Adult Teams
2009 Adult Team Competition - Culpeper
ADULT DRESSAGE TEAM COMPETITION IN CULPEPER, VA HITS COMMONWEALTH PARK AUGUST 1st & 2nd, 2009Submitted by Jill Butler & Rhonda Combs Friday, July 31st: Well, by now we’ve all scrubbed our ponies, polished our boots and oiled our tack. Endless loads of all our horsey "junque" have been taken to the trailer and neatly stacked, stuffed or thrown in heaps, desperately hoping that we have taken all we need for a fun filled weekend at the Adult Team Competition in Culpeper, VA. Although, anything we forgot could be easily purchased at VTO Saddlery once you arrived. And you think to yourself, I needed that anyway, right? Good excuse to spend money on our pampered 1300 lb. hay burners. Or, just ask Karen Walsh…she has just about everything you need in her tack room too! You know another thing; it also took me a couple years to realize that Culpeper was actually spelled with only two "p’s" and not three! This is where you can snicker and mutter a "typical blonde" comment. Next, find the fastest and "least" stressful route to Commonwealth Park! Now, for those of you not familiar with this drive you can either make it in a delightfully pleasant trip of about 3½-4 hours (including potty and coffee breaks), or, you end up stuck in DC traffic on the hottest day of the year and the busiest day of the week. Of course, everyone has decided to get out of work earlier than the week before because they know all these horse trailer bound equestrians from DVCTA will be clogging their highways (some explicative’s mentioned at this moment). I went through this last year (nearly 6 hrs. on the highway) and was determined that I would leave earlier and take a more scenic route with less traffic. Personally, I’m convinced that heading to Morven Park/Leesburg and then to Culpeper is the best way to go! But others swear the Washington Beltway is best. So, now that I have my Maggie (GPS) programmed, my printed Google map and my tattered old Rand McNally Atlas in the hands of my navigator, Rhonda Combs, we head off to another adventure with our trusty wannabe dressage horses in tow (mind you, Rhonda and I come from "eventer" bloodstock). "At least packing for a dressage show is a lot easier, you don’t have all the extra crap to tote around!" Also sharing the same observation is Marty Detering, another avid event rider crossing the great divide to the DQ world. Of course, my plans for an uneventful trip were literally rattled out from under me! We’re half way there and the front end of my truck starts shaking and vibrating so badly that I thought my drive shaft was falling out! Luckily, we are right next to a major interchange with several mechanics ready and waiting to milk me dry for an emergency repair! The first place actually turned me away because they wouldn’t even look at a diesel truck, but told me the guy next door does (although they didn’t recommend him). Hmmm, what to do?? So, I take my chances and walk to the neighboring mechanic. BTW – Anecia Delduco and company are following me down and were so helpful and supportive. Thanks gals! And this is how I earned the coveted "Flat Tire Award" at Saturday night’s BBQ (see more on that later!). Anyway, I am really hoping that it’s something simple because I had a similar experience years ago in college (go Nittany Lions) where my lug nuts were stolen off my truck as a prank. Now, who would of thought this would happen twice in one’s life…well, it nearly did! All of my lug nuts were LOOSE on the front right wheel! Whew, at least it was an easy fix and a generous tip was given to that "not so good" diesel mechanic. Ok, on our way and no more incidents…and our horses ROCK! Not one protest from them as we detoured our way back to the highway…via a Chic Filet for some sustenance first. Wow, I forgot how good it was to eat there. Anyway, we finally arrive at the park and take the next couple of hours to settle our ponies in. We had the biggest pile of tack and supply that makes one wonder how the heck it all fit in the trailer to begin with (again, at least we weren’t attending an event where we’d have 3x more stuff!). After several trips, we’re done! Stalls bedded, horses fed & grazed, tack rooms set up and the bottle caps start popping…awhhh, now for a nice cold one! Back at the hotel we shower up, head down to the pool area for a pizza party (thanks for organizing Rhonda), BYOB and team camaraderie! Saturday, August 1st: The Best Western does a great job and they have comfortable, clean beds. And a buffet breakfast is included…complete with grits! Then, bright and early off to the park to start the morning barn chores and get the horses braided. The really organized people braided the night before, but no, not me…I gave myself 2 hours to get my mare braided, and it nearly took me 3! You see, she’s ½ Percheron and has a mane as wide and thick as her neck…just crossing my fingers it lasts through Sunday. The first days rides get off to an early start and last well into the afternoon. This is when we all ride our two required tests for the team. If we score in the top six of our division, then we qualify for Sunday’s individual championships. As the day progresses you see and meet all the other teams and their members…some are veterans and some are new this year. We have members with a lot of showing experience under their belt and others who have only just started showing in the last year or two. But we all quickly learn that being here is a lot more fun than attending other shows because we’re all here to ride on a team and support our club. DVCTA sent 7 teams…1 Intro, 3 Training Level, 1 First Level, 1 Second Level and 1 FEI mixed team! We certainly are a force to reckon with! Riders come back from their tests with stories (mostly good or funny) about how well their horses performed; how stinking hot it is, or if they have to peel their breeches off in 99% humidity one more time they’ll pass out! HITS Commonwealth Park is also a great place to hold a show. There are so many warm up arenas and the stewards were quick to lend a hand at holding your coat or offering you a nice cold bottle of water as you exited the arena. VTO Saddlery had a great tack shop tent and the food booth was just wonderful. Complete with fresh fruit smoothies…mmmm! And finally, throughout the afternoon, team placings were announced and ribbons presented at the mounted awards ceremonies. This is always an entertaining high light of the day, especially when they tell you to enjoy your "please keep it under control" victory gallop in the main grandstand arena! On Saturday evening we had a wonderful treat prepared by Jena Ianuzelli’s fiancé, Joe, who grilled for us all a feast of chicken and BBQ pork. The smell of his cooking tempted us all day at the horse park! Well, good things come to those who wait and as I sat under a nice grove of trees I had a wonderful meal with a selection of wonderful side dishes and desserts to top it off! In addition to the excellent company we had our awards ceremony. The awards were numerous and ranged from the humorous to the more serious in nature. It was fun to recognize achievements as well as have a few laughs! We were all appreciative of the efforts of Anecia Delduco and Karen Walsh who made it possible for us to have such a wonderful weekend. Julie Hewitt did a great job, along with Terri Monturano’s assistance, with the entries and keeping track of everything. As the awards were given out it was clear that it was a team effort to make our weekend special and memorable. Sunday, August 2nd: Sunday is where the top six in their division qualified to ride in the individual championships…and we had several members compete. Additionally, you can sign up to ride in a musical freestyle, pas de deux or quadrille. DVCTA had two teams entered. One was the mom and daughter team of Gail and Emily O’Neil performing a pas de deux to a Michael Jackson song. They were nicely coordinated in red shirts, black hats and Michael’s signature sequin glove! The other was a First Level quadrille team consisting of Kathy King, Karen Walsh, Anecia Delduco and Jill Butler to the music from Queen. Their ensemble was dark hot pink vests with matching polos and top hats! The freestyles are down right fun!!! This is my fifth season competing on a quadrille team and we always have the best fun…everyone should try it and certainly makes dressage fun! So, are you thinking you’d like to join us next year??? We’d love to have you on our team! |
