On the Line

JustWorld International’s STRUT Fashion Show makes for a stylishly good time

High season in Wellington means so many (many many many) events, and so little time. There’s still a whole three weeks to go, and it’s already hard to keep one’s head above water. But during the first weekend in March, rest assured that On the Line tried.

In the midst of the madness, I stopped in for a little fun at the JustWorld International STRUT Fashion Show at WEF on Saturday night. After Nations Cup night, before the big Sunday grand prix, and right after Paul O’Shea cleared a whopping Puissance wall, a dozen or so well-known riders took over the transformed Wellington Club at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center and walked the gauntlet runway in front of a sea of smiling faces.

(Sidenote – incredibly, this was the second fashion show I’d been to in the space of a week. Dyer Equestrian held its own fashion show the week before, also at WEF before the Saturday grand prix. On the Line is feeling more fashionable by the day.)

Horseware Ireland sponsored the event, and proceeds benefitted the incredible efforts of JustWorld. In addition to tickets sold from a packed house, two handsome riders were auctioned off to the audience – a date with show jumper Daniel Zetterman went for $600 and ten-goal polo player Mike Azarro was claimed for $1,000!

The fashions of Der Dau, Asmar, Ariat, Goode Rider, LeFash, Pikeur, Zest, the Pessoa Collection, GPA, Grand Prix, Skiffington, Dyer Equestrian and Sofie Belgium Botique all graced the backs and backsides of the rider/models. Don’t you wish you were there….

Grand prix rider Kevin Babington plays it cool.

Mike Azarro: work it baby.

Blythe Marano keeping it classy.

I only have three words for Swedish show jumper Daniel Zetterman. Are you single?

Sophie Simpson treats modeling like just another walk down her famous parents’ barn aisle.

Said famous parent of stylish model above.

There were real models there too. Kamini Chinloy takes Elegante Polo to a whole new meaning of elegante.

Nick Dello Joio, I do believe you missed your calling! Someone tell Ralph Lauren about this boy!

That's right Nick, you go on with your bad self.

The only bad thing about these gift bags was that they didn't have Daniel Zetterman's number written inside.

All photos ©Christina Gray Designs. Visit the website of Christina Gray Designs to find out more about this talented West Coast photographer, graphic designer, and friend of On the Line!

Do I ever love the movie Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken. The real life story of Sonora Carver, orphan, runaway and brave young girl who had a dream of becoming a “diving girl” at the Steel Pier in Atlantic City. Disney worked its best magic when it brought her story to the big screen, and me and my fellow horse-crazy friends watched it on a loop when it was released in 1991.

But the concept of diving horses hardly seemed real. Disney’s movie was artfully set in the 1940s, and to an 8 year old girl that might as well have been 100 years ago.

But yes, horses actually did run up a ramp, people did throw themselves upon their backs at the last minute, and horse and rider did actually leap from the top and “dive” into a small pool below. Sonora Carver actually was a real life person who was blinded during a diving horse accident, and she continued to perform the act, blind, for years after. Cue Samantha Mathis as a young Sonora Carver, and the script practically wrote itself for Hollywood.

But think about this act happening today. Better, think about what would go through your horse’s head if you asked him to do this job.

I don’t know about you, but I’m already shuddering. Since the 1940s when the act was popular, and even since 1993, when the diving horse act finally closed, there has been a hell of a lot of progress in the fields of equestrian welfare, sports medicine, natural horsemanship training and overall perception of our horses and the way we relate to them. Horses are generally understood better than ever before, and another true-life story about a horseman, the movie Buck, played no small part in helping to boost that understanding in the last year.

It’s safe to say that the diving horse act is one of the more dangerous things people have ever thought up to do with horses. And while Sonora Carver’s autobiography detailed the excellent care that her horses received, as well as the lengths she went to to find horses that were brave and seemed to enjoy diving, this scenario wouldn’t hold water today.

If the people of Atlantic City are gamblers, someone should give them a tip: it’s a safe bet that the decision yesterday by the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority in New Jersey to fund a renovation of the Steel Pier that includes the return of the diving horse act is going to be met by a firestorm of opposition from horse people. Yes, you read that right. Atlantic City is going to bring back the diving horses from days gone by. This from an article by the Press of Atlantic City:

Bringing back Steel Pier diving horse tops Atlantic City’s newly approved Tourism District Master Plan

“By this summer, a beer garden, six new rides and eight new games will start operating beneath new lighting and spruced up, better-coordinated facades. The diving horse act — which last appeared in the summer of 1993 — will be up and running, along with other acts inside an amphitheater in the works, too.”

