Riverhouse Hanoverians

As River House prepares for the 2012 show season, take a look back at pictures from the 2011 show season…

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Nora rode several River House Hanoverian horses to Regional and National Year End Awards…

2011 Regional Awards:

The New England Dressage Association Year End Awards banquet is this Saturday. The River House Hanoverians crew will be in attendance to collect multiple awards as Nora and Farleight are also participating in the NEDA Fall Symposium with Kyra Kurkland as a demo pair this weekend. Nora and Farleight were the NEDA Year End Champions for the Intermediare I with a median score of 71.184%. Nora and Bretone will also be receiving NEDA Year End Champion honors for the Grand Prix Freestyle with  a median score of  71.463%. And Bretone’s handsome 4 year old son, Barcelona RH, is the NEDA FEI Young Horse Champion with a median score of 75.8%. Once again, YAY Tony babies!

2011 National Awards:

For the fourth year in a row, Bretone was the American Hanoverian Society Adequan All-Breeds National Champion for the Grand Prix Freestyle, with his 71.463% median. Unfortunately, Nora missed the deadline to submit Farleight’s registration papers and so missed out on being the AHS Adequan All-Breeds National Champion for Intermediare I. He had the scores, but not the paper work, so Nora will be kicking herself for a while for that one! In the USDF/Adequan Horse of the Year standings for Intermediare I, Farleight was ranked ninth nationally. Bretone was also  ranked ninth nationally in the USDF/Adequan Horse of the Year standings for the Grand Prix Freestyle. Multiple horses ranked in the top 10 nationally! Great job River House horses!

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Poor baby Banana has had a whirl-wind first show season, with just two recognized shows under his belt before heading to far off lands for the National 4 Y.O. Young Horse Championships. Throughout it all, Banana has been a total trooper. After his big week of shipping from New Hampshire to Illinois and placing so well in the warm-up class, Banana was a bit tuckered out for the championship class today. However, he still managed to finish 13th out of the top 15 four year olds in the country – not bad for a red country bumpkin from NH on his first trip to the big city! Although Banana was too tired to show his best gaits, he did receive praise for his submission and relaxed, over-striding walk. River House is very proud of Bretone’s baby Banana!

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River House’s four year old Bretone gelding, Barcelona RH (AKA Banana), competed in the USEF National Young Horse Championship warm-up competition today and placed 6th out of the top 15 four year old dressage horses in the country. Way to go Banana! Below are a few snap shots of Banana and his stylish green ribbon after the awards ceremony and victory lap. Check out this link to Dressage Daily to see a picture of Nora and Banana, as well as other championship competitors, at the veterinary inspection yesterday – Dressage Daily Gallery

Banana strikes a pose after finishing 6th out of the top 15 four year olds in the country.

Nora is all smiles after Banana's victory lap!

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Barcelona RH (Bretone / SPS Weltfee II [Weltmeyer]), affectionately known as Banana, is in Wayne, IL this week to compete in the USEF National Championships for four year old dressage horses. The top fifteen horses in each age division are invited to the national championships at the Lamplight Equestrian Center.  Banana arrived in IL yesterday and passed the veterinary inspection and jog today. Tomorrow he competes in a warm-up class and will perform in the championship test on Saturday. Below are a couple pictures of Banana and Nora before the jog. Nora’s main man, Farleight, was named second alternate for the National Developing Horse championships for 7-9 year old horses – i.e. he was 17th in the nation – but, unfortunately, did not get to attend the championships.

Banana having a breath freshening mint before meeting the judges at the jog.

Banana and Nora preparing for the jog.

