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Remembering Waterfront

5/22/2018

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Waterfront, Jan's former three-star event horse, has recently passed on. Owned by veterinarian and amateur eventer Keelin Redmond since he retired from upper level competition, Waterfront was 22 years old. 

Always the bridesmaid, rarely the bride, Waterfront was extremely consistent, notably placing second a number of times: at Advanced at Richland and Pinetop, at the Jersey Fresh CCI3* (qualifying him for the 2006 WEG), at the 2007 World Cup CIC3*W at The Fork, at the Fair Hill International CCI3*, and at the Foxhall Cup CCI3* and the Virginia Horse Trials CCI2* (leading to his selection to the U.S. Equestrian Federation's "Talent Tour" team that competed at Luhmuhlen, Germany).

Jan remembers Waterfront as one of her favorites: "He always showed up to work, and though not the biggest mover or bravest horse, anyone could ride him and he was incredibly consistent. He was never really confirmed at the four-star level although he made several attempts with me, with two run-outs at both. Phillip Dutton rode Waterfront at Kentucky for me in 2010 after I was hurt in my fall, where he also had two run-outs and then was held on course. Phillip infamously used the break to borrow a cell phone from a spectator, and called Evie to get her to ask me if I wanted him to continue. My answer was no, and I retired Waterfront from the upper levels and then he found his home with Keelin."
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From Keelin: "This is one of my favorite pictures of Waterfront because it so shows who he was: super alert facial expression, mad red hair flying, out to show off and have fun. 
Waterfront taught me so much, and took me places I didn’t think I would ever go. Riding him was like taking a riding lesson; he knew what correct was, and he rewarded it, but he tolerated incorrectness with patience and heart.
 

Even if I had never ridden him I would have loved him. He was a wonderful friend. He had a huge personality. Tukie was ambivalent about other horses, but he loved people. He was so happy in the company of humans; he liked to eat our food (all of it, anything), hang out, go places with just me. He demanded treats and attention loudly and passionately; everyone knew what Tukie was feeling all of the time.  He loved to go to horse shows; he had my undivided attention for a weekend and a whole new audience to admire him.  He loved to finish up a show jumping round with a bit of “dolphining”; he would drop his head and sort of crow-hop along for a few strides. The more people would gasp, the better he liked it. He was always very, very careful not to unseat me. We always said he was saying: “it’s for the fans, mom!  I’ve got to give them a little something!”  He did it at home a bit too; whenever he thought he had jumped well. I remember he did it the very first time I ever jumped him. Jan laughed and told me that if I would rub his mane, he would get even happier and do it even more. So I always did!

I miss him terribly. Think of the most funny, brilliant, loyal, fiery friend you have. That’s who he was to me." 
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Jersey Fresh

5/21/2018

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I just got done with Jersey Fresh and it was quite a nice event. You can tell they’re really trying to improve the courses and the facility. I rode Volcan in the CIC**, and he got there and couldn’t figure out what he was supposed to be so excited about, maybe cross-country right away? It took a little bit to get him rideable before the dressage! My plan was to do a half-hour pre-ride before my test on Friday morning, but it turned out Volcan was a bit excited so it took an hour. After the pre-ride I got off him, and then back on for the test. He wasn’t as rideable as he can be but still put in quite a pleasant test. When Volcan’s really on my aids I think he’ll be in the top couple every time, he has so much presence. 

I wasn’t sure how Volcan would handle the cross-country because he’s quite green at the level, but he has such a beautiful gallop (though not the best to turn yet), and he got better and better around the course as far as footwork and rideability. He was 9th after dressage and ended up coming right on the time cross-country to move into 7th. He actually had the best warm up he’s had yet for show jumping, though had one down behind because I got him a little in his mouth coming out of the in-and-out at 9b. I was bummed about the rail but we ended 11th out of 57 starters. I’m super excited about him! 

Because I can’t feel my right hand, a result of my accident, I don’t have the best coordination or fine touch, so I’m going to spend the next couple months working on improving my reactions with my hands. I’ll also be working on making Volcan better in all three phases and rather than going to Bromont, I plan to do Fair Hill in the fall. My hope is that he’ll be a Pan Am contender next year.
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Early Spring

5/9/2018

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I haven’t done a lot of competing this spring. When I got home from Aiken and decided to retire JR, other than young horses I just had my last man standing, Volcan, to compete. He’s been really great; I did the Intermediate at Morven and he handled it like a rock star. Then I decided to do 2-star at Fair Hill—he was a bit tense in the atmosphere, which is unlike him, but had a solid dressage test. He had two down behind in the show jumping but I think it was mainly because they had cross-country going at the same time and he was really amped up—he knew he had something else to do and was so sure he was going cross-country with people galloping by! The event was really nice because the organizers ran the two- and three-star on the Gallaher Road side, where they hold the International in the fall. It was a beautiful course, bigger than I thought it would be, but Volcan handled it really well. Because he had been excited with the cross-country going on during show jumping, it took him a while to settle, but I was thrilled with him. After that I decided I was going to go to Jersey to do the CIC**, having done some cross-country schooling at home and twice with Phillip. 
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Volcan, photo by Janet Gallay
I have a couple of young horses belonging to Anita Antucci and they and all the other horses stayed home this winter so are just getting back into competition order. Dashwood (Nora) has been to two events so far. I was super pleased with her cross-country at both events, but I think I need to work on some local jumper shows to make that phase a little more routine. She is for sale—just a super, all-around horse for an adult amateur or young rider. 

Kortina spent the winter with Roddy Strang, who worked on just giving me some more tools with her. It’s always more difficult to have a horse that’s broken so late—they’re mature physically but not mentally so it’s like riding a three-year-old in an eight-year-old’s body. I don’t highly recommend it! Anita also has a new horse, Jolie, a big Thoroughbred that we brought from Liz Milliken last year. Having spent several months turned out at Anita’s we brought her to Surefire in November and started her new career as my next upper level event horse. She has a great mind and an amazing canter, and I’m really excited to get her going. I’ve jumped her twice and she seems to have great instincts. I’m hoping that I’ll do some local shows with her and maybe have her tag along to some events before I start to compete her myself.

I also went to The Fork and Kentucky as a selector. It was great to see the Fork and get an idea of what the course is going to be for the WEG, what the horses will do. Kentucky was awesome. One, I always find going to a competition of that level inspiring and educational. Two, I thought Derek’s course was masterful. It walked hard and rode like the riders really stepped up to the challenge. As far as the American horses, I thought it was great fun to see the quality of riding. Although we didn’t win it this year, I was impressed with our level of competitiveness in all three phases. I thought Lynn Symansky and Donner had the ride of the day cross-country. It was just effortless. Lauren Kieffer on Vermiculus was also noteable. Lauren has always impressed me by being so stylish, but this time she combined style with grit. It looked to me like both horses could have gone for days! I also think my good friend Sharon White’s ride on Cooley on Show was memorable, as well as Phillip’s masterful ride on the new-to-the-four-star level Z.​

At home, we’re starting to ramp up for our Surefire Horse Trials, and the mowing has begun. Tom and I haven’t been inside before dark this last week and it only gets worse from here. Tune in for what happens at Jersey and how event prep is going!

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