Really? No, really?!

Get ready Atlantic City, hell hath no fury like horse people on a mission to protect their beloved horses. Nostalgic though it may be, there’s absolutely no place in today’s world for running horses up a ramp and having them leap blindly into midair. On the Line predicts that this poorly thought out move by the powers that be in Atlantic City won’t get very far.

UPDATE – As of February 14th, 2012, the Steel Pier announced that they were shelving the plan to bring back diving horses to Atlantic City. Read more here: http://www.horsetalk.co.nz/news/2012/02/121.shtml#.TzsHmXywohw.facebook

Told ya so!

It was not quite a foregone conclusion, but our man Steffen upheld his title as World Dressage Masters Palm Beach champion tonight in Florida, to the delight of a full house and online viewers around the world.

Freestyle night of the 2012 World Dressage Masters series season opener was sure to be packed –with people and with excitement, but even though the top two results were the same as yesterday’s Grand Prix, the night wasn’t without a few twists and turns.

It’s difficult to pick just a few adjectives to describe Steffen and Ravel, because all that come to mind apply. They simply mastered their freestyle, which Steffen said was the best he’d ever felt with Ravel.

“I’ve never done a better freestyle,” he said. “He just felt simply amazing. I wish I could keep this feeling for the next seven months. To hear the crowd’s appreciation is just amazing. I’m very excited.”

Two canter half passes, canter pirouettes, incredible reach in the trot half pass and riding the piaffe into the walk made all the dressage media people seated near me suck in their breath with appreciation. A horse and rider in any discipline would be hard pressed to match the partnership that these two have going on, and they were rewarded with an 83.700% to win the night.

He always looks so surprised when Ravel is amazing. Come on Steffen, you know you're going to do good. Photo ©Kim MacMillan/MacMillan Photography

Steffen went 5^th out of 8 riders, and last night’s 2nd place finisher, 26 year old Charlotte Dujardin, went last in the order. She displayed an outstanding Grand Prix on Saturday, and when she entered the ring for the Freestyle, it felt like maybe, just maybe, anything was possible. This young British superstar won the GP Freestyle in December at the prestigious Olympia Horse Show in London, and is the proud owner of a European gold medal that she picked up over the summer. Those facts are jaw dropping when you take into account that she’s only been riding Grand Prix for one year, and her horse is 10 years old. Wow.

She scored 83.650% – a tiny but oh so significant half percent behind Steffen. It was a surprise for anyone to score even near Steffen, and the announcement of her score incited even more breath sucking from all around. Her horse Valegro is powerful and a great talent for Great Britain; and show organizers were over the moon that she brought him over to show in Palm Beach.

Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro. Photo ©Kim MacMillan/MacMillan Photography

In the press conference she looked a bit on the serious side as she mulled over that fraction of a percentage, but my bet is that she’s going to be smiling all the way to London this summer, where the stage is being set for an epic showdown. Last night marked for the first time that the anticipation for this summer’s Olympics was palpable, and a mention of “you can’t forget Germany” caused murmurs of assent from the gathered crowd.

Anja Plonzke and La Mont d'Or. Photo ©Kim MacMillan/MacMillan Photography

With her Lady Gaga music, snazzy helmet  and flashy navy shadbelly, to her scary cool gallop to halt at C, I was a fan of  Anja Plönzke’s ride and her style. Her horse La Mont d’Or pulled off a freestyle that was packed with a high level of difficulty.

Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfvén of Sweden pulled off an extravagant passage half pass in her freestyle, scoring 78.250% and landing in 3^rd place. The other European celebrity Carl Hester was solid for 4^th. Anja was 5^th, and American Tina Conyot was 6^th with Calecto.

It has to be noted that Calecto had some blood in his mouth during his freestyle, and was not rung out of the ring by stewards. When asked directly about this at the press conference, the response from the president of the ground jury was that no one had noticed the blood. Um, look at the photos guys, it’s there, and other than in the press conference there’s been no mention of it. Does a small amount of blood mean not warrant a mention? After the recently upheld FEI rule, I wouldn’t think so.

