Texas A&M’s second camp in the south of Sweden focused on competitive showing.

Back on the Swedish mainland, Dr. Clay Cavinder replaced Dr. Laura White, and the Texas A&M University team conducted its second horsemanship camp. The camp was hosted at the newly renovated Bokeberg Ranch, the same place that held the Swedish Championships the week before we got there.

The grounds were beautiful, and although the team had a smaller group of only about 10, they managed to stay very busy. The group was overall more advanced and had more showing interest and experience, so A&M was able to progress a little faster. They held a “show” theme while they worked on everything from hand positioning and position in the saddle to speed and style through a trail course.

They broke up riding time with lectures on bits, safety and a special “Ask the Judge” session with Dr. Cavinder. By the final day, everyone was exhausted but happy. All the participants had learned something new, and everyone was grateful for the instruction.

A&M went on to Poland for a third camp, and I went on to meet with Colorado State University in Italy.

Stay tuned.

Click on pictures for description

Happy Horsin’

Mercedes Sotelo
AQHA International Intern

I met with Texas A&M on an island in the Baltic Sea.

A&M Team

Texas A&M University did a great job on this beautiful island!

I met with Dr. Laura White, Ari Sear, Amy Hartfield and Raul Valdez off the coast of Sweden and watched them conduct an awesome clinic. They had almost 20 participants, which kept the four of them very busy for their three-day clinic. The group was made up of mostly recreational riders with a few light competitors and a small number of serious show riders. The A&M representatives found a way to teach them all something new and to improve upon the basic foundation that all horse people should understand.

Basic 1: Following the nose/lateral movement

Basic 2: Move away from pressure

Basic 3: Bridle up/collection

They started the clinic by teaching the participants how their reins communicate with their horses. They taught the direct rein, indirect rein of opposition and how and when to use less rein or neck rein a horse. Once everyone had sufficient control of their horses, they moved into the rest of the horse’s body. They taught stops, spins and rollbacks and had the group using them through reining, trail and horsemanship patterns. They also spent a decent amount of time on speed control and lead changes, simple and flying.

Three ways to catch a lead:

• Use inside hand and outside leg
• Use outside hand and outside leg
• Rollbacks

Overall, the team was impressed with the quality of horses and riders in Gotland. After every hard day of work, the team was pleasantly surprised with an evening activity the participants had planned for us. We had a barbecue by the Baltic Sea, got a tour of the main town (Visby) and even got to explore some caves and shop a little on the last day.

Enjoy the pictures, and stay tuned for Malmo, Sweden!

Click on the pictures for a description.

Happy Horsin’

Mercedes Sotelo
AQHA International Intern

Hallo von Bad Sassendorf, Germany!

TTU's Team

Texas Tech University students and I have been here for the past few days teaching, training and eating!

The camp was hosted by John and Diana Royer at Five Star Ranch. They are not only excellent hosts with a fabulous facility but both accomplished riders on their own, and they will be making their American show debut at the 2010 National Reining Horse Association Futurity. The general interest at this barn is western, with a focus on reining. Levi and his team used this interest to form the four-day camp for the almost 30 participants.

Day 1

Making sure everyone was on the same page, the trainers taught and practiced bending and counter-bending for the majority of the day. They worked the shoulder, ribs and hips at the walk and jog. After the lunch, Alicia and Levi talked to the group about bits.

Day 2

Warming up with the same bending exercises, they quickly split the group and had them practice lead departures in one arena and learning the correct way to stop and turn in the other. TTU likes to keep the concept of forward motion and shoulder control in all of their workouts, and by the end of the day, things were finally starting to click for the participants. Will Wallendorff gave a nutrition lecture in the afternoon that focused on the basics of maintaining a healthy horse.