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Jeanie and Nora returned to GMHA at the end of July to ride five River House horses, while Verne coached many students. Farleight and Nora had a super weekend – winning all three classes they entered. On Friday, they garnered fourteen 8’s on their way to bringing home the blue in the Intermediare I with a 69.868%. This score also earned them the FEI Level High Score of the Day. On Saturday, Farleight and Nora had a repeat victory in the Intermediare I – this time scoring fifteen 8’s and two 9’s on their way to a 71.184%. The 71+% was good enough for FEI Level Reserve High Score of the Day as well as FEI Reserve High Score for the entire show. To top off an already stellar weekend, Farleight was a star in the Developing Horse Qualifier on Sunday – winning with a 70.882%. Good Boy! All of his efforts in the Developing Horse Qualifiers this year were enough to earn Farleight an alternate spot for the National Championships in Lamplight. Nora and Jeanie’s Wilde Card (AKA Wilber) had a strong start to the show with a win in a large Open Prix St. Georges class on Friday with a 65.395%. Wilde Card also had a strong showing in the Developing Horse Qualifer, on Sunday, placing third with a 64.706%. Wilde Card has been doing a great job in his first year of FEI level competition. Bretone (AKA Tony the Stalliony) had another great show at Grand Prix. He put in a solid Grand Prix test, in the scorching heat, to win the class on Friday. Bretone also put in a strong freestyle performance on Saturday to secure the win with a 71.463%. Bretone’s excellent one tempis were rewarded with a TEN! [Bretone also performed his freestyle at Vermont Dressage Days to earn a second qualifying score for the regional championships. He won the blue there with a 72% and received the comment: “a pleasure to watch a strong freestyle with such good technicals!”]. Barcelona RH (AKA Banana), River House’s four year old Bretone gelding, won his USEF 4 y.o. Qualifier with a 77.8% – earning him a place at the National Young Horse Championships in Illinois. Jeanie and Moleibi RH had a strong show at fourth level – winning both a fourth level 2 class and a fourth level 3 class. All in all, another strong show for River House! Check for pictures later.

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This is just some of the loot from the GMHA June show - Way to go River House!

For a barn that loves to work with mares, it was a bit odd to head to the show with five guys (four geldings and a stallion). However, the River House boys put in some stellar performances at the GMHA Dressage Show, June 17-19, and we couldn’t be more proud of them!

Barcelona RH, AKA Banana, (4 y.o. Bretone/Weltmeyer) was a perfect gentleman and a total star at his first recognized show. Nora rode him to wins in both of his USEF 4 Year Old tests, including the qualifier, where he scored a 7.58 (trot 7.8, walk 7.6, canter 7.4, submission 7.5, general impression 7.6) and received very positive comments. This impressive score looks to put him in a qualifying spot for the national championships. Yay Tony babies! This score also gave Nora both the High Score GMHA and CVDA member awards.

Bretone, AKA Tony the Stalliony, (Brentano II/Salut) was better than ever, winning both the Grand Prix and the Grand Prix Special with Nora. In the Grand Prix he won with a 66.383%, earning seven 8′s including an 8 on his gates and Nora’s position and the comment ” wonderful riding and exceptional horse”! In the Grand Prix Special, Tony again brought home the blue on a 67.708%. Once again he earned numerous 8′s on his exceptional canter work as well as three 9′s on his expressive and straight tempi changes – garnering the final comment “a pleasure to watch such straightness!” Good boy Tony!

Farleight (9 y.o. Friendship/Lemon Tree xx) and Nora had a very successful weekend, winning the Prix St. Georges and the Intermediare I and placing second in the Developing Horse Qualifier. Farleight won the PSG on Friday with a 68.553% – earning a handful of 8′s and good comments. On Saturday, he put in a solid Developing Horse Test for a 67.500% and second place, with good comments including “very well ridden, lovely horse!” This score looks to move him up in the national rankings. Farleight really stole the show on Sunday when he won the Intermediare I with a 71.447% – earning ten 8′s and one 9 and the comment “a pleasure to watch”! This score was enough to give Farleight FEI High Score of the day and of the whole show!

Jeanie guided Moleibi RH (8 y.o. Maronjo/Rubinstein I) through his fourth level debut – confidently winning both the 4-1 and the 4-3 and placing second in the 4-2. He received solid scores in the sixties, including a 65.143% in the 4-1. Moleibi’s 4-3 was good enough to earn the Open Fourth Level High Score award on Sunday. A great start at the level! Moleibi got fabulous comments including: “A lot of talent and power”, “handsome capable horse”, “lovely elastic horse, quality mover”, and “quality horse!”.

