Not So Standard Standardbred

National Show

2009-08-16T18:59:00.000-07:00

Its Sunday 8/16/2009 mean it is 14 days to the 2009 National Standardbred Horse Show at the Horse Park of NJ. I am getting very excited yet nervous! On Saturday Night it is the 1st Annual Battle of the Breeds. Open to any registered Standardbred or Thouroughbred. This should be a fun and enjoyable event. Following the BATTLE will be a BBQ Buffet to benefit ReRun Inc and the SPHO-NJ.

Hope to see you all there.

Happy Easter

2009-04-11T11:27:00.000-07:00

Just would like to tkae this time to wish all my readers a Happy Easter. In this time of year I like to think about all the good people, animals and things I have in my life. The list is too long mention, but you know who you are. My horse is the greatest thing in my life. He keeps me going forward. Happy Easter!

First two shows of the year!

2009-04-05T15:20:00.000-07:00

Well, we are off to are great start for 2009. Our first two shows went well and Larry has been greatly rewarded.

March 29th we attended the first show of the series at Handi Acres. Our Pleasure Model Classes went well. Model Geldings, FIRST out of three. Open Model FIRST out of six. What a way to start the year. Champion in a Model Division!!! Go Lar!! Next it was the Showmanship Division. Not many entries, so we decided to do one pattern and have it count for both classes. (Adult Showmanship & Open Showmanship) What a mistake. Larry being a professional I said I would go first. This being the second mistake! All was well, doing our pattern when a few kids thought it was a GREAT idea to pound on the outside of the indoor wall. Well, Lar, no longer a professional at this point thought it would be cute to rear up go in a circle and not trot at all. LOL so now we end up SECOND out of three. Thus making us Reserve Champion in Showmanship Division. We took two other horses from our barn.(mind you we race STBS) The first was a STB at his first show, showing for my boss' girlfriend Tina. He was wonderful, green but great. The other a grey app pony named April and she won the Showmanship Division. Yes, this mean I got beat by the pony from our barn that I wanted to bring! Go Figure!

Today, April 5th we(Larry & I, Tina & Simple Majority, and Helene and JB) went to the Meadow. As we pull in I see all these horses for the Model Class. Paints, TB, Ponies, and QH. DAMN!! I am done I told Helene. She says are you crazy you are heads above these ugly things. Not believing her I told her to be quiet before someone hears her. Running late, I hurry up to enter and get myself and Larry ready. Had time to do two torts down and back for warm up and then right into the ring. He stacks perfect, looks amazing, but when it comes time to trot, no lets look like a STB and carry my head high. SHIT!!! Blew it I thought! The second half of the trot was okay however. Back to the line up we went to get our punishment. When the judge called 339 to line up in a new line. HMMM I thought, now if I can keep him from acting a fool for five more minutes I might be ok. All, went as normally planned and he WON out of six. So many people came up to me a 28 year old crying so called GROWN man and and congratulated me and told me how beautiful he is. After the class I went to the judge and ask if there was anything I could improve on. She replied. " He looks great, nice top line, perfect weight and muscle, but he could have more manners at the trot." I told her. "Yeah, not sure where that came from, he is normally better". As I was getting ready to walk away she added. "The grooming on that horse is amazing, keep up the good work." Man did that make me proud!

Now it was time for Helene and Tina to show off their STBs. Helene went in seven classes with 1 win, four seconds, one third and one fourth. Man was she happy last week she was trying to give him away. Now, Tina, showing in America for only her and her horses second time went in four classes and ended up with one third, one fourth and a six all of these classes for her and Helene had six or more horses. GREAT JOB!!

Our next show is on April 19th at CJHA and April 26th back at the Meadow.

Thanks for reading and Happy Spring!

Its been a while!