Audience numbers were close to 2,000 and with new, elevated bleachers Jim Brandon really packed them in. This spectator was intrigued by the announcement of a halftime show, but the air went out of that one fairly quickly . . . the random War Horse preview, smoke machine and laser show had rainbow unicorn jokes flying before the smoke had cleared from the ring.

All would have been forgiven if show management hadn’t forgotten to turn the middle two rows of lights back on after “halftime.” A fairly important ride followed the break, and as Steffen Peters rode into a ring that was not fully lit, the two-dozen photographers scattered about the perimeter silently raged. Sigh.

But, all’s well that ends well.Other than those hiccups (ok, perhaps in part because of them), the night was highly entertaining and Jim Brandon was a beautiful venue for top level dressage.

Steffen and Ravel are simply amazing (even in the dark), and even On the Line can’t help but drink the dressage Kool-Aid after watching them in person. With Steffen’s recent USEF Horseman of the Year honor, Steffen’s double gold at the Pan Ams, his and Ravel’s now two-time championship at the WDM, they are undoubtedly the Masters of dressage. They just keep getting better, and better. It’s hard to imagine how they could top themselves once again, but with Charlotte hot on their heels and a few big guns waiting for them over in Europe, it’s safe to say that Steffen will, incredibly, be stepping it up even more this year.

Bring on London!

Ravel's groom Dawn White O'Conner (left), and owner Akiki Yamazaki with Ravel at the ingate. Anja Plonzke % La Mont d'Or. Photo ©Kim MacMillan/MacMillan Photography

World Dressage Masters Palm Beach Exquis Grand Prix Freestyle   
1. Steffen Peters (USA) Ravel – 83.700%
2. Charlotte Dujardin (GBR) Valegro – 83.650%
3. Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfvén (SWE) Favourit – 78.250%
4. Carl Hester (GBR) Wie Atlantico – 74.850%
5. Anja Plönzke (GER) Le Mont d’Or  – 74.800%
6. Tina Konyot (USA) Calecto V – 73.025%
7. Ashley Holzer (CAN) Breaking Dawn – 71.325%
8. Minna Telde (SWE) Deinhardt – 71.000%

Just another Thursday night in Wellington.

If only every dressage show included gold bikini-clad fire dancers, mermaids lounging about in an infinity pool, and chandelier ice sculptures. The organizers of the World Dressage Masters Palm Beach sure know how to attract a crowd, and the place was packed with all of the above, as well as a who’s who roster of dressage stars and their hangers-on last night at the…..exhibitor’s party.

What, did you think I was talking about the competition?

In all seriousness, Wellington Classic Dressage pulled out the stops again this year to transform Jim Brandon Equestrian Center into a classy, World Dressage-worthy venue. The party mentioned above was held on Thursday evening at the posh International Polo Club, which never falls short in hosting “only in Wellington” style affairs.

True to form, die hard dedicated dressage fans showed up in droves for today’s CDI4* Grand Prix. Yes, you read that right, at the last minute the designation was downgraded from a 5* in order to allow Carl Hester and the two top riders in the CDI3* compete (FEI rules state that the horse/rider combination must have two scores above 70% to qualify for a 5*, and Carl’s mount is new to him, so he hasn’t had time to collect the scores. The other riders were subject to a similar roadblock.) Following? I didn’t really either, but Horse Junkies United summed up this wrinkle quite well if you want to learn more.

However, I might add that as I type this I’m in the press tent at the Masters, fortuitously seated next to dressage rider and trainer Lauren Sprieser, who tells me that the 4 vs 5 star designation is little more than a technicality. The leap from 4 star to 5 star is actually not that large in dressage, and although the competition was downgraded, the level of competition is still the same: very, very high, and without a doubt the best that American soil will see this year.

I trust her expert opinion, so in that case, moving on. On the Line feels like a kindergartner in a college class sitting among the aforementioned company, but I did my best to follow along.

Ashley Holzer and her Olympic veteran Pop Art took the top spot in Thursday’s CDI3* Grand Prix, followed by Heather Blitz and Paragon in 2nd, and Swedish rider Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfve in 3^rd. If you clicked through to the HJU link above, you know that Jim Koford and Heather were accepted and competed in the main event today.