Wilde Card, AKA Wilber, (8 y.o. by Weltmeyer) did very well in his second appearance at the Prix St. Georges level with Nora. Yes, he is still Jeanie’s horse and she is kindly letting Nora play with him. So, no, Nora hasn’t completely stolen him… yet. Much to Wilber’s dismay, he was the only one to come home from the show without a blue ribbon (everyone else had TWO!), but he put in a solid PSG test and a lovely Developing horse test to earn a 65.921% and a 65.441%, respectively. He earned several 8′s in each test and has really stepped up to the PSG level quickly and easily. Good job Jeanie and Nora – Team Tame Wilber?!

Congratulations to Anne Hennessey and her Mimi RH (Maronjo/Argentan) for their excellent performance at their first show. They earned AA High Score Training Level honors on Sunday, as well as Reserve AA High Score Training Level for the whole show, with a 69.167%! Great job!

Verne also coached many students at this GMHA show. River House congratulates all of them on a great weekend!

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We have made the trek back to New Hampshire, but just one last tidbit of Florida news. Barcelona RH (hereafter referred to as Banana) and EMC Bahai went to a dressage, show jumping, and combined training schooling show at the Florida Horse Park in Ocala, FL on May 14th. With all three equestrian phases going on, as well as a BBQ celebration and competition – including a multitude of tents, several bouncy houses, banners, and hundreds of cars – the nice, quiet schooling show Nora had planned to use as an introduction to showing for Banana, turned out to be a circus! But, no need to worry, Banana was very sensible, and actually managed to win his first dressage test ever with a 69+ %! Good boy! Bahai was a little bit more overwhelmed by the BBQ madness, but still managed to make her way to the show jumping ring. She had a good warm up, but as soon as she went in the ring for her round, the skies opened up and she had to jump through a total downpour. But, Bahai persevered and jumped a lovely clean round with her ears perked up, despite being soaked to the bone! Good girl! Check out the photos, by Palmer Pictures, below.

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Nora and Farleight headed south on March 9th to ride in the Wellington Classic Dressage Challenge. Originally they had intended to compete in the CDI small tour, but instead decided to compete in the open show and focus on qualifying for the National Developing Horse Championships again. Farleight was awesome in the FEI Test of Choice on Thursday, where he performed the Developing Horse Test, and earned a 70.294%, good enough for second place. On Friday, Farleight put in a solid Intermediare I test, his second ever completed, scoring a 65.000%. This was good enough for fourth place, which we were happy with considering all of the top four horses had 65 point somethings. In the National Developing Horse Qualifier, on Saturday, Farleight had to compete in the indoor arena, which was all decked out for the World Dressage Masters. He found the flowers, banners, flat screens, etc. to be a bit overwhelming, but he managed to finish the test with some brilliant moments intermixed with moments of apprehension. His effort was rewarded with a 65.588%, earning him second place, just a few tenths behind the leader. Overall, we were very proud of him, as he held his own with the big boys in Wellington. Good Boy Floob Sock!!!

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River House sent three young Hanoverians to compete at the FEI level at the Florida Dressage Concours at Fox Lea Farm in Venice, FL last weekend (February 26-27). Each one came home with a blue ribbon and a sweet score. Nora rode her 9 y.o. Farleight (Florestan/Lemon Tree) to a win in his qualifier for the USEF National Developing Horse Championships with a 67.647%. Farleight also took second in his second Intermediare I ever with a 66.842%. Jeanie let Nora show her special 8 y.o. boy Wilde Card (Weltmeyer/Akut), AKA Wilber, in his first Prix St. Georges ever and he won with a 67.105% – the highest PSG score of the show! And the third blue ribbon went to 9 y.o. Just Livingston (Loerke/Walttzertraum) – owned and trained by Caroline Stearns – he put in an impressive Intermediare I test with Nora to win with a score of 68.421%.

Way to go River House – bringing home the blues with Hanoverians!

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