the standardbred connection - november 2014

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November 2014 Features: Driving Standardbreds Championships! Four Good Legs Smooth Operators

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This edition of The Standardbred Connection features driving Standardbreds, Championships, and much, much more!

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: The Standardbred Connection - November 2014

November 2014 Features: Driving Standardbreds Championships!

Four Good Legs Smooth Operators

Page 2: The Standardbred Connection - November 2014

Inside this edition:The Drive to Succeed..........................................................................page 3

Ontario Standardbred Awards............................................................page 6

A Pleasure to Show..............................................................................page 8

Four Good Legs...................................................................................page 10

Roadster................................................................................................page 12

Promoting the Standardbred..............................................................page 14

Taking the Mystery Out of Tattoos and Freeze Brands....................page 15

Standardbred Horse Association of Australia Award......................page 16

Smooth Operators...............................................................................page 18

Standardbred Performance Society Awards.....................................page 20

National Standardbred Show Winners...............................................page 22

Caparisoned Horse..............................................................................page 24

Brag Page.............................................................................................page 25

On The Cover

Draken, a champion driving horse, being presented by Kathleen Haak at the 2010 World Equestrian Games. Photo by Shutter Savy Images.

If you would like to contribute an original article for consideration to The Standardbred Connection, please contact us at [email protected]. We reserve the right to refuse any article.

Have club news? Hosting a STB friendly event? Share the news on our Facebook page or drop us an email at [email protected].

Page 3: The Standardbred Connection - November 2014

The Drive ....

.....to SucceedBy Kathleen Haak

Page 4: The Standardbred Connection - November 2014

The name “Standardbred” originated be-cause the early trotters were required to reach a certain time standard for the mile distance in order to be qualify as part of the new breed. The athletic

Standardbred brought racing to the common man, first between neighbors and later at racetracks. That doesn’t mean however that they can only be used for racing.

Looking through back issues of The Carriage Journal, The Whip and newspapers and you’ll find many mentions of Standardbreds. The New York Times covered Alfred G. Vanderbilt’s decision in 1908 to take 60-80 (accounts differ) American Standardbred horses to England to horse his Ven-ture Road Coach on the London-to Brighton Road. Today, Standardbreds are still used for coaching and can even be found doing commercial work.

So where are all of the carriage driving Standard-breds? Some people, hoping to avoid any stig-mas, have their horse re-registered as a sport horse and dye their neck tattoo; others quietly drive their Standardbreds without fanfare and yet others put themselves out in the public eye.

Combined Driving EventsThe most visible in the American Driving Society‘s Combined Driving arena is Pierre Guillemette, whose 18-wheel horse transport features a picture of Pierre and his Standardbred mares. From his farm in Quebec, Pierre and his mares, M C Suzy Rail and Filtre D’amour, travel Canada and the East Coast of the US competing in CDEs, driving trials and sleighing derbies. They have competed up to the Preliminary Pair FEI level. Turned out in russet harness, these two bay mares (pictured on the previous page) present a very pleasing picture of teamwork and helped Guillemette’s Canadian team win the first Can-Am CDE Challenge.

Working to give Pierre a run for his money in a few years is Chuck McGrath from Oklahoma. He adopted his first driving horse, Muskiemar I, from Racer Placers Inc, located in Wisconsin, in 2012. Shortly thereafter he headed to The National Drive hoping to pick up some pointers, having a solid

foundation in eventing but never having driven be-fore. After taking lessons, buying a new carriage, changing bits, and gaining driving hours, Muskie-mar and Chuck had the beginnings of a solid rela-tionship.

Early 2013 found them at Black Prong training with Fred Mirriam and they hit the Driving Trials ready to go. With two training HDT wins and one prelimi-nary CDE placing, Chuck and Muskiemar were the inaugural winners of the USTA sponsored HDT/CDE award. At the 2013 National Drive, Chuck and his partner, Meghan Richey, debuted their new pair – Muskiemar and Cmebatrotter – and hope to compete at HDT/CDEs with them.

Should you see a black and white Standardbred competing at advanced level competition, that is Canadian Tina Sully and her Pinto-Standardbred cross, Deer Park Phoenix. Together they have been extremely competitive at major events like the Bromont CAI International CDE, the Southern Pines CDE and Live Oak.

Draken and Kathleen Haak competing in the cones phase of the Saratoga Driving Trial.

Against the Best navigating a marathon hazard at the Susquehanna Valley Whips & Wheels Horse Driving Trial

Page 5: The Standardbred Connection - November 2014

George (Frolic) Weymouth’s four-in-hand of Standardbreds graced the August 1975 cover of The Whip, a publication of the American Driving Society. They are preparing for driven dressage at the first Myopia Driving Competition. Photo by Chris Sparrow.

What is Combined Driving?

Combined driving is the driving equivalent of eventing. Drivers compete in driven dressage, marathon and obstacles (aka cones). These events take place over three days and test the training, endurance and agility of the horses. Competitors may drive a single horse, a pair of horses (2), tandem (2), or a four-in-hand of horses. Competition is monitored in the United States by the American Driving Soci-ety and the FEI.