Day 3

After warming up the horses, the participants broke back into groups. In the large outdoor arena, Alicia, Ashley and Sarah took the group through a horsemanship pattern and an out-of-the-arena trail course that included a gate, sidepass over logs, uphill jog-overs and a serpentine. Levi and Will taught stops in the covered arena. After lunch, I gave my spiel on the AQHA and the many grand benefits of being a member.

Day 4

TTU spent the last day working on individual horse and rider teams as much as possible. They really took the time to work on specifics that the participants wanted to practice and/or learn.

Camp Highlight: Sarah asked John what he was training the [Arabian] horse he was riding for. His response: “Survival”

Texas Tech students will be heading back home to Lubbock, Texas, on Tuesday. They are all very appreciative for the opportunity to travel and teach here in Europe and wanted to say “Thank You” to all the amazing hosts they had along the way.

I am headed to Sweden to meet up with Texas A&M.

Enjoy the pictures and stay tuned.

Happy Horsin’

Mercedes Sotelo
AQHA International Intern

Join me and Texas Tech University at Long View Ranch in Wilhelmsburg, Austria.

Practicing stops in Austria

Hallo!

I have just spent the past four days at Long View Ranch in Wilhelmsburg, Austria. The ranch is owned by Gerold Dautzenberg and run by his beautiful daughter (and amazing host) Gabriele.

Texas Tech was the attending university, and they did a great job! They had an average of 15 participants a day, which allowed the six TTU clinicians lots of one-on-one time with the attendees. Levi Williamson, TTU Ranch Horse Team coach and group leader, started the camp with the basics and worked his way gradually up. On Day 1, he and his team taught bending and basic horsemanship skills, and by Day 4, they were working on sliding stops and flying lead changes. The four-day camp also went through lead departures, neck reining, speed control and trail.

Take your horse training skill to a new level with AQHA’s Borrow a Trainer Report. You’ll learn from some of the industry’s finest trainers.

The participants all worked very hard and all left happy with their own personal progression.

The TTU team consisted of Levi Williamson, Will Wallendorff, Dusty Burson, Sarah Seewer, Alicia Daughtry and Ashley Palmer.

Enjoy the pictures, and stay posted for the next blog from the Five Star Ranch in Bad Sassendorf, Germany!

Click on the photos to see captions.

Happy Horsin’

Mercedes Sotelo
AQHA International Intern

Come along with me on my European travels this summer!

Hello all!

My name is Mercedes Sotelo, and I am this year’s AQHA international intern. I am a senior equine science and agricultural business student at Colorado State University. I am originally from Orange County, California, and have been riding horses for the greater part of my life. I am going to be traveling this summer with Texas Tech, Texas A&M, the University of Wisconsin-River Falls and Colorado State University.

Between the four universities, we will travel to 10 different European countries, and the schools will host 14 horsemanship camps. I am very excited to be a part of this program and hope you will all join me on our travels. I will be posting as much as possible with pictures and updates from the camps. Check it out and leave me your comments!

Happy Horsin’,

Mercedes

Watch out world … Mexico is coming.

Whizmo is the first to win the trailer given by AQHA and MQHA for the 2009 AQHA Caballo Campeón en Reining de México.

At the Final de Afiliados AQHA/National Reining Horse Association México in Monterrey, Mexico, October 31-November 1, more 100 than entries from across Mexico competed for futurity trophies, year-end honors and a trailer to be awarded by AQHA and their Mexico affiliate Asociacion Mexicana de Criadores y Caballistas Cuarto de Milla (MQHA).

The concept for the show started earlier this year when AQHA and NRHA officials met with the Mexican Quarter Horse Association and the NRHA Mexico representatives. AQHA and NRHA have teamed up to develop initiatives for grassroots riders in Mexico as well as those competing in premiere events.

“We met in February to try to promote reining in Mexico,” said organizer Raul Leal. “And it has been very successful and has helped us a lot. We are very thankful to AQHA and NRHA for all the support they have given us and all the hard work helping us.”

