Ellen and Sonny reap the benefits of camp

2008 Summer Camp is a Success!

The 3rd annual Ashllen Equestrian Summer Camp at Herron Park was a HUGE success.  Mother Nature shined upon us with gorgeous cloud free days and perfect temperatures.  The late spring rains had the hills around the park looking like Ireland and the footing was perfect for galloping.  Our tried and true clinicians Nick Homes-Smith, Jena Moyer and Jon Elliott were back at it like old pros. Wendy Wergeles joined the crew again this year and we broke in Sara and Gary Mittleider as our "rookie" instructors.  Everyone commented on how smoothly things ran .. who knows, after 6 years of camps and clinics, maybe Ellen and Ashley finally have this figured out!

We introduced a new format this year called "Camp Lite" which allowed riders to opt for only one ride per day.  The camp filled up rapidly with both full campers and lite campers proving that if you offer it, they will come.  Lite Campers were given the option of adding rides and I believe most of them took advantage of it.  The bees stayed in their hives and the mood was set for perfect success.

Day one began with dressage and show jumping... well, that is unless you were with Nick.  Then it was X-C, X-C, X-C!  Instructors dove right in and had campers working hard to be steady and consistent in both phases.  Jon set up a challenging turning exercise for show jumping that had everyone wondering what we were doing on the back of a horse!  Gary and Sara proved to everyone that their skills are a well kept secret and Gary found his "half-day" quickly turning into a full time operation.  Jean was ever the dressage queen and had all of us looking like we were ready for the WEG's.  She is truly the master!  Nick's whole family was involved this year as Nick, Ali AND Carmen rode in the clinic while Taska proved she would be ready next year.

Day two built upon everything from the day before and now that we had knocked the rust off, things were progressing nicely.  A pizza party and evening discussion proved to be an education for everyone as Wendy Wergeles, Jon and Brenda Mittleider helped us demystify the new rules and regulations.  There was lots of discussion about rider responsibility and the direction that the USEA is headed.  We all left feeling more informed and aware.

Day three had everyone galloping in the cross country fields.  It is always a glorious site to be up at the barns and look out to see groups of all abilities enjoying the wonderful course that the FCTA has built.  For some, it was the first real X-C jumping they had done.  For others, it gave them the opportunity to challenge themselves and see the fruits of their hard work.  And then there was the party.  Monday Night Fever this year had us groovin' to the tunes of the 70's and once again proved that... it ain't all about the ridin'!  Good food, good friends, and good times kept us boogying into the wee hours.

"Pick Your Poison" day ran better than ever and everyone was able to fine tune their performance for the upcoming event.  This format has definitely become a favorite among our campers as it allows riders to practice on their weak spots without pounding the horses.  We all set off early for our treasured parking places at Rebecca Farms with smiles and confidence.

For those of you that participated, thank you.  We really do enjoy hosting this wonderful event.  We do it solely for the love of the sport and to offer top quality instruction to our area.  The bonus, we get to participate!  If you have a moment, send a thank you note to the FCTA.  They have put in TONS of work to keep Herron Park safe and beautiful for the public.  They desperately need funds to keep improvements going so if you have a few extra bucks, drop them a note, and become a sponsor http://www.flatheadeventing.org/ .

See you next year!