Not quite ready for a CDE (Combined Driving Event)? You might try the horse trial equivalent, an HDT (Horse Driving Trial) or an ADT (Arena Driving Trial). These trials often take place over the course of a day and feature the same elements as a CDE but the marathon portion is much shorter. HDTs typically take place during the summer and ADTs take place during the winter months as they are held indoors.

Page 6: The Standardbred Connection - November 2014

English Performance Champion: Meaghan Melchers / RU PULLIN MY LEG Silver Champion: Jaci Payne / CRIMSON JIFFYBronze Champion: Jessica Allen / CLEAR XAMPLE

English Under Saddle Champion: Breanna Houben / BLUERIDGE CAMOTIONSilver Champion: Jackie Panko / DOUBLE A VICTORYBronze Champion: Michelle Bohrer / DOMI-NANT KEMP

English in HandChampion: Jaci Payne / CRIMSON JIFFYSilver Champion: Meaghan Melchers / RU PUL-LIN MY LEGBronze Champion: Jackie Panko / DOUBLE A VICTORY

Over Fences Champion: Meaghan Melchers / RU PULLIN MY LEG Silver Champion: Breanna Houben / BLUERIDGE CAMOTIONBronze Champion: Amanda Clark / TRINOMOL-LY

Novice Over Fences **Tie**Champion: Amanda Clark / TRINOMOL-LYChampion: Meaghan Melchers / RU PUL-LIN MY LEG Bronze Champion: Emma Christoforou / THE PAINTED PONY

Open Over Fences **Tie**Champion: Breanna Houben/ BLUERIDGE CAMOTIONSilver Champion: Julia Clark / CHELEMARK CAM Silver Champion: Meaghan Melchers / RU PUL-LIN MY LEG

Walk/Trot Dressage Champion: Meaghan Melchers / DREAM A LITTLE DREAMSilver Champion: Jaci Payne / CRIMSON JIFFYBronze Champion: Mary Mark / GRIN AND BOO IT

Training Dressage Champion: Meaghan Melchers / DREAM

A LITTLE DREAMSilver Champion: Meaghan Melchers / RU PULLIN MY LEG

Western Performance Champion: Meaghan Melchers / DREAM A LITTLE DREAMSilver Champion: Jaci Payne / CRIMSON JIFFYBronze Champion: Jennifer Graham / IONA SUC-CESS

Western Under Saddle Champion: Shawn Jenkinson / CRIMSON JIFFYSilver Champion: Meaghan Melchers / DREAM A LITTLE DREAMBronze Champion: Jackie Imeson / MATTS WAR-RIOR

Western In Hand Champion: Jaci Payne / CRIMSON JIFFYSilver Champion: Meaghan Melchers / DREAM A LITTLE DREAMBronze Champion: Tia Biro / FIT FOR ACTION

Western Games Champion: Tracy Coomber / HUGOSilver Champion: Meaghan Melchers / DREAM A LITTLE DREAMBronze Champion: Jackie Imeson / MATTS WAR-RIOR

Western Dressage Champion: Meaghan Melchers / DREAM A LITTLE DREAMSilver Champion: Jaci Payne / CRIMSON JIFFYBronze Champion: Tracy Coomber / HUGO

Page 7: The Standardbred Connection - November 2014

Mounted Obstacle Champion: Meaghan Melchers / DREAM A LITTLE DREAMSilver Champion: Julia Clark / CHELEMARK CAMBronze Champion: Bonnie Holland/ YOUNG POINTER N

Driving Champion Champion: Michelle Bohrer / JUST JATESilver Champion: Jackie Imeson/ MATTS WAR-RIORBronze Champion: Shawn Jenkinson/ CRIMSON JIFFY

Youth English **Tie**Champion: Emma Christoforou /THE PAINTED PONYSilver Champion: Amanda Clark / TRINOMO-LLYBronze Champion: Lita Curran / YOUNG POINTER N Bronze Champion: Julia Clark / CHELEMARK CAM

Youth Western Champion: Lita Curran/ YOUNG POINTER N Silver Champion: Emma Christoforou /THE PAINTED PONY

High Point Adult Champion: Meaghan Melchers / DREAM A LITTLE DREAM

Silver Champion: Jaci Payne / CRIMSON JIFFYBronze Champion: Meaghan Melchers/ RU PULLIN MY LEG

High Point Junior Champion: Emma Christoforou /THE PAINT-ED PONYSilver Champion: Lita Curran/ YOUNG POINTER N Bronze Champion: Amanda Clark / TRINOMOLLY

High Point Youth Champion: Emma Christoforou /THE PAINT-ED PONY

Silver Champion: Lita Curran/ YOUNG POINTER N Bronze Champion: Amanda Clark / TRINOMOLLY

Rookie Horse Of The Year TRINOMOLLY

Rookie Rider Of The YearLita Curran

Versatility CRIMSON JIFFY

Jackie Imeson and Matt’s Warrior

Versatility Horse of the Year Crimson Jiffy with Shawn Jenkinson

Page 8: The Standardbred Connection - November 2014

Standardbreds are often found in the show ring, competing at pleasure driv-ing. The basic pleasure classes are:

Reinsmanship - judged primarily on the ability of the driver to drive the horse

Pleasure - judged primarily on the horse’s way of going and behavior

Cones or obstacles - a timed event judged on the speed and accuracy while going through a set of cone markers.