The Circuito NRHA Mexico Purina has been going on for seven years as an NRHA North American Regional Affiliate Finals. However, with the alliance partnership, AQHA-, NRHA- and Federation Equestre Internationale-combined events were set up in Mexico with the Circuito being the culmination for the year-end Regional Affiliate awards as well as an Exiss trailer to the AQHA high-point reiner.

“It’s been a really good show,” Raul said. “The competition was tough and we had more entries. The competitors competing for the trailer were on the edge until the last run. We were wondering up to the end who would win it. But that’s reining, you never know until the finish.”

Winning the first Campeon en Reining Cuarto de Milla 2009 trailer was Whizmo, a 9-year-old palomino stallion owned by Gilberto Leal of San Pedro, Nuevo Leon.

“I’ve had Whizmo for three years and I’ve been riding him for about a year,” Gilberto said. “He’s a nice horse, very quiet and very honest.”

Gilberto was thrilled to win the trailer and shortly after it was awarded, his old trailer was pulled up so tack could be loaded into the new one.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” Gilberto said with a laugh. “Thank you Whizmo and thank you AQHA.”
Also during the event was the NRHA Mexico Futurity. Winning the open was Jaime Fuentes on Gerardo Leal’s Sailin With Juice with a 217.5. Sixteen-year-old Gerardo Leal Jr. took the non-pro title on his dad’s mare, Hermosa Hollywood.

“It was a really good horse show,” Jaime said of the Final de Afiliados. “We work so hard all year and for this it was really good.”

It was the first time Gerardo Jr. has won the futurity, but he credits Jaime and Canadian trainer Patrice St-Onge for giving him the right advice to succeed.

“I was doing something wrong and they helped me a lot to correct it,” he said. “I really want to thank them for that.”

Many of the young riders competed against the adults during the show and even won some of the classes.

The American Quarter Horse Journal covers the biggest Quarter Horse events in the industry. Don’t miss an issue!

“These are some of the best youth riders I’ve seen,” said NRHA judge James Morgan, D.V.M.

“Watching these riders here in Mexico,” AQHA/NRHA judge Allen Mitchells added, “it won’t be long and they will be giving the other top countries in reining like America, Canada, Italy and Germany, a run for their money.”

However, top NRHA non-pro reiner Jose Vasquez is hoping 2010 will be the year Mexico shines. With the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games coming to Lexington, Kentucky, Mexico will put their first team together for the event.

“We have had individual riders compete before but never a team,” said Jose, who traveled from his Chicago home to compete. “And after seeing this show, it looks like we’re going to be sending a really good team. I think when we go this time we will be better prepared and we have better riders and horses.”

At the two FEI-CRI2* events, Canadian open rider Lisa Coulter won the first one against nine riders on Western Whiz. Taking the second class with 10 riders was Mexican non-pro rider Ruben Pacheco on Topsail Command.

“When I was in Kentucky for the reining test event, I said one of my goals is to destroy the dreams of the United States,” Jose said. “There’s nothing wrong with saying that and I know it won’t be easy but we’re going to be sending some very good riders and horses.”

With a team traveling to the World Equestrian Games and more reining shows being offered in Mexico, Raul hopes the sport continues to grow.

“It is growing but we need more places in Mexico that do the reining to allow more people from the regions to come because not all reiners want to travel 600, 800 or 1,000 kilometers to come and show at a small show,” he said. “We need to work to make more facilities and get people to organize and manage the shows. But I think at this moment, we are doing it the right way and it will grow.”

And the Final de Afiliados is a good start of achieving that goal.

“Everyone worked hard and helped to make this show successful,” Raul said. “We are a strong team and because of that we will make our dreams come true.”

Tonya Ratliff-Garrison
Field Editor
American Quarter Horse Journal

Check out the photos below from the 2009 Final de Afiliados AQHA/Nation Reining Horse Association México.

The final AQHA international camp was in Wilhelmsburg, Austria.

