Team MP Carmel Valley Fundraiser

I don't even know where to start in order to explain how FANTASTIC the Carmel Valley fundraiser was on May 16. I guess I should start by thanking the "Team MP Committee" for all their hard work and time spent pulling off such a great day. All we had to do was drive in, meet our supporters, ride for them and then go head home. The CV fundraiser committee included: Nancy Bareilles, Katy Peterson, Julie Culver, Susan Baxter, Erin Branson, Susan Rowland, Elizabeth Pasquinelli, Margaret Robinson and Andrea. These ladies are go getter's to say the least. And they know how to throw a party!


The setting

When we arrived everything was set up and the setting was unbelievable. The Carmel Valley Trail and Saddle Club is like a park, tucked into the mountains. Its lush and green and very low key so the atmosphere was very relaxed. The Committee had decorated all of the tables, serving areas and silent auction coral in red white and blue. Everything was so darling and perfect!



The event started at 2 pm with cocktail hour, silent auction opening and was followed up with tri-tip and the works! Every detail was attended to...even down to tin plates and red, white and blue wrapped silverware!




After the mid-afternoon lunch, the demonstrations began. First, Tiana Coudray, a top US Three-Day Event rider, rode a young horse over fences and on the flat to demonstrate the skills of three-day horses. She and the horse were beautiful together, there were many oh's and ah's from the crowd. Next up was me and MP with our freestyle. For whatever reason, riding in front of this crowd was the most nervous I've ever been on a horse. We started with a little warm up from Ellen, in which Katy P was able to talk the crowd through some of the movements required in dressage. Then our freestyle to the Can Can, Cabaret and the Stripper. We showed off some of the new freestyle moves which debuted without a hitch.

The fundraiser was more successful that we ever imagined. It was just perfect. There is no other way to explain it. We had a wonderful time and the event put us over half way to our fundraising goal. As I said before, the group of people that pulled this off for us are amazing. We couldn't ask for a better support team. Thank you Team MP!!!

Team MP Fundraiser - THIS WEEKEND!!

The Carmel Valley fundraiser is upon us. We will head down to Carmel Sunday morning for a fun-filled afternoon of horses, BBQ and silent auctions. Please come if you can, it will be a blast!

Thank you to the Team MP Carlen Fundraiser steering committee: Nancy Bareilles, Julie Culver, Katy Peterson, Ellen Eckstein, Susan Rowland, Susan Baxter, Margaret Robinson, Erin Branson, Elizabeth Pasquinelli, Patsy Schulte. These ladies are AMAZING and really know how to move and shake to make things happen! The US Team Trials are possible because of you!

For more information on the fundraiser, please click here.

May 16th - Carmel Valley Fundraiser for Team MP

Mark your calendars! Team MP is hosting a fundraiser at the Carmel Valley Trail and Saddle Club. The even starts at 2:00 and will include demonstrations, including Moneypenny and I riding our freestyle, a BBQ meal and more! I hope you will join us, it should be a terrific event!! Go here for the event flyer and more info. Thank you Team MP!!!!

A very long siesta, Hans Moeller scholarship, freestyle and more

It's been awhile since I've last posted, but that's because Moneypenny and I have been on a very long siesta! I've been to Tahoe with Scott and MPs been in a villa overlooking the Bareyessa hills. It's been great but I'm ready to get back in the swing of things in preparation for the state and regional championships in October.

I'm very excited to announce that we received the Hans Moeller Scholarship from California Dressage Society this year! The scholarship is for $1500 towards training and showing. This means we'll be able to finish out 2008 with a bang! Thank you CDS Scholarship Committee!

The freestyle coordinator came last night and I believe we have finished the freestyle! Just in the nick of time as I will debut it this weekend at Dressage in the Almonds. It is super fun. It's a collection of quirky ballroom songs.

Dennis Callin will be here this weekend to offer us some training. He comes all the way from Germany, so it's really great to have him. I'm sure to post with some pictures after the clinic. He will also warm us up at the show on Sunday. And help fine tune the freestyle.

That's all for now!

Picnicstock

The Picnic Day Parade and our first fundraiser was a big success! The day started around 8 am when we loaded MP into the trailer and headed off to Davis. We unloaded her at Craig & Cass' place and met up with our parade entry volunteers, Sarah, Pam, Eva, Leila and her friend. We also brought along three four legged companions for MP (dogs).

The parade was definitely an interesting experience. MP is not ready to give up her career as a dressage horse and join the parade circuit, that's for sure! She was a little concerned with the noises, balloons, hoards of people and motorized vehicles, but she held herself together quite well. She piaffed and passaged a bit while we waited for the parade to start & she had no interest in standing still, but considering the environment she was very reasonable.

After 4 hours or so of walking and parade activities we headed back to Craig and Cass' for the party. MP had about 5 minutes left of patience at that point, so we took her back to Eva's for an afternoon of snacking and snoozing with her horsey friends at King Farm.