Other common classes are Ride and Drive, Driv-en Dressage, Super Reinsmanship, and pleasure marathons.

While tradition is very important at upper level shows, local shows are often more relaxed. There are a few universal requirements - brown gloves and an apron or lap robe. Drivers are also re-quired to carry a whip, which acts as your ‘ridding legs’ when driving. The type of carriage used in pleasure driving varies but some venues require wooden wheels and/or steel wheels. Bikes are acceptable at Standardbred specific events but frowned on at open shows unless specified.

In Canada, Lisa Foster and her gelding, Jif, have been making a splash on the Ontario Standard-bred Show Series circuit, winning High-Point Year End Champion several times. Lisa is most often recognized in the US for showing her pinto pony at top level ADS pleasure shows but in Canada she is more well-known in the Standardbred world. Lisa shows Jif in dressage as well as pleasure driving and combined driving events with the Tri-County Carriage Association. Lisa and Jif made the long haul to Ohio for the inaugural World Standardbred Show where they won Pleasure Driving Champi-ons in 2013.

Another Canadian, Diana Trafford and her Stan-dardbred, JD’s Abigail, have also successfully crossed the border. Among their accomplishments they have won training and preliminary level driven dressage classes as well as the prestigious Meta-mora Silver Whips class in 2011 at the Metamora Driving Competition. Dianne has also won at the largest pleasure driving competition, Walnut Hill, on more than one occasion with a Standardbred.

Header Photo: Rob Pennington driving Valiant Legacy at a Central Jersey Horseman’s

Association show. Photo by Vicki Wright

A Pure Pleasure to Show

Page 9: The Standardbred Connection - November 2014

While the Canadians are racking up the awards at American Driving Society events, the Ameri-cans are bringing home the Standardbred Plea-sure Horse Organization National Awards. Wendy Flowers, of Maine, has driven/ridden Panzo Two to several National Championship awards. One of her favorite activities is being a Standardbred ambassador at events like Equine Affaire Massa-chusetts. Flowers and Panzo Two demonstrate ride and drive skills. This class replicates the days in which a fox hunter drove his horse to a meet and then participated in the hunt. True to tradition, the pair demonstrate driving first and then switch to riding. Panzo Two showcases the best in Maine Standardbred pleasure driving.

Moving over to New Jersey, the pleasure driving competition is always very stiff. Rob Pennington, Helene Gregory, and Don Yurga are just a few of the names you’ll hear from the announcers stand. In the case of Don Yurga, you may be surprised to find him at the reins of a Standardbred as he has a well-established reputation in the miniature horse world. Yurga is know for his turnout, com-plete with russet harness and the equine equivalent to a sports car, a gig cart. All very appropriate for a gentleman driver.

Whether you’re showing on the national level or at the local level, a Standardbred is capable of turn-ing heads and demonstrating why they are such a pleasure to drive.

Below: Don Yurga competing with his Standardbred at a Delaware Valley Horsemens Association show. Photo by Tony Vecchiolla, AAF Images

Above: Wendy Flowers with just a few of the awards that Panzo Two has won through the Standardbred Pleasure Horse Organization.

Page 10: The Standardbred Connection - November 2014

There is one thing that we can all agree Standardbreds do, and do well, they can trot. With a slight shift in focus and training they can keep on trotting for many, many miles.

When you add in their tendency toward good bone, strong feet and steadfast nature, it is easy to see why many are successfully turning their hooves to the rapidly growing sport of Endurance Riding. Personally however, it was never a sport I would have con-sidered when I first encountered my own steadfast Standard-bred, Lyon’s Daz (aka Leo) for either of us.

I was physically fit and active until eight years ago, when my left knee finally gave up the ghost, the legacy of a motorcycle ac-cident many years earlier. Complicated by nerve damage, the injury left me unable to walk with-out crutches and in a great deal of pain.

About the same time, across the other side of the United Kingdom, Leo survived his own accident leaving him with a fractured pelvis, broken ribs and severed ligaments. Unsurprisingly, this put an end to his harness racing career. Fate brought us together at a rescue centre shortly afterwards and, even though we both limp to the same side, we’ve been rehabilitating each other and going from strength to strength ever since. Combined we have four good legs, all we really need.

It rapidly became apparent that simply rehabili-tating Leo to walk with a measure of comfort and normality would not be enough. From ground

work, both with poles and a variety of other tools and techniques, through early ridden work to establish a preference for a diagonal trot over the lateral pace, to grid-work, jumping and even dressage to improve balance and co-ordination; each activity seemed to build a base for a horse always looking for the next thing he could try.

