Back in Holland at Mrs. de Vos farm, she had a press conference for Janet Lam and the Dutch endurance team that is going to Malaysia for the world cup.
Janet bought a TB/AT cross mare from her and made it on the endurance team.


Janet and Bougainvilla

I went to the Akhal-Teke meeting in Germany in Gut-Ising.

I flew to Amsterdam, spent a day with my best friend.
Then took the train to visit Clara de Vos van Steenwijk and her Akhal-Teke horses.

We took her car to drive to Gut-Ising, on the way we stopped and had dinner at the Passigaties.

Then drove some more, got a hotel for the night, and the next morning had a little driving left and made it in time.


Prett






Askari


Gonurbasch


On the way back we stopped at Polling, and met the Kaspers and their Akhal-Teke horses.


This is the only picture I managed to take, and then my battery died!
We had a wonderful evening talking horses.
The next day we dove back and stopped for lunch at the Passigaties and told them about the event.
And we went to see their stallion Parahat.


He got taken out of his stall ,and free lunged.

The 1st Annual Breed Conference
&
U.S. Championship Show of the
Akhal-Teke Society of America

Anne-Marie and stallion Metman

The ATSA held their first conference and show in September. It was part of the Equus Survival Trust Festivale of Endangered Breeds, held at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky.

This made for a busy weekend, as there were not only the rare breeds
(twelve different breeds came), but also a 3-day event on the famous ROLEX grounds.

The ATSA had Sabine Topfer-Gebert fly over from Germany to judge the breed classes, under saddle classes were judged by judges hired by the Equus survival trust.

Stallion Goklen and Eron

24 Pure and part bred Akhal-Teke horses came for the show.
On Friday the classes were in the big indoor arena, showing horses under saddle.

Also it was the dressage faze for the 3 day event in wich Keke Osbourne rode on her gelding Belgar AT/TB cross bred by Phil Case. They finished 6th in dressage at the prelim level.

That afternoon they had their jump round, and by then it was pouring rain.

They had some rails down, and moved down to 12th place.

Saturday was cross country, and Keke and Belgar had a clear round, but time faults.

Next day cross country it was a though course, but they did well, and ended up only having time faults, they finished 14th.

Mare Daga

Meanwhile at the breed diplay they had dressage and jump classes for all the rare breeds, and the Akhal-Teke outperformed all of them! Not just my opinion, the judges too since the AT's were always at the top. At the dressage ring judge Lendon Grey would comment after each ride and give hints on how to ride better. All my respect went to Keke as she not only took the advice, but implemented it in her next ride and had a much better dressage test!

In overall, the riding was top notch, with well trained AT's and good riders, a joy to see.

All the show results are on the ATSA website at http://akhaltekesocietyofamerica.com/default.aspx

Then we had a seperate horse grading of all the AT horses judged only by Sabine, it was outside with much better light for pictures and a better atmosphere.

The horses were gorgious, but due to the small classes not always easy to judge.

Stallion Samovar, overall Champion

For example there were 3 colts in the one year class, but one was only a few month old, one was at least 11 month old, and the last about 18 month old.

The difference in size and maturity made it quite hard to judge, but Sabine managed.

Even better yet, the next day we all sat toghter and Sabine had each horse come out one bu one, and she discussed how she gave such a grade.

It was very fun and informative.

It was a weekend well spend, nice to see everyone that lives soo far away, and understandable many could not come or bring horses due to the distance.

For those who missed it or would like to see the results they are posted here, on the ATSA website at http://akhaltekesocietyofamerica.com/default.aspx

We hayed with the neighbors this year, 120 acres.

And pick it up


And stack it.


Saw a lot of vultures and eagles eating the snakes and voles.

And Sara settled in nicely.

We got a new dog from the pound.
Well, we caught a cat in the barn in the raccoon trap. So Sam and I took the cat to the pound. That is where Sam saw the dog....and now we have 2.
Sarah is a mix, not sure what the mix is except obviously lab.

Perfect time for pictures..


Pan Tau took the opportunity to flirt, and Sarah realized this is not something to take lightly

Cross country was a blast. Pan Tau could not have been better.
The course was a little tough, every thing at maximum height and with, but as always beautifully done.
He jumped like a pro.
We went clean, steady, and no time faults.

This year I am taking Chandra with me to Chase Creek for a week long eventing camp.
Chandra is riding Dagjeir and I ride Pan Tau.
We do this every year, but this is the first time Chandra is also riding.

The horses are shedding, grass is growing, life is good!

We have visitors from France again, my niece Sophie and her friend Pauline are here for 6 weeks to do a study on butterflies.

When they have time, we go for a ride. Pauline has only ridden once before. And Sophie only 2 years ago when she visited here.

We have beautiful trails, and they are young and learn fast.

Pan Tau's first event!

We did the Mother's day classic horse trials in Yelm, WA.

We entered in Novice.

Dressage was not so good. He was unsettled and we did have some 7's, we also had some 4's!

Next day the cross country was fabulous! He could not have been better. We, jumped clear.
Stadium, I rode the worst round in my life....I did not take in account that my ankle would get so stiff and swollen being out in the damp cold.

I kept loosing my stirrup and I could not get my heal down.
I have to learn to manage my ankle.

I took Pan Tau to the NW Equestrian clinic.
We signed up to just about everything thanks to Janice Bryant letting me have a spot at the last minute.

I now have a little heater for my trailer, good thing too since there was quite the frost at night.

Pan Tau was terrific. He is such a level headed horse, easy going, and fun to ride.

We had dressage lessons, cross country lessons, did the schooling shows on the weekend and the hunter/pace trials.

Karen then lend me her car to drive down and visit Rose whom I sold Shirin and Aktepel to.

It was wonderful to see the girls again, and now there are 3, Aktepel had a filly by Pan Tau.

After Rolex I went to Visit Karen Yates.

She has ridden at Rolex with her Akhal-Teke's numerous times!

I visited her horses, saw her competition movies, and then she trailerd me and her student to Jim Graham, her formal instructor for a jumping lesson for both of us.

My student Chandra and I went to Rolex!

What an amazing experience. To actually walk the course, and see the horses up close.

We did the course walk with Amy Tryon, impressive!

What an unforgettable trip.

The daffodils are out, horses are shedding, and here we have a snow shower.

I have been back in the saddle, and in March had the hardware removed from my leg.

That feels so much better!