Shawna and the team have settled into their Wellington, FL home over the last two weeks. The summer work on the dressage arena was completed including good new footing and a short-side of mirrors. What was a very effective training facility for last year’s season has improved for this season thanks to farm owner Eric Richman.
The horses are happy and have settled into their training routine very quickly. Come On III and Rigo unloaded and looked around as if saying “we remember this place”. These two, who both competed last year in Wellington, seem to make it easier for the three new horses to acclimate to their winter home. One of the newcomers, Contreau, is a purchase by Shawna from a recent trip to Denmark. Contreau is a 2003 Danish Warmblood gelding by Kanudos out of Tarifa by May Sherif. Shawna found him while looking for young prospects in Europe. Contreau has an excellent walk, trot and canter. With only 2 months under saddle, Contreau already shows an excellent temperament and work ethic. Shawna will school him toward the 2008 USEF Young Horse Championships at the 5-year-old level. He is for sale so Shawna finds it hard to imagine he won’t find a new home before then.
Also joining the Wellington team is Joey, a client horse with an impressive show history of his own. He is a former Regional Champion at Prix St. Georges and Intermediare I and is also a winner of the Heidelburg Cup at the Prix St. Georges/Intermediare I level. Shawna hopes to find Joey a new home soon because the client purchased Richman, a fully licenced stallion from Denmark, while on a trip to Europe with Shawna. Richman is such an outstanding stallion that his departure from Denmark made national headlines in the Danish equestrian news. Look for Richman to join Shawna and the team in Wellington around the first of February. Andrea Kamp, a local Aiken pony club rider who began working with Shawna in the summer, joins the team as a working student and groom for the season. Andrea recently earned an outstanding 19 “exceeds standards” ratings on her C2 Ratings Test and looks to expand her knowledge through this valuable learning experience.
The season kicks off next weekend (January 12-13) at the Wellington Classic Dressage Challenge where Shawna will be showing Rigo and Come On III. Come On III enters the show on the heels of being voted the Developing Horse of the Year (7-9 year olds) in the 2007 PhelpsSports.com Dressage Year-End Awards. Come On III will compete in the Prix St. Georges on Saturday, the level where he finished 3rd in the nationwide USDF Dressage Horse of the Year standings for 2007. He will also compete in the Intermediare I on Sunday. Rigo - a 2007 Regional Champion at First Level - will move up to Second Level. The following week Shawna will be featured as one of 6 demo riders for the Succeed/FEI Level Trainers’ Conference featuring Jan Brink.