The regular schooling and attention to flatwork slowly built Leo a muscu-lature that allowed him to carry himself more eas-ily and therefore move more economically than he did as a racing pacer, whilst still retaining that ground eating Standard-bred trot. Eventually a move in stable yards to our current location at Salcey Forest Ridings granted us access to a fantastic hub of off-road bridleways, in addition to the forest itself, for hack-ing; something he soon showed he was eager to take advantage of.

The switch from simply hacking further to active-ly training for endurance began with three simple tools: a stopwatch, a

stethoscope and a map.

Whilst it is good management to be aware of your horses resting heart rate, one of the foundation criteria for endurance as a sport is fitness as gauged by heart rate recovery. Once our regular routes were mapped it became a case of re-cording exactly how far we were going, the time/speed it was achieved in and how long it took to recover to a resting heart rate post ride.

Those three statistics (distance, speed and re-covery time) became our guide. Gradual increas-

Four Good LegsBy Kerys KnightUnited Kingdom

Photo by West End Photography

Page 11: The Standardbred Connection - November 2014

es in distance were alternated with increases in speed, building up the percentage of time spent in trot over walk each week. When the ground allowed, canter stretches were introduced, pri-marily to push the heart’s workload and further its fitness rather than for over-all speed improve-ment. At the entry level of the sport it is not a race per se; the competition is against a set of standards rather than against your fellow riders.

I soon discovered that Leo’s adaptability to this new sport was far outstripping mine as my needs began to dictate the chosen gait. My weaker leg was simply not capable of sustaining the long periods at the easy rolling canter that is the hallmark of Endurance’s prime breed, the Arabian. However, the big Standardbred trot came to my rescue. Leo is a big lad at 17hh and those long legs lead to an equally long stride that practically launches you up out of the saddle, making rising for twenty five kilometres far less exhausting than it sounds. It also means he averages around sixteen kilometres an hour, which at novice level in the U.K. is actually going too fast! As far as long distance riding is con-cerned this is also perfect for me, as it means I can intersperse our trotting with plenty of shorter walk stretches to allow for my weaker knee to recover. There have been a number of occa-sions, both during training and on Graded Rides, where we have been calmly trotting down the track whilst our companions have been cantering alongside.

We began our first official season this year and passed through every one of our qualifying Grad-

ed Rides successfully. In our final ride in Septem-ber - a fifty kilometre, the longest we had attempt-ed in one ride - he romped home with a final heart rate of 47bpm. This netted him a well-deserved Grade 2 and allowed us to both upgrade to the next level for next year’s season.

He sailed through the finish and settled by the lorry for a wash off like it was just another day. I however, was sponging cold water over my knees and shins after he’d finished with it! Pottering over to the final vetting he walked better than me!

And that’s the proudest thing for me, the reason why I’m now so enamored with this sport. My boy, with his history, previous injuries, pacing/racing past and somewhat unique action - he is holding his own and competing on equal terms against ‘normal’ horses, balanced horses and those whose conformation grants them a perfect stance and straight action. Not only that, he’s doing well and nothing, no judge’s subjective preferences or viewpoint or lofty ideal for movement and looks stand in his way.

A few weeks rest and then it’s back to the school-ing, and then the training all starts again. A little bit farther and a little bit faster, but I foresee this being no issue for a forward-going, hard-work-lov-ing Standardbred. I just hope I can keep up!

Leo sporting his trademark clip.

Leo and Kate jumping, April 2009.

Page 12: The Standardbred Connection - November 2014

William and Elizabeth Shatner’s 12x World Champion Roadster gelding, All Glory, is probably the most well-know Standardbred driving horse. All Glory has won

World Grand Championships “under saddle” with Elizabeth and “to bike” with William. In addition to having a Breyer model in All Glory’s likeness, they also had the honor of participating in the opening ceremonies at the World Equestrian Games in 2010 with William at the reins.

Roadster show horses are shown in three ways: under saddle, hitched to a “bike” (a small two-

wheeled vehicle), and hitched to a wagon (a small four-wheeled vehicle) while the rider/driver wear colorful silks. The horses demonstrate trotting gaits that include a slow jog, a medium speed “road gait,” and a rapid and long-strided but con-trolled trot referred to as showing “at speed.” Hors-es should demonstrate action features folding of the knees, flexing of hocks, with straight true ac-tion of front legs and with hocks carried close to-gether and with motions coordinated, is executing a balanced trot, according to the United States Equestrian Federation. Their harness is referred to as fine harness and is a lighter version than their CDE and Pleasure Driving relatives wear.

An interview for the National Horse Show high-lights the pride that drivers, in this case Raymond Shively, have to their horses.

“This will be my 60th year doing Roadsters,” said Shivley, who is a respected judge in the saddle horse industry. “A friend of mine had seen this horse in Ohio about six years ago and called me about him. He thought I’d really be interested in him. The fellow’s name was Emerson Walfers and I named this horse after him, I named him Em-erson. He raced on the track up in Canada. I’ve been showing him for the last five years. We’ve never been beaten. He’s a three-time World Grand Champion. He’s a full brother to a horse I had called Big Red. Red won the World Champi-onship five times in a row. They both are laid back horses at home. Their two favorite things to do are to eat and sleep.”