I probably spend more time poking fun at dressage than appreciating it, but even a slightly sarcastic hunter/jumper snob can’t help but be a wee bit awed by the power of Paragon’s trot,

Heather Blitz and Paragon. Wow. Just, wow. Photo ©Cheval Photos

the impulsion in Wizard’s piaffe,

Adrienne Lyle and Wizard were stunning and placed 4th. Photo ©Cheval Photos

and Breaking Dawn. Not only is his story especially cool for this Twilight fan (yes, I openly admit that,) in my eyes he lived up to the attention he’s been getting as Ashley Holzer’s new star horse. He was so very cool:

Ashley Holzer and Breaking Dawn placed in 5th. Photo ©Cheval Photos

And then there was that guy from California, what’s his name? Steffen Peters rode in on his high horse and made the Grand Prix test look like a virtual walk in the park. Really, Ravel was so relaxed and at ease, he could have been on a trail ride. If it weren’t for the foot perfect movements (27 of them), the smooth as glass transitions, and the sharp, accurate ride from start to finish that earned this top pair the winning score of 81.468%. Which, by the way, is a new WDM Palm Beach record, and a new personal best for Steffen and Ravel. It’s all in a day’s work?

Steffen Peters & Ravel, victory gallop pros. Photo ©Cheval Photos

Other items of note:

Helmets. Go helmets! Helmet-wearers were representing at about an even 50/50% versus top hat-wearers. At this level of dressage competition, that’s impressive. I was a strong supporter of helmets before I attended the Riders4Helmets Safety Symposium a few weeks ago in Palm Beach, but after hearing Courtney King-Dye’s speech in person at that event, I am an even stronger advocate of helmets than before. Wear your helmets at all levels, people.

Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro scored a 78.468% to finish in 2nd place. Charlotte is wildly talented and intelligent - good for her for donning a helmet. Photo ©Cheval

Either there were some high-dollar VIPs in the stands, or show management decided not to take any chances should the crowd of DQs get a little rowdy: the usher standing at the base of the bleachers was packing a gun under his suit coat. Yes – a real live handgun. I was majorly distracted by this fact after I spotted it, and spent the rest of the afternoon pondering why armed security would be necessary at a dressage show.

Totilas. Sigh. As a dressage “fan” rather than a stodgy and “serious” dressage participant, I’ve got to give him a mention. Oh how I wish he had been able to hop the pond and make his highly anticipated appearance. I understand that he wasn’t 110% ready to take on Ravel due to a minor tendon injury, and he would have been piloted by that new rider, whom I love far less than the stunning Edward Gal, but still. Myself and many of you out there would have loved to feel the electricity in this place when he entered at A.

Edward Gal & Totilas at the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games. Photo ©Cheval Photos

And it continues. Tomorrow’s Grand Prix Special and Grand Prix Freestyle will be streamed live around the interwebs at www.usefnetwork.com. Will Steffen and Ravel take the top prize in the Freestyle?! Is that a foregone conclusion? We will all just have to wait and see.

Full scores from today can be found at the World Dressage Masters site.

I leave you with an instant classic, the Peters-Yamazaki fist bump. Hooray!

Photo ©Cheval Photos

Attention horse world: A Thoroughbred racehorse was born yesterday in Kentucky.

Rachel Alexandra's first foal was born at Stonestreet Farm in Lexington, KY

While you ponder that momentous event and fawn over his famous pedigree (Curlin x Rachel Alexandra), stop and consider this: If this little guy doesn’t inherit his parents’ talent for speed, will he be looked after by good owners for the next 30-odd years of his life? Call me a downer, but the collective oohs and aahs and cute baby foal pictures that saturated social media feeds this morning were a reminder that only a small percentage of Thoroughbreds make it to the track, and an even smaller percentage become successful racehorses.

What of the adorable foals just like Rachel Alexandra’s first colt, that don’t cut it? Without jumping into the dredges of the horse slaughter debate (that’s Lauren Gallops‘ job), I give a nod to all the throwaway TBs of the racing industry that are somewhere out there right now. Many of them started life in a bed of thick straw on a beautiful Kentucky farm, too. Most of them will not go on to be racing superstars.