By the time I got back to Craig and Cass', the place was packed! The first band was playing, the bar was pouring and the carne asada was grilling. My dad ran the Susan Para E-Quest Fund table and, as I'm sure you can imagine, did a bang up job.

When Craig originally proposed this idea, his goal was to raise enough moola to feed MP for the year. I'm pleased to announce we almost doubled that! And I'm already over halfway to the $5k goal for 2008! I want to make sure and thank all of the people who came and the friends who walked in the parade with us. Also, my parents and Scott for working so hard and Paul Deering for making the banners - they looked great! I also want to thank our dear friends Craig and Cass for hosting our first fundraiser, providing the food, entertainment, beverages and all of the work and love they invest in this event every year - it couldn't have gone better.
We still have a ways to go before Kentucky 2010, but with all of the support from our friends and family and now the community of Davis, I can't imagine we won't make it!!

Picnic Day is almost here!

Yippee! Here's the official poster for Picnicstock 2008. As previously mentioned, Craig & Cass have generously offered up their annual Picnic day extravaganza as a fundraiser for Team MP. I will be there, as will MP, horse-show-husband, Eva and the wonderful people who are volunteering for our parade entry "Para Equestrians." Please join us if you can.

Here's the invite from Craig:

"It’s that time again and your’re invited to Picnicstock ‘08 -- BBQ and Battle of the Bands 12-5pm, 234 Second Street, Davis. Parade starts at 10am, music and BBQ at noon. Check out our musical lineup with some new stars of tomorrow along with our favorite has beens.

Potluck Bar: Last names beginning A-W bring rum. X-Z bring coke. We’ve got the food covered.

$$$ -- This year’s Picnicstock will benefit our friends Susan Treabess and Moneypenny who are training toward selection to the US National Para-Equestrian Team to compete in the 2010 World Cup. It’s an expensive endeavor and they need some help. So bring a check for $20 or so and we’ll raise enough to keep them both in alfalfa for a year.

(FYI – For those unfamiliar with the para-equestrian sport or Susan, it’s the riders who must demonstrate some abnormality (along with exceptional riding skill) to qualify, not the horse. Susan is the one missing a hoof while Moneypenny has all four.) They will both be in the parade representing Federation Equestre Internationale - Para Equestrians if you want to come early to cheer them on, as well as the Cal Aggie Marching Band-uh, American Brittany Rescue, our State Assemblywoman, and other celebrities including parade marshals Martin Yan and Butterscotch Clinton. Here is the official Picnic Day website http://picnicday.ucdavis.edu/ for a complete schedule of events on campus including the dachsund races, sheepdog trials, sturgeon petting, and world of worms."

Ellen's.......
I had a major breakthrough in my riding this weekend! For you non horsey people this won't be very exciting, but for those of you who ride I think I finally got the idea that if you do less more happens! More collection, more relaxation, more movement! Moneypenny felt great, she had an appointment with the chiropractor and it turns out she was out in her neck and her poll and even a little in her pelvis. So she got adjusted and we had three great lessons and now I have my homework cut out for me.

Generosity.......
I am pleased to announce that I have received the funding needed to develop a professional freestyle. Nancy and Steve Bareilles gave me a very generous donation that will cover 100% of the cost of the freestyle. Words cannot express the gratitude I feel towards Nancy and Steve. THANK YOU!!!!

Eclectic Horseman.......
My friend, and accomplished horsewoman Betty Staley interviewed me over the weekend for a magazine called Eclectic Horseman. Hopefully they'll let me post a copy when the article runs. I'm not sure when that will be, but I'll keep you posted.

The Susan Treabess Para E-Quest Fund

It's official! The Susan Treabess Para-Equest Fund now exists through the Golden One credit union. But it isn't charitable, so sorry, I can't be a write off! It was too complicated to get all of that together. You may have noticed the handy-dandy "Donate" button at the top of the blog on the left. That button is a link to the fund through PayPal so people can help Moneypenny and me towards our Para-Dressage goals. And with a credit card too!!! If you don't want to use PayPal, just email me and I'll let you know how to donate directly. And yes I know, purses and shoes won't help me make the team so I will be sure to spend those pennies wisely.

Picnic Day Parade & First Fundraiser 4/19/08

Some of you may remember Craig Reynolds from our wedding. If you do, this won't surprise you. Every year, during Picnic Day (UC Davis open house extravaganza) Craig and his lovely wife Cass host Picnicstock, a battle of the bands reminiscent of late seventies burnt out hippy parties. It is always THE party to be at on Picnic Day and it is THE place to rub elbows with all of the Yolo County and Davis who's who. Well, this year Craig and Cass have offered up Picnicstock as my first official fundraiser - with only one catch: I have to ride Moneypenny in the Picnic Day Parade. So, with the help of Eva (sense a theme here?) we are entered in the Picnic Day parade with eight people and three dogs. All we need is a banner. If any of you have interest in coming to either the parade or the party, details will follow soon. And we'll be sure to post pics of the aftermath!