day Until Departure

Hello everyone! Thank you for checking out my blog! My goal with this blog is to keep family, friends, and sponsors updated about my adventure to San Diego, California for some top-level dressage training and showing. Oslo and I have declared for the 2011 Pan American Games and are hoping to be in the top 15 Canadian riders which compete in head to head selection trials for the ultimate position: one of three spots on Canadian team going to Mexico in October to attend the Pan American Games. The goal of competing in the head to head trials is definitely one that will push us beyond our comfort zone, but through the experience, I know I will learn so much and grow a lot as a rider and competitor.

My first post is only being done a day before departure due to me writing my last engineering exam yesterday, Wednesday. Now that I have that out of the way (and boy am I relieved!) I am finally able to start packing and getting organized for our six week long trip. Not only do I have to pack for myself for six weeks, I also have to pack enough stuff for the three horses that I am taking. This brings me to the introduction of the three wonderful horses I get to bring down with me:

Oslo: my equine partner for six years now, KWPN Bay Gelding, 16.2hh, 15 years old

Skippy (show name: Bonafide): equine partner for almost 2 years now, Canadian Warmblood Bay Gelding, 17.1hh, 13 years old

Cashew: newest equine partner - we have only been together for about 3 weeks, KWPN Chestnut Mare (but trust me, she is NOT your typical chestnut mare!), 17hh, 4 years old

I am so excited to be taking all three of them! They are all such unique horses and having all three of them down in California for training will really allow me to develop as a rider. Therefore, I need to thank the owners of Skippy and Cashew for letting me take their horses on this journey with me. So, THANK YOU Grant and Claudia Wierzba and Allison Hagen. Never have I known such amazing horse owners!!! =)

Now, a little more about the trip: My mother, father, and I, with the three horses, depart first thing tomorrow morning, April 22. We need to get to the Canada/U.S. border early in the afternoon to have all the horses inspected by a veterinarian at the border. Then we will continue on to Idaho Falls and spend the night there to let the horses rest for a few hours. Then one more full day of driving to Las Vegas where we will spend the second night. This allows us to arrive Sunday early afternoon (the 24th). We will be driving straight to the Del Mar Fairgrounds and be staying there for the first week since we have our first show the weekend of the April 29th. After that show we will be moving to Steffen Peters' barn just East of Del Mar. We will be attending two other shows in California during our trip and all the other time will be spent receiving lessons from Lientje Shueller (Steffen Peters' assistant) and Steffen Peters.

The packing and cleaning awaits me, so I am going to leave the first post at that. I promise to update the blog as much as possible and dad is always on photography duty, so I am hoping to post tons of pictures as well!


Lindsay