2009-03-18T14:52:00.000-07:00

Hi, Its been a while and this is going to be short. I am on my way out the door, but just wanted to catch everyone up. Last week my horse got kicked in the face and for a while it looked like he was going to miss the beginning of the show year. Although, he is missing some riding he will not miss any halter shows due to this injury. All is well and we are back on the track to getting in the ring in just over a week. Today, I worked him kind of hard. I put him on the equi-sizer and lounged him for a half hour. He wasn't very impressed, I don't think. But, with last week being the week I was going to start him back and couldn't I have to make up time. He is all shed out and looks wonderful. I am hoping for a great year. Well I got to go to the auction and see if I can buy him some more show things.

Take care & thanks for reading!

BTW the weather here is wonderful!

Banquet of all Banquets

2009-02-09T19:07:00.000-08:00

I would like to thank everyone that showed up last night to show their support for our organization and these wonderful horses. It was a great night and really showcased these awesome animals. I had a blast. I would like to thank everyone who sent in for the Ambassador Award essays and encourage you to do it again. I would also like to thank, the 2008 and 2009 officers, the banquet committee, Elizabeth, Lella, and everyone who helped set up yesterday. A very special thanks to all the SPHO-NJ sponsors as well as, Dr Patty Hogan, Bill Weaver & The Fagliarone family for your very generous gifts to our club. I truly had a great time and it makes me proud to be a part of a wonderful organization.

The 2008 Ambassador Standardbred Award winner was Taurmade and Helene Gregory. Helene being a very close friend of mine made the inaugural award a pleasure for me. Taurmade was a true ambassador for this breed. He has done so much that the normal person would not see. It was an honor to be able to present this award to a horse who gave so much, it is just sad that he is not with us to enjoy what he has done!

Congratulations to all winners and a big congratulations to Laura Harbour for her hard work and taking home the National High Point Award.

Thanks for reading!

Good News!!!

2009-02-05T17:35:00.000-08:00

Betsy and I went to pick up all the awards today. They are beautiful!!!!! I went over them all and double checked them to make sure they are all there and hopefully spelled all the names correct. I am really getting excited now! I am hoping for good weather which it is supposed to be. It is going to be a great time and I hope all are happy with the awards. Talk to you soon.

Thanks for reading!

Now it is really cold!

2009-02-05T03:58:00.000-08:00

Hi it Thursday morning, it is really cold, like 8 degrees without the windchill! Like holy cow, three days ago it was 56 degrees and on Sunday it will be that again. Can someone please explain that to me? It is really making it hard for all of us who work outside, we can't get our bodies acclimated to anything. Well, I am hoping our two year olds don't have to go out today, it is gonna be a long and busy day for me. I am going to go pick all the trophies for the banquet. Then I have to go over each one individually to check for spelling errors and things like that. I am excited trust me but I get very nervous since last year when I misspelled one members name on all her trophies. That is not funny!!! I am so sorry if you are reading my blog! Now, this year I have already misspelled another ladies name in the banquet book. I guess as much as I hate to admit it, I am not perfect after all! Well, lets hope we don't have any mistakes!?! Will chat at you again tonight if I have time. Lets Hope it is good news!?!

Have a nice day!
Thanks for reading!!!!!

Cold, Cold, Cold

2009-02-04T14:51:00.000-08:00

Hey its cold today for all of you that don't know it. I am writing fast as I got another meeting to go to. Tonight is the Central Jersey Horsemans Association CJHA meeting in which I am the VP. I hope things move along tonight because I have a million things to do and I need to be at work early because I am going to get trophies tomorrow for the banquet!!!! Yeah!!!! My horse was very hyper today, probably due to the fact he has been in for two days. I guess that is life!!!!I will try to get him out tomorrow. Well, I am gonna go get ready. Sorry so short today, I will try to write more tomorrow, depending on my mood if the trophy pick up goes ok!?! Thank you for reading.

Looking Back!

