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."

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!