Roadsters traditionally show on the same show circuit as Saddlebreds. Allision Gallery showed

Roadster: The Jewel of

Standardbred Driving

Page 13: The Standardbred Connection - November 2014

Below: Raymond Shivley driving Emerson to a win in the $25,000 Equine Services Roadster Cup (2012) Brooke Jacobs with Jacobs Photography

Allison Gallery and J.A.K.’s Kaizan compete at the Iowa Fall Classic. Photo by Terry Young.

her standardbred J.A.K.’s Kaizan (aka Apple) in Kentucky, before moving to Iowa. After the track Apple was trained to show as a Roadster to Bike and Road Horse Under Saddle. After taking some time off from the ring to enjoy the Iowa trails, Gal-lery and Apple are back in the show ring! They are currently showing in roadster classes as well as Saddleseat classes.

This style of driving isn’t limited just to the United States. The Royal Horse Show in Toronto, Cana-da, which takes place as part of the Royal Agricul-tural Winter Fair, also highlights roadsters. The 2013 show saw over 30 Standardbreds compet-ing, including O’Brien Award winner, Latest Chap-ter. You can watch this years Royal Horse Show via live stream November 7-16th.

The Roadster classes are a throwback to the days of yesteryear, when a horse needed to be fancy enough for going to town and yet provide a com-fortable ride under saddle. These Standardbreds show again and again why they set the American standard as driving horses.

Page 14: The Standardbred Connection - November 2014

Here are just a few simple ideas you can do to promote the sport of harness racing and the Standardbred!

1) GYM, TAN, LAUNDRY, RACES.In addition to posting about going to the gym and doing your laundry on Facebook or Twitter, why not say something about a major race featuring a popular four-legged superstar or share an interesting racing sto-ry you just read?! I know many people do post about their favorite horses but it would be great if everyone would promote that major upcoming stakes event, as well. Everyone on Facebook has “friends” who are not in the business and by publicizing a big race or a stellar celebrity Standardbred, it helps keep the sport on peo-ple’s minds. Get them to wonder how a particular su-perstar finished AND when that horse is going to race again...You can continue to keep them updated by post-ing something on your Facebook or Twitter news feed each week!

2) RECYCLING IS THE COOL THING TO DO!After you read your recent harness racing magazine, drop it off in the waiting area when you get your car serviced or at the doctor's office or even hand it off to a person who isn’t familiar with the Standardbred sport.

3) ONE OF THE CHEAPEST DATES IN TOWN!Why go to dinner and a movie at TWO locations...when you can have dinner and the excitement of horse rac-ing at ONE location? And have you been to the mov-ies lately? It’s so expensive! That money you were going to spend paying Matthew McConaughey’s salary (al-though, I do love that man) and paying for popcorn that has been marked up 700% (I’m not making that figure up) can go toward 'picking the ponies' and perhaps even winning a few bucks at track.

4) BE A SHUTTERBUG!While major newspapers already have professional photographers covering stories, there are so many local weekly papers out there that LOVE to print photogra-

phy submissions from readers. Just snap a photo of your kid giving a smooch on the nose of his favorite harness horse and email it in with the details. Weekly newspa-pers are always looking for material about local peeps.

5) BE A CHATTY CATHY OR CHATTY CHARLIE!Tell everyone you know how passionate you are about sport! You don’t have to start with the history of Dan Patch, but at least be willing to share and show your en-thusiasm. Bring it up when you’re getting a mani/pedi or mention how excited you are at the cash register when you buy that perfect scarf/jacket for Breeders Crown!

6) GET TYPING...OR DIALING!You’ve heard this one a million times, and now you get to hear it a million and one times. E-mail or call the sport editor at the local newspaper or the sportscaster at the local TV station! Tell them you want to see more harness racing covered OR tell them about a human in-terest story in the area OR just tell them "Thanks" for covering the sport! A note from a fan goes a looong way, and, as you can imagine, a note from a bunch of fans goes even further!

An example of one of Heather’s most popularFaceBook posts:

I spent the morning at Gaitway Farm in New Jer-sey working on a feature for the CBS Sports Net-work broadcast of this Saturday’s Meadowlands Pace! Plus, I talked Ken Weingartner (from The United States Trotting Association) into handing over his camera & being on the other side of the shutter for once!

Here we are with He’s Watching, last year’s Dan Patch winner for freshman pacing colts and a main contender in The Meadowlands Racetrack signature race! Thanks to Sarah Murphy, care-taker of world champions, for this awesome shot! #Pace14

Page 15: The Standardbred Connection - November 2014

Taking the Mystery Out of

Tattoos and Freeze Brands

By Laura Burnside___________________________

Keith Hamilton has worked with the USTA (United States Trotting Association) for 40 years. He is the person who does the freeze branding (tattooing) of all Standardbreds born in the CNY area.

He also does all the major Standardbred racing events in the northeast to verify the identification of horses in sales,etc. He was kind enough to an-swer the following questions about Standardbred Identification.

Q. How long have you been involved with Stan-dardbred identification?

A. I have been working with the USTA for 40 years.

Q. Older Standardbreds carry a lip tattoo while younger horses have a freeze brand, what year did the USTA begin using freeze brand?