There are many good things happening in our industry that have given “throwaway” racehorses a better rap; the eventer Neville Bardos (former $850 failed-racehorse, current USEF Horse of the Year) and the Retired Racehorse Trainer Challenge are two recent examples. But it’s a long road coming before all 27,000 Thoroughreds registered with The Jockey Club annually in North America are cared for throughout long lives with happy endings. I hope little Curlin Jr. in the picture above goes on to win the Triple Crown. But if he doesn’t, I hope he lands with owners who will take on the commitment of horse ownership for the entirety of his life.

Just saying.

One man’s vision is another man’s abomination, as recent events have proven true in the tiny equestrian village and/or burgeoning international equestrian hub that we all call Wellington.

If you’ve been living under a rock these past months, now is the time to crawl out of it and Google “Global Dressage Festival.”  Mark Bellissimo and Wellington Equestrian Partners know how to garner attention, and when they announced plans for a sweeping international-caliber competition facility for dressage back in March 2011, heads swiveled so fast around the globe that you could hear the whiplash.

Dressage riders in South Florida have two very nice show facilities, both on the outskirts of Wellington, but those grounds are no WEF for dressage, if you know what I mean. WEP wisely purchased land in the center of Wellington known as the old polo stadium grounds a couple of years back, and that property is now being transformed at breakneck speed into a WEF-equivalent of a facility for dressage.

Along with the showgrounds, a hotel condo development with retail space is also planned. And, cue the uproar. You see, the 90-odd acres that the future Global Dressage Festival will occupy lies inside the Wellington Equestrian Preserve. The Preserve was established to protect the equestrian culture and rural way of life in Wellington. While multimillion-dollar barns and perfectly manicured pastures are not exactly the definition of “rural”, Wellington is an unbeatable place for horses because the Preserve protects things like big box stores, tall buildings, and four lane highways from encroaching inside its borders.

So, the old guard materialized and pulled together once the realization set in that the hotel condo et al would be situated on the corner of an already busy intersection inside the Preserve. As rezoning changes and amendments to Preserve regulations slowly work their way through the many bureaucratic processes inside City Hall, board meetings have gone from a crowd of 30 attendees to a crowd of 200. Dozens of people have spoken during two public hearings to argue both sides of the project. What some see as progress, others see as the unwelcome encroachment on their quiet way of life. How many ways can you say tomato?

That is the short version of a very long story that is sure to get much longer before all is said and done. If you’re interested in reading the passionate “for” and “against” versions of the saga, visit Robert Dover’s blog at www.doversworld.com, and then Wellington Equestrian Alliance.

It gets more complicated when the fact that the full schedule of dressage shows slated to be held at the Global Dressage Festival are technically not yet approved by the USDF. A facility must be completed before it is approved to hold a nationally rated competition, you see. WEP secured the dates by getting them approved to be held at the PBIEC, where WEF will be hosting 5,000 hunter/jumpers over the next 12 weeks of the Winter Equestrian Festival. No one assumes that a circuit of dressage shows will also take place at WEF, because wouldn’t that be quite the cluster. . . you know. The new facility will need to be inspected and approved very soon in order to stay on schedule; the first dressage show is slated to begin on February 2^nd . And thus, you now understand the impressive speed at which the facility is being built. Are things staying interesting? Oh yes.

This week On the Line was graciously allowed to tour the site, and even at this stage it is nothing short of extraordinary. See for yourself:

The main outdoor arena will be larger in size than the International Arena at PBIEC. It will hold four full size dressage courts.

Directly adjacent to the GDF is a residential neighborhood known as Polo Island; many residents there are unhappy with the hurried construction and the idea of a show facility facing their backyards.

It's official, the four permanent barns being constructed will be nicer than the ones at WEF. Every stall will have rubber mats. Enough said! Construction on the massive indoor arena can be seen in the background.

Can you believe, these used to be polo fields?

The permanent show barns will be completed and ready to hold 400 horses in four weeks.

The jumping derby field on the left remains untouched as construction progresses at its southern side..

A mountain of footing provided by Equestrian Services International awaits installation.

Apparently, no man is ever too busy to pose for a girl with a camera.

Don’t be fooled, On the Line’s perspective of the year in review is more People Magazine than New York Times, but oh what fun everyone haves indulging in a good issue of  People. It’s ok, you can admit it too. These moments and events represent a very small but entertaining snapshot of our horse world during the last six months of 2011. So grab a cup of  your favorite egg nog-flavored coffeehouse beverage, and let the reminiscing continue..