The final AQHA international camp this summer has ended, and we are getting ready to head home. This camp took place August 7-10 in Wilhelmsburg, Austria, at the Long View Ranch. We had 23 participants, all of whom wanted to build on their foundation and learn new ways to teach the basics.

The participants were divided into two groups, and as we had done in the previous camps, the first two days of the camp were dedicated to foundational exercises to help with suppling and guiding. We also stressed correct horsemanship position in whatever discipline or class we were teaching. The participants would say that they spent more than half of their time at the camp standing in their stirrups, developing leg strength and balance.

We also conducted lectures during the camp. Starting with the bits and bitting lecture on the first day enabled the students to make sure their equipment was in proper working order and was what they needed for their horse’s level. The second day, Zack again did a round pen work demonstration, showing how to start young colts, and Lindsey gave an equine nutrition lecture on the third day.

We again dedicated the third day of the clinic for class specific maneuvers, focusing on western pleasure, horsemanship, trail and reining in preparation for the show on the fourth day.

The show was a wonderful success and gave the camp participants experience in the show ring, as few had ever actually shown. Everyone began the morning with jitters but by the end of the day were laughing and cracking jokes. After lunch, we did a short lecture on flying lead changes and answered some theoretical questions regarding different types of training techniques. We then split into two groups again, and Zack worked with a 2-year-old in the round pen, while I took four of the students into the indoor pen to work on showmanship. We wrapped up the day by helping some of the people load their horses into the trailer and gave them some new ideas about how to teach young horses to load.

We have had a wonderful time in Austria and hope we will be lucky enough to someday come back to visit. However, it is now time for us to head back to the States, as school will be starting again soon.

It is amazing how fast the time has gone by while we have been here, and we are so thankful to both AQHA and their affiliates for hosting the horsemanship camps. The camps are not only a learning experience for the participants themselves, but also for the teachers.

The old saying “If you really want to learn something, teach it” is quite fitting.

Thanks for sharing in my wonderful experience!

Alicia Daugherty
AQHA international intern

The German horsemanship camps were great preparation for the European Championship.

We just finished the second of two International Horsemanship camps in Kreuth, Germany, this year. The first was July 25-28, and the second took place August 1-4. The camp participants ranged in age from 8 to 65, with all levels of riding skills. We had a wide variety of horse breeds between the two camps. In the first camp, we had several Haflinger horses, as well as an Andalusian horse. In the second camp, we again had a Haflinger, but also a Shire and a Creole.

Both camps were divided into two groups. Each group rode two hours in the morning and two hours in the afternoon. Each group was usually divided further during the riding session, enabling the participants to receive more one-on-one instruction.

Both camps were conducted in the same format, with the first day consisting of the basics, such as following the nose, hip and shoulder control, and collection. The second day focused mainly on guiding exercises for reining and horsemanship, as well as transitional exercises. On the third day, instead of working in groups as had been done previously, we worked on specific things, such as reining, horsemanship, trail and western pleasure. We also incorporated a bits and bitting talk into the camp during the riding sessions and set aside an hour in the afternoon on the third day for an equine nutrition talk.

On the fourth day of both camps, we held a mock show for the participants. At the first camp, we offered western pleasure, reining, horsemanship and trail. For the second camp, we offered showmanship, western pleasure, reining, horsemanship and trail.

Everyone seemed to enjoy the show and was grateful for the extra practice before the European Championship of American Quarter Horses coming up later this month.

The Texas Tech team enjoyed the camp immensely and is thankful to those who organized the camps and took the time to show us around the area when we had free days between the camps. It has been a wonderful experience, and I am sure we will all hold it in our fondest memories.

We are now in Vienna, Austria, preparing for the final camp of the summer, August 7-10 at the Long View Ranch just outside of Vienna in a small town called Wilhelmsburg.

Stay tuned for more adventures!