A. Freeze branding began with foals of 1997.

Q. How old are most Standardbreds when they receive their freeze brand?

A. The majority of freeze brands are placed on foals 2 weeks of age to 6 months of age.

Q. Is DNA testing used in concert with the branding?

A. At the time of freeze branding, the ID tech will collect a DNA sample (mane hair with root folli-cle) and send it to our contracted lab for parentage verification.

Q. At what age are most Standardbreds tat-tooed? Is an animal ever too old to be brand-ed/tattooed?

A. Older horses can be freeze branded, they are never too old. Lip tattooing is acceptable by rule but in excess of 99% of registered Standardbreds foaled after 1997 will be freeze branded.

Q. If someone were to acquire a horse with a brand or tattoo but is unfamiliar with Standard-breds how do they go about tracing the back-ground of the horse?

A. If they can read the tattoo or freeze brand they can call the USTA at 877-800-8782 to get the his-tory of the horse. The information can also be accessed online at http://pathway.ustrotting.com/search/.

A. If the brand/tattoo is hard to read are there any tricks to determine what the symbols orig-inally were?

Q. Clipping the hair short over the brand site will sometimes help to make out the symbols.

*************How does the actual branding process work? The branding iron is submerged in liquid nitrogen for several minute until it reaches the temperature of minus -320°F. The iron is then touched to the skin for up to a minute. Over the course of a few weeks the branded area will turn white as new hair grows in.

Page 16: The Standardbred Connection - November 2014

Elyse Thompson is one of Victoria’s most widely travelled and hardest working pleasure Standardbred competitors. Her dedication and commitment over the past 12

months was richly rewarded when she received the Standardbred Horse Association of Aus-tralia Inc.’s 2013-14 National High Point Com-petition – National Performance Horse (Senior Section) Sash.

The award acknowledges Elyse’s outstanding achievements with Liberty Valence NZ (aka Nip-pa), a striking 12YO black gelding by Badlands Hanover whose brief racing career produced just one win from 11 starts. Elyse has owned Nippa for the past two years and together they have become a dominant force on the Victorian show circuit. His National Award came in just his second competition season under saddle which is a remarkable result.

Liberty Valence was bred in New Zealand and qualified to race under the name Top Chance before being exported to Australia as a two-year-old in March, 2004. He was trained by Don Lock at Gisborne in Victoria and soon became a favourite of Erin White, who assisted at the racing stables.

“He was taken along fairly slowly as far as his racing career went, because he was always big and gangly,” Erin recalled.

“He showed a lot of promise but couldn’t keep his legs out of the way of each other and had a rather immature 16.2hh stature.”

Liberty Valence made his racing debut as an early four-year-old, but it proved to be a tragic outcome – he fractured the P1/P2 in his left fore leg and underwent surgery to insert two metal plates.

Fortunately with box rest, and appropriate rehabilitation, he made a complete recovery, returning to the racetrack just one day short of a year after the accident.

Fast forward six days, and he recorded his only career win in a C0 class event at Bendigo; four months later, Liberty Valence was officially retired, a lack of co-ordination and ill-gait making him unviable as an ongoing racing proposition.

“I had staked a claim for him when he finished racing from the time he was a two-year-old,” Erin admit-ted.

National Showing Award for Liberty Valence NZ & Elyse Thompson

Page 17: The Standardbred Connection - November 2014

“He was very cheeky and loved to stomp on your feet. He was also great fun to jog every day and super powerful in fast work – I often drove him because he was my favourite,” she said.

Upon retirement, Liberty Valence was let down in the paddock for well over a year before commencing his re-educa-tion under saddle.

Erin was just two weeks into her own recovery after knee surgery when she rode the big fella for the first time.

“Again, it was a slow and steady ap-proach, to ensure that the injuries he had suffered while racing would hold up to arena work,” she explained.

“He retired sound from the track, but it was six months before I even attempted to canter on him.”

Liberty Valence made his showing debut at the 2010 Standardbred Pleasure and Performance Horse Association of Victoria State Championships and excelled, winning the Novice Led Division and placing under saddle, even in the absence of an established canter.

When Erin subsequently suffered a serious spinal injury, she made the heart-breaking decision to sell “Nip” – and that’s when he joined forces with Elyse Thompson.

“Elyse has done a fantastic job to get him to where he is now, and I could not have hoped for a better show home for him,” Erin en-thused.

“I always knew he had enormous potential, that’s why I took my time and made sure he was ready both physically and mentally to take the next step.

“They are a great combination and I’m so proud of everything he has achieved.”

Article and photos provided by Standardbreds Unharnessed Australia - http://www.standardbredsaustraliaunharnessed.org.au/

Liberty Valence aka Nippa with Elyse Thompson riding.

Novice Led Champion at the 2010 SPPHAV State Championships with Erin White.

Page 18: The Standardbred Connection - November 2014

No matter which gait your horse is prone to do, all of the

Smooth Saddle Gaits start with a foundation of Walking. Depending on how much condition-ing your horse has, this stage may take only a few days, or as long as a few weeks if you are starting with a horse who has been out of work for a while.