2009-02-03T18:50:00.000-08:00

As I sit here thinking about what I could have messed up for the upcoming banquet, I am thinking about what my horse has accomplished in 2008. If I can talk about him without doing to much bragging. First of all, my biggest win of the year, well take that back, my show career was at the National Championship Standardbred Horse Show. The Showmanship & Grooming Class, it was huge 22 entries all dressed to impress and ready for action. I knew I could do good in the class, but you see my horse can at any time decide there is a ghost somewhere and it will eat him. So, nervous as all get out we did our pattern, and I knew as I finished and I had the worlds biggest smile that we did our best pattern of the year or his young career for that sake. Win or lose we did our best, the class took over an hour and we went early, so we stood at attention forever. When the numbers where announced and I was the winner, I am a sissy and I admit I cried! I was so happy! This was a big win and one I will never forget.

Now looking back at the standardbred shows and open shows we have done. At one open series we are Grand Champion in the Model Division, thus beating those ummm what are they called yeah thats right Quarter Horses! A couple other breeds too, TB Ponies etc. Another series I only showed in three out of the six shows and ended up fourth overall, so I was impressed! Again open competition! The bigger of the three open series CJHA I was fourth in Open Model for year end and let me tell you the competition was fierce! In the two western divsions we were fourth and fifth respectively. Thus us only doing showmanship and everyone else riding also! So, I was extremely happy.

For SPHO-NJ and National Year End Awards, In Hand Champion, Demo Reserve. 5th place overall standardbred, and one of my proudest and my goal for the year the Rookie Horse Award. It is a national award and it can only be won in your horses first year of showing. So, saying this it was a big accomplishment for a team that only shows in hand. Did we got to a lot of shows your damn right. That was my goal and I intended to reach it. Our job is not hard, but it very hard and time consuming competing in beauty pageant after beauty pageant. LOL that is what it felt like after a while. LOL I am gonna be on animal planet, like these mothers that push their children to do these contest before they can even think for themselves. Hehe. I can say one thing I beat alot of those "show horses" that people pay big bucks for. $$$ Haha. My free standardbred just beat your Blue Blooded Show Horse. Not bragging but it was fun!!!!

Well, I am gonna get back to work on some banquet things to tie up loose strings. Again, thank you for reading come back soon, and I hope to see you at the banquet this weekend. I am thrilled!!!!!

Snowy

2009-02-03T12:53:00.000-08:00

Its a cold and snowy day here in NJ. But guess what it is gonna be 50 degrees on Sunday for our banquet. So that is good news. I am getting really excited and can't wait. We trained my trotter today in 2:05 so next week he can qualify and race soon! He was very good and sound! Thats always a plus. Well, banquet plans look good and there are 130 RSVP. Yeeehaaaaw!!!!! I am happy to report no major setbacks yet! There is going to be a Chinese Auction with like 45 items so bring your money honey. hehe. I am just going crazy here. My friend Suzanne D'Ambrose had to put her STB down today due to colic! He was 25 and had, had colic surgery 2 1/2 years ago. She needs our prayers and thoughts right now if you know her.

Thank you again for reading. Talk to you soon!

SPHO-NJ Meeting Tonight

2009-02-02T15:07:00.000-08:00

Hi,

Just getting ready for the meeting tonight. Alison, the president fell yesterday and broke her wrist, so she will not be attending. Helene is in Vegas with her husband Jeff at a USTA meeting until Friday, so she will not be in attendance either. It looks as though it will be a kinda short meeting. At least that is what you always think. Most of the conversation I think will be on the banquet Sunday. I am guessing there will not be much else for us to talk about with everyone out. The rulebooks will be a short discussion also as they are soon to be out. Ok well thanks for reading and I have to go. Have a great Monday. The weather was really nice here in NJ today, but guess what. It is gonna end tonight.

Rob

One Week Till the Big Dance

2009-02-01T14:09:00.001-08:00

Hello everyone,

It is one week till the party of they year. I am so excited!!!! The ribbons are in and the trophies are ready for pick-up this week. This years banquet book is gonna be a great hit I hope. The DJ is set and I am looking forward to seeing everyone. Elizabeth Tewksbury has made a special picture show for us all to enjoy, I am sure it will be great!!! There are a lot of awards to be handed out and fun to be had. I am sure excited!!!! Lets hope for good weather!!!