Summer began with a highly anticipated book release, and a highly anticipated interview. Talking with Georgina Bloomberg about her co-penning of The A Circuit revealed the kind of insights into the equestrienne writer that made On the Line’s jealous green monster spring to the surface:

Via "Of Teen Novels and Green Monsters", June 16, 2011

In July, a grand prix jumper that gained notoriety when it went missing in 2009 returned to the show ring with trainer Patrick Seaton. The missing and found again story of Good Guinness was well documented via equestrian magazines and forums, and his return to the show ring two years later was a nice way to wrap up the saga.

Via "All's Well That Ends Well", June 20th, 2011

During July, Selena Frederick of Cheval Photos took us to Kalispell, Montana for a look at The Event at Rebecca Farm. It was a gorgeous weekend of eventing made more gorgeous by her shots, and while cross country day passed in fine style, with no injuries and only a minor rider fall, the final phase was also not without its drama. Allison Springer lost her commanding grasp of the lead when Arthur came undone at the sight of an iron horse statue decorating the show jumping ring:

Via "Wherin It's Learnt Once More, the Horse is a Humbling Creature" July 25, 2011

Who knew that Rodrigo Pessoa’s first-ever U.S. clinic would draw such attention – yet in all the wrong ways. After photographer Christina Gray snapped photos of Rodrigo riding a clinician’s horse without a helmet, certain busy bodies pointed fingers and leapt to blame Sidelines blogs for advocating helmetless riding. Sigh. At least it made for entertaining debate:

Via "A Teachable Moment", August 3rd, 2011

Once an overlooked profession, now the beneficiary of their own support network. On the Line tracked down the woman behind Pro Equine Grooms, a fast-growing facebook page and website that she hopes will become the go-to place for grooms everywhere. Grooms unite!

Via "Grooms Unite!" August 11, 2011

In the dregs of a Florida summer, it was nice to escape to upstate New York for a weekend and take in the HITS Pfizer Million Grand Prix. It’s rare to see a course that big, and that difficult, in the United States, and the day was a great one for show jumping. Three cheers once again for Duncan McFarlane, the Kiwi rider based in Northern California, who finished in 2nd place as a bit of a dark horse. Watching him ride out of the ring after the first round was a moment that will stick in my memory for quite a time to come:

Via "Big Money = Big Sport: An Exciting Day at the Pfizer Million", September 12, 2011

Which brings us back to good old Wellington. The announcement of Bill Gates’ latest rental – a farm adjacent to the PBIEC- reminded On the Line once more that in Welly-world, we truly are among the 1%. Not that we would have it any other way, of course.

Via "Not Ridiculous at All", October 11, 2011

Bring on 2012!

The Gospel of George. Helmet-wearing. Le Club, an oxygen bar and alligator half chaps. Polo and the Louboutin of saddles. Reining controversy, moments from California and one close-call fall.

And that was just the first half of the year. For On the Line, 2011 offered up so many opportunities to admire, poke fun of, and debate the best and worst of the horse world. And oh, what fun it was. Someone recently said that everyone loves 2011 recap blogs, so on the assumption that is in fact true, I’ve indulged in a look back, On the Line style. From January – May, these were just a few of my favorite things:

Early on in the year, it was just too easy to mock helmetless heads:

Via "A Need to State the Obvious", January 9th 2011

It might seem ridiculous to ask if the horse show comes with a nightclub, unless, of course, that horse show is WEF. Reminiscent of a Miami beach lounge, the glass-walled “Le Club” overlooking the International Arena on the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center grounds debuted last season with much success. We can only wonder what Equestrian Sport Productions’ Mark Bellissimo has up his sleeve for 2012:

Via "It's Working", January 29, 2011

The winter World Cup qualifying season was hot hot hot, from Wellington to Southern California. Consecutive Saturday night grand prix classes on both coasts made On the Line one very busy blogger during the winter months:

Via "World Cup Qualifiers, Coast to Coast!" February 14th, 2011

Just how much will a pair of  alligator half chaps set you back? On the Line knows. This custom chap maker, along with other vendors on the grounds of the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, transformed Wellington, Florida into the land of equestrian excess in so many ways:

Via "WEF Shot of The Week, 5", February 24, 2011

Real men wear helmets. And Steffen Peters was the man this year at the World Dressage Masters. He ruled Florida with Ravel in February before having a banner season with his two top horses. I am already excited for the 2012 WDM, when Ravel and Totilas will go head to head at the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center:

Via "He's the Man", March 11, 2011

Who else can you count on but On the Line to compare a saddle company with designer footwear? Those stylish Voltaire saddles begged for the comparison, and as a result of this column, they had a very good year. Well, perhaps it also had something to do with the smokey green eyes and white-hot ambition of Voltaire Founder Brice Gouget. Just call him Mr. Louboutin:

Via "If Louboutins Were Saddles, They Would be Called Voltaire", March 24, 2011

Way back in April, On the Line hoped that the movie Buck would help bring non-horse people into the fold of the horse world. Eight months, many accolades and thousands of screenings around the world later, Buck is now on the short list for Best Documentary at the Oscars:

Via "The Mainstream Cowboy?" April 6th, 2011

Unfortunately the photos in this slideshow have pixellated a bit, but John French’s most epic save during a hunter derby in Southern California was admirable, and even better, it was captured in freeze-frame by Cheval Photos’ Selena Frederick:

Via "The Close Call Fall", April 16th, 2011

The EHV-1 outbreak not only caused a widespread panic and a few very dark weeks in the horse show world, it drew parallels to On the Line’s favorite movie of the same name:

Via "EHV-1: Making the Case for Microchipping", May 26th, 2011

The reining debacle out of Malmo, Sweden began to smack of mob rule after video surfaced of indifferent FEI stewards presiding over questionable training techniques in the warm up ring. It seemed that everyone in the horse world got on their soapbox to chime in (yes, that includes yours truly), and also made On the Line wonder; does it take an uproar of epic proportions to get a governing body to pay attention?

Via "Mob Rule", May 30th, 2011

Are your clicking fingers tired yet? After looking through those posts, you’re probably thinking the same thing I am: what a crazy, flawed, passionate, wonderful, exciting world we’re all so caught up in. Check back here later in the week for the Part II recap, June – December.

Courtesy of Spruce Meadows Media Services

Hickstead

Dutch-bred stallion by Hamlet

2008 Olympic Champion

Best Horse, 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games

Winner, CN Spruce Meadows Masters, Grand Prix of Aachen, CN $1 Million International Grand Prix, countless others.

1996 – 2011.

If you’re the kind of nerd who rewards yourself with a good book and a nice spot on the couch after a hectic work week, get ready to fire up your Kindle. Proceed immediately to Amazon.com and download Blaze of Glory, by m. garzon. Do not be swayed by the conventional title, the Young Adult label, or the very young child on the cover who has nothing at all to do with the actual story. Thanks to Horse Junkies United, On the Line discovered an addicting guilty pleasure of a novel last week with a level of steam and scandal that is way over the top –and oh so enjoyable to read. Add in the hunter/jumper circuit, high goal polo, The Royal Horse Show, and (everyone’s favorite) barn drama, and a novel doesn’t get much better than this for horsepeople of many age groups.

Meet Tea, a headstrong 17-year-old girl who is a very talented jumper rider and hardworking riding coach. She helps run her stepfather’s Canadian boarding and training facility while engaging in all the typical teenage pastimes – party drugs, sex, alcohol, and many other curfew-breaking types of rebellion. She’s a talented rider but when tragedy strikes early on in the book, her downward spiral kicks off the kind of teenage behavior that makes the reader relate to her, root for her, and even be a little disgusted in her. But, being an attractive and intelligent teenage girl, a romantic storyline is inevitable, and although this particular tale is laced with family secrets, an element of abuse and quite the secret scandal, it all makes for a great page-turner, and easily tops other horse-themed fiction novels recently reviewed on this blog. Where The A-Circuit played it safe and stuck its little pinky toe into the sordid waters of drugs, young love, and the moneyed equestrian world we love to hate, Blaze of Glory takes a big old swan dive into those depths, stays awhile, and lets all the ignominy soak deep into its pages.

There is no one-dimensional writing in this book. Author m. garzon knows how to reach inside her reader’s head and carry them along with her characters’ emotional highs and lows. She writes with the ease of someone who understands the way horses think and feel. This is her first novel and my hat’s off to her. So what are you waiting for? Jump on into this book.

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