The Walk is the mother of all gaits, and without a good swinging 4-beat Walk, the rest of the gaits will not be as smooth or can put the horse in an inverted position, which can cause soundness and soreness issues. To begin, ask the horse for a forward and energetic Walk. You should hear and feel a distinct 4-beat rhythmic sound (use a hard surface for a few strides to hear the footfalls if nec-essary). Let the horse Walk for a few strides then ask for a transition to the dog walk (normal walk). Let the horse dog walk for a few strides, then ask again for a more energetic Flat Walk. There should be impulsion, as the Flat Walk is faster and more rhythmic than the dog walk.

Keep asking the horse for longer and longer times at the Flat Walk until the horse can comfortably Flat Walk for several laps around the arena (or the length of 2 football fields or so if riding out of an arena setting) without losing purity of gait. Once you and the horse have this foundation (this can be as easy as a few rides on a fit horse to several weeks for the out-of-shape horse), you are ready

to explore the next gear in the Intermediate Gaits.

I N T E R M E D I A T E SMOOTH SADDLE GAITS

Once your Standard-bred has a solid founda-tion of a 4-beat square walk, you can ask the horse to move up to the Intermediate Smooth Saddle Gaits. If you are

riding for pleasure, your horse's choice of gait is primarily about comfort. If you are looking into the show ring, then your horse's choice of gait is much more important. The show ring requires an entirely different type of training to conform to show stan-dards and will require a trainer to help you and your horse achieve those standards. Friends of Sound Horses (http://www.fosh.info/) is a fantastic web-site on the wonderful world of gaited sport horses. For more information on the Gaited Sport Horse, Gaited Distance, and/or Gaited Agility check out: http://www.foshgaitedsporthorse.com/

The show ring gaits are normally much more flashy and require much more energy from the horse than the typical gaits seen on the trail. The follow-ing discussion will explain gaits typically used on the trail.

CUEING THE INTERMEDIATE SMOOTH GAITS

The cues for the Intermediate Smooth Gaits are all fairly similar - the difference comes down to which Intermediate Smooth Gait comes naturally to your horse. To reduce confusion with cues for the hard

Smooth Operators: Intermediate Smooth Gaits

By Jane Lutz

Page 19: The Standardbred Connection - November 2014

trot, instead of cuing the Fox Trot or Rack with the calves near the girth, use your calves in front of the hard trot cue. Also, since you are in a centered seat instead of a forward seat, the weight is a cue to the horse that you are asking for a different gait.

As a general rule, Pacing bred Standardbreds will have an easier time with the Rack, while the Trot-ting breds will have an easier time with the Fox Trot. Although both varieties are capable of per-forming all the Intermediate Smooth Saddle gaits, most horses have a preferred gait. All Standard-breds are capable of the forward Flat Walk and for a leisurely trail ride, many riders will not need to go any faster than the Flat Walk. But for those looking at more speed on the trails, or looking into Gaited Distance Riding, the Intermediate Saddle Gaits will be the gaits of choice.

The steps to develop the In-termediate Smooth Gaits are fairly simple:

● Ride into a forward Flat Walk; use two hands (one rein in each hand) and have a light feel of the bit/noseband for bit-less riders.

● Always ride in a Cen-tered Seat, with weight on the tailbones and spine straight.

● Ask for more speed with a light squeeze and release from your calves; relax and squeeze your fingers (when squeezing with legs, release your fingers, when releasing your legs squeeze your fingers); keep asking until you feel the break from the Flat Walk into the faster Intermediate Smooth Gait.

● The feel of the Fox Trot is different from the feel of the hard trot. Where the hard trot is 2 beats with a moment of suspension, the Fox Trot is a uneven 4-beat diagonal gait that has no suspen-sion. The Fox Trot will feel like a push of energy from the back and a pulling, rolling motion from the front. There may or may not be a head nod depending upon the individual horse.

● The feel of the Rack is different from the Fox Trot. The Rack will have a climbing feeling in the front with an up and down feeling in the back. When riding in the Rack, it is very important to al-ways have a Centered Seat.

● Be prepared to adjust to a heavier seat if the horse tries to break into a too fast of a gait or into the hard trot. Also, if the horse is trying to fall back into the Walk, lightly squeeze with the calves while releasing and squeezing with your fingers to keep encouraging the intermediate gait.

● Ride for a short distance at the gait of choice, then transition down to the Flat Walk. Do this by using a light squeeze and release with the reins while exhaling into a deeper seat. Praise your horse!!

● After walking for a few strides, return to the Smooth Intermediate Gait for a slightly further distance. Keep alternating between the Smooth Intermediate Gait and the Walk to slowly build up muscles and coordination. Always alternate between the Smooth Intermediate Gait, Flat Walk, and the ordinary Walk until you are riding each gait about 1/3rd of the time. This will build stamina and condi-tioning.

Continue to teach your horse to balance at the in-termediate gait by practicing exercises that will en-courage bending and suppleness. Practice large figure 8's, serpentines, and cloverleaf patterns. Do a lot of upward and downward transitions and until the horse develops better balance and coordina-tion, try to limit rides to fairly smooth ground. Once the horse is “set” in gait, then the horse has the ability to balance over uneven ground.