Alicia Daugherty
AQHA international intern

Hello, again!

We made history by completing the first-ever AQHA horsemanship camp in Stare Zukowice, Poland, at the Roleski Ranch. We had 19 participants, 13 riders and six auditors. The participants ranged in age from 13 to 52. The weather has been absolutely wonderful, with lots of sunshine and a slight breeze.

On day 1, we began with the basics of following the nose, giving to pressure, and hip control. That afternoon we conducted a bits and bitting lecture, then rode again from 2 to 6 that evening, working on more collection exercises at the walk, trot and lope.

Day 2 began with class-specific exercises, focusing mainly on reining. We began with the circles and guiding exercise we call the “wagon wheel” drill and the “baseball” drill. We also incorporated lead departures and speed control into the mix. After lunch, Zach Burson did a round pen demonstration with a 2-year-old colt, who had 20 days of riding. Jennifer Richards also did a presentation on performance horse conformation. That afternoon we worked on spin and rollback exercises, using the corner drill, the clover leaf drill and the box drill.

On day 3, we started with western pleasure, emphasizing transitions and consistency. We showed the students the Figure-8 drill, which aids in slowing the horse’s legs down without loosing quality of movement. We also drilled on horsemanship position and presentation while going through three horsemanship patterns. Following lunch, Lindsey Frick presented a nutrition lecture, which deemed very interesting for all of the participants. That afternoon, we got to start on the fun stuff: Rundowns, stops and flying lead changes!

On the last day of the camp, we offered a mock show for the participants so they could combine all the techniques they learned in the past week. The show consisted of western pleasure, horsemanship and reining. We also had an aged geldings class that consisted of four horses, which the participants judged themselves. Anna Elzbieciak won reining; Dominika Dubowik won western pleasure and Karolina Rusak won horsemanship. Gabriela Pacyna was the winner of the horse judging class.

We are sad that we have to leave Poland, as it has been such a wonderful and exciting camp. Nevertheless, we are looking forward to the next two camps in Kreuth, Germany. The first camp in Kreuth will start on July 25.

Stay tuned for the next adventure!

Alicia Daugherty
AQHA international intern

Hello, all!

We have completed the first camp in Sweden, July 14-17, at the Kansli Ridskola in Sala. With the beautiful weather and large arenas, we were able to accomplish a great deal, both outside and inside. The camp consisted of 12 participants and several auditors. They were divided into two groups.

During the first day, A&M team members Cassidy Kurtz, Derrick Caddell, Teresa Meier and Brittanie Wells worked on phases 1 through 3 of their program. Phase 1, following the nose, uses the direct rein to work on flexion and giving to pressure. Phase 2 combines Phase 1 with the use of the indirect rein to gain control of the shoulders. Finally, Phase 3 incorporates both phases 1 and 2 to gain collection at the walk, trot and lope.

The following days, participants warmed up on the rail, concentrating on their horsemanship position and upward and downward transitions, as well as phases 1 through 3. After warm-up, they broke into groups and worked on class specifics, such as reining, horsemanship, western pleasure, hunter under saddle and showmanship.

We also had the pleasure of accompanying the participants to supper at the old silver mine in Sala on Wednesday night. After supper, we toured the underground mine and experienced what life under ground was like. Very cold, let me tell you!

From Sala, the A&M team will travel to Malmo, Sweden, for its camp, July 20-24. The Texas Tech University team will be arriving for its first camp, July 20-23, in Poland.

The Texas Tech team consists of Jennifer Richards, Zack Burson, Lindsey Frick and myself. The camp in Poland will be at the Roleski Ranch. Check out the ranch’s Web site. This will be the first-ever AQHA-sanctioned summer horsemanship camp in Poland.

Alicia Daugherty
AQHA international intern

Hello, everyone!

Despite the rainy weather in Bad Sassendorf, Germany, we have successfully completed the camp. When we arrived in Germany, it was sunny and warm, but the day before the camp was cold and wet. Nevertheless, the camp participants and instructors refused to let the rain stop them.