In future issues we will delve into problem solving with the Fox Trot, Saddle Rack, and Pacing.

Photos provided by Sue Laney and Robin Lawson.

Page 20: The Standardbred Connection - November 2014

Standardbred Performance

SocietyThe SPS was established in 2009 and developed from a need for recognition and support for performance Standard-breds in America. The Standardbred Performance Society promotes the breed as an athlete. The Society, which is based in Maine but is open to Standardbreds around the country, is pleased to announce this years champions.

Overall Champion - Art by Keene owned and showed by Stephanie Gray

Reserve Champion - Bruizer’s L’il Star owned by Nonni Daly and showed by Kathleen Harvey

Art by Keene romped to the championship with a total of 229 points!

Bruizer’s L’il Star, is a 14 year old gelding, who does dres-sage and eventing in his second life! He’s also been know to charm the young ladies.

Photo of Dreamy Starlet by Shutter Savvy Images

Equine AffaireMassachusetts

Meet these Standardbred stars from Nov 13-16th

Magic Merls - JumpingTreacherous Cat -DressageDreamy Starlet - Side saddleGone to Caroline - Pleasure

Panzo Two - Driving

Page 21: The Standardbred Connection - November 2014
Page 22: The Standardbred Connection - November 2014

National Champion Halter Horse The Life Boat Shown by Veronica Toth

Big Bikkies shown by Maria Anderson - National Champion Driving and War Horse divisions, and Reserve National Champion Western division.

Investor shown by Julie AllisonNational Champion Fresh Off the Track division,

Reserve National War Horse and Novice Horse divisions

The National Standardbred Show Results

Photos by Vicki Wright

Page 23: The Standardbred Connection - November 2014

WV Mountain Mama shown by Stephanie Jacobs Champion Barrel Race and Down

and Back

Always On Guard shown by Molly GoldbergChampion Two Gait Jr. - Advanced

Slip N Slide shown by Denelle StrattonNational Champion Hunter and Reserve

National Champion Senior Horse

Jambalayabar Man shown by Helene GregoryNational Champion Dressage

The 2015 National Standardbred Show will be held August 8-9th at

The Horsepark of New Jersey

Page 24: The Standardbred Connection - November 2014

Allaboard Jules was not a particularly successful racehorse, with just 5 wins in 3 years during the mid 1990’s. He was however a very likable horse whose trainer, Dave Brandwin, want-

ed to find a good home for the little gelding. He spoke with Marie Dobrisky, a New Jersey racing official, who immediately thought of her son, a staff sergeant with the Caisson Unit of the 3rd Infantry Division.

The Caisson Unit of the 3rd Infantry Division pro-vides full military honor funerals within Arlington National Park. Any Army or Marine Corps com-missioned officer holding the rank of Colonel or above are eligible for a full military funeral. This includes the Commander in Chief, the President of the United States.

Full military honors include a caisson and a riderless, caparisoned horse. Caissons were originally designed to carry cannons but have been modified with a flat deck for the casket to rest on. The caisson is then pulled by six horses, either gray or black, to the officer’s final resting place. Traditionally all six animals are saddles, but only those on the left have mounted riders. The riders guide the horses, there is no driver.

Following the caisson is a riderless horse. The horse wears an empty saddle to indicate a fallen warrior, the reversed boots in the stirrups signal that the rider will never ride again. Some feel that this also allows the fallen officer one last chance to see their troops.

The horses that pull the caisson and act as the caparisoned horse are very special. They under-go training to assure that funerals go off without

an equine emergency. The animals are exposed to gunfire, crowds, and road hazards. In addition to meeting the color requirements, each horse must have the temperament to successfully deal with these challenges.

Allaboard Jules just barely made the height re-quirement but fit the behav-

ior factors. And thus he became a part of the U.S. Army. He was renamed Sgt. York, for the famed WWI hero, and attached to the United States Army, Caisson Platoon, 3rd United States Infantry (“the Old Guard”), of Ft. Myer, Va.,

Sgt. York established his reputation follow-ing training exercises that simulated battle in a third world country. Machine guns and gre-nades sounded and yet he remained calm. This reaction garnered him the understudy position as a caparison horse.

In 1998, Sgt. York moved into the number one ca-

parison spot. Since then the small black gelding has participated in an average of 1,000 funer-als a year. In 2004. he provided this service for Ronald Reagan’s funeral procession. As the first full military funeral for a President in the nations capital since the death of John F. Kennedy. It is only fitting that Sgt. York followed in the footsteps of Black Jack, the caparison horse from J.F.K.’s funeral. There was one notable difference, Rea-gan’s actual boots replaced the boots customarily used.

Sgt. York, aka Allaboard Jules, is still active with his Army unit at age 23. His life story has been documented by Animal Planet. For an unassum-ing little black gelding he has quietly become one of the most famous Standardbreds in the world.

Caparisoned Horse

Page 25: The Standardbred Connection - November 2014