It rained all night before the first day of the camp, so we were unable to use the outdoor pen the first part of the day. Based on rider experience, we decided to divide the 26 participants into three groups, the largest group consisting of nine people. One group would ride in the indoor pen, while the other two groups moved between workshops. After lunch, the rain let up, and we were able to use the outdoor pen. Throughout the day, the North Central Texas College team worked on suppling exercises, foot-fall placement, and basic body position and horsemanship techniques. That afternoon, the team worked on collection exercises. The workshops consisted of ground work and the “blindfold exercise.” (This is an exercise designed to teach people how the bridle and bit work on different pressure points.)

The next three days were a struggle with the rain. The sun would come out about the time we would break for lunch and, of course, it would start raining again when it was time to ride. However, the NCTC team did an excellent job of working around the sloppy mud.

On days two and four, the primary focus was specific classes, such as reining, trail, showmanship, horsemanship and western pleasure. Day three consisted of more suppling exercises and horsemanship techniques, along with bits and bitting. The team members also did some round pen work, as we were able to move the round pen into the indoor arena to avoid the mud.

Overall, the camp was a valuable learning experience for both the participants and the instructors. The rain taught us all patience and tested our creativity, but the end result was wonderful. There was huge improvement in all of the participants, and many will be tough competitors at any of the shows they enter.

I am now in Sala, Sweden, for the July 14-17 camp. The North Central Texas College team has completed its stay and flew home July 13. Texas A&M University will conduct the next two camps in Sweden, the one here in Sala, as well as the one in Malmo July 20-24. A&M will also be conducting the camp in Wenden, Germany July 30-August 2. The team consists of Cassidy Kurtz, Teresa Meier, Brittanie Wells and Derrick Caddell.

Stay tuned for more adventures!

Alicia Daugherty
AQHA international intern

Hello, all!

My name is Alicia Daugherty, and I am the international intern this year for the European horsemanship camps sponsored by AQHA. This year, we are sponsoring 13 horsemanship camps in eight different countries. See a schedule of the camps. The camps consist of everything from horsemanship, reining, western riding, western pleasure, trail and even showmanship.

I was unable to attend the first camp in Hamar, Norway, but from what the North Central Texas College team has told me, it was a huge success. Amanda Vidler, a member of the NCTC team, said, “They absorbed the information we had to offer like a sponge.” There were 23 participants at this camp.

The camp in Frisenvoldvej, Denmark, July 1 through 4, was also a huge success. The 23 participants were divided into two groups and alternated from the outdoor arena and the indoor arena. Despite the dust of the outdoor pen, the camp participants worked on trail, reining (stops and turns) and horsemanship. Those in the indoor pen, fighting the stiffening heat, worked primarily on guiding, rail work and transitions, as well as showmanship in the afternoon.

It was amazing to watch the transformation from the first day to the last. The camp had a wide variety of participants, ranging in age from 8 to the mid 50s. We also had a wide variety of horses, including two Fjords.

During the heat of the day, the NCTC team presented educational talks, including bits and bitting and how to properly wrap legs before riding. They also did an exercise called “marching with the horses.” Team members would have two participants, one on each side of the horse, place their hand on top of the horse’s hip and “march” with the footsteps of the horse. The purpose of this exercise was to help the participants feel if their horses were taking a short step behind, which could be a sign of soreness.

The participants agreed that they made huge improvements during the four-day experience. They not only bettered their horsemanship skills, but also learned valuable lessons in ground work and proper horse maintenance. Several of the students also learned about the equine science program at NCTC and are planning on looking further into attending the school.

From Denmark, the NCTC team and I are headed to Bad Sassendorf, Germany, for the camp July 9-12. Check out the facility!

Stay tuned for more adventures.

Alicia Daugherty
AQHA international intern