I’ve just added a few shows to the events calendar. The first is one that’s been around for a few years, but I’ve just recently heard about it. It’s the Pink Ribbon Classic and it’s in Meadville, PA on the same grounds as Penn-Ohio.  This one is coming up quick, Sept 10-12, so if you think you can participate there’s no time to waste.

The second is the California Fall Classic.  It’s mostly a Saddlebred show but they offer Morgan classes (I believe that’s a new thing for this year).  Unfortunately, this show falls after GN and the Morgan show world seems to go to sleep after OKC.  I’ll be interested to see how much participation they have.

Who’s excited for Jubilee? Me! That’s who!

For anyone who can’t be there in person I just found out that it will be available online by the same people who bring you New England, Mass Morgan and Grand National streaming video: http://morganhorsevideos.com/. For everyone else, I’ll be in the Judge’s School, but when they let us out look for the red AboveLevel.com hat and say “Hi” if you see me. I promise I won’t bite

Anyone know who the secretary was for this show? I was able to find some results part-way through the show, but when I went to get the rest it wasn’t available anymore. I can’t find the info on the website.

Anyone here go? How was it?

hey guys.

     i was wondering if anyone knew where i could get show proofs from Vermont Morgan 2007. My mare won a class there before i bought her, and i would like to have those photos.

Hey guys, I just figured it was time to start putting out some feelers to see if anyone would be interested in sharing a hotel room for Jubilee? If you’re interested please email me skirossi@gmail.com. Thanks!

-Erin

I’m having a bit of trouble formatting the results so they display nicely.  But Blue Ridge Classic results are available here.  You can view photo proofs online here.

I just purchased a gelding from a lady in VT and need to get him to his new home in Owings, MD.  I dont have a trailer right now and so I need to have him shipped (the trailer is the next big investment!).

The seller is attending New England and offered to bring my new gelding to the show.  Since the distance between MA and MD is shorter than the distance between VT and MD, having him shipped from New England should save me some money.

So if anyone is going to New England, has an extra spot on your trailer, wouldnt mind taking a detour to Owings, MD (zip code 20736) and wants to make a little extra money, let me know!

Thanks everyone!

I can’t believe I didn’t think to post this sooner.  Anyone go to the Lexington festivities this past weekend?  I’d love to hear how the Playmor sale went and what folks thought of the new show!

I know that there was just a post a while ago about horse shows/the industry and the economy, but I would really like to bring this up again.  I just recently spectated at the Maine Morgan show in NH, and saw the same thing I’ve been seeing all season- LOW NUMBERS.  I know that when Maine Morgan was located in Maine it was very small show with low numbers and lower caliber entries, which is why it was moved to NH I believe.  Since the move, the show has seen an increase in participation and quality, but it seems with the economy it’s almost back to the level it was at when it was in Maine.  What I saw at Maine was more 1 and 2 horse classes than at any other show I’ve been to, I think.  There were many canceled classes due to no entries as well.  The quality of entries was overall lower than I am used to at Morgan circuit shows too.  It sometimes seemed that there would be a class with one horse whose quality was up to par, and then maybe 3 horses who were significantly lower in quality and turnout, so that one horse would dominate the class by default because its quality was so above and beyond the others- it wasn’t fair competition.

Normally when I go to a Morgan show to either ride or watch, ALL of the entries are like that one horse that dominated the class, or at least almost all.  So I’m not just talking about numbers, I’m talking about quality as well.  At some of these shows I’m seeing entries that are of the quality we’re used to, and then some that you might expect to see at the county fair.  Do not get me wrong, I’m not trying to belittle those entries- all I’m saying is that when they are showing at a breed show with a horse like that against one that has the quality to pin well at a regional competition, it’s not even fair, everything gets out of balance.  We’re getting entries with quality that is kind of uneven and across the board.  It also makes the whole show atmosphere feel different.  It does not feel exciting and competitive when we have more 1 horse classes than not, and horses that are better suited for fairs and open competition.  It’s not the turnout we’re all used to and it’s not the turnout that always had us coming back for more.

I’ve been keeping up with most of the results from Morgan shows not just in my area, but around the country as well, and the trend is the same- numbers are way down, scary down.  I showed at Connecticut Morgan and noticed that the jr. ex. hunter classes which we all know are normally HUGE, only consisted of something like 6 horses.  Interestingly, it seems that western classes are seeing an increase in numbers, or at least are holding steady. Anyone have an explanation for that??

Has anyone else noticed how skimpy the Morgan Connections have been? And there was a long period of time where there were no new issues.  It used to be that it came every single month- Winter or Summer.  And during show season there were sometimes 2 issues in a month.  Now we’re in the middle of show season and the issues are barely making 100 pages.  Why is this happening?  I’m guessing that there has been a major decrease in the number of people advertising and this is the reason.

Last year the numbers took a bit of a hit, although at some of the regional shows, especially New England, the numbers were still very strong.  But this year things seem to have taken a real nose dive and I just don’t know why exactly.  I’m interested to hear what you all think.  Is the economy solely responsible?  Can some of you share how it has changed your own life with Morgans?  I, personally, am still doing the same number of shows that I always have (about 4).  It is distressing and alarming to me that this has happened a bit suddenly.  It upsets me a lot because it really makes show season a lot less fun.  It’s actually kind of depressing.  So I want to hear everyone’s thoughts on this. Is anyone else worried like me? When do you think this is going to stop? Why do you think our industry is so down this year in particular??  I want my Morgan world back!! 

I’m starting out day 2 here enjoying a lovely morning chilling with the Champion Hill crew.  The Carriage classes are going right now in the main ring and I can see them from where I sit in the shade.  Trainer Olivia Doutt and I discovered an unknown connection yesterday.  She grew up showing Saddlebreds in this area.  You remember those Saddlebreds I was trying to turn into western horses?  Well, there was one I remember in particular named Meghan.  She had “ballet feet” up front (in other words, was about as turned out as they come) but she was a sweet horse and I worked with her all summer long one year as often as I could get to the barn.  I didn’t actually expect to have a chance to show her, but enjoyed the opportunity to ride.  Well, Warren County Fair comes along and they decide to haul Meghan up there so I could show her.  I was thrilled.  But as I begin getting ready for my class, my cousin all the sudden decides she wants to show western too and since Meghan is her horse she’s going to ride her.  Bound and determined to get in the ring anyway I get put on Rainbow who hadn’t seen a western saddle in years.  Of course Meghan beat Rainbow and I, which, while still disappointing, had some degree of vindication for me.  Well, turns out Olivia was Meghan’s next owner and proceeded to clean up in western classes in the area.   She had her the rest of her life to the ripe old age of 22.  It’s good to know she went to a good home!

But, back to business at hand.  There were some particularly nice horses to show last night.  My favorites may have been Essex Playtime and City Kitty.  But the highlight of the evening had to be the last class of the night, Morgan Open Park Harness.  I had noticed in the program a horse owned and to be showen by Gary Horne.  When I first saw the name, before my mind even had a chance to complete the thought it was dismissed.  Surely this wasn’t Horne of Horne Farms.  Come to find out surely it was!  Apparently it was a last minute decision for him to show.  The horse had been in the ring here once back in 2006, but they had only just put shoes on him a few days ago for this year’s appearance.

As Gary came into the warm-up ring before his class the horse was a lit firecracker!  A grandson of San-Kay’s All A-Glow, he was big and bold you were never quite sure what he was going to do next, but he was beautiful.  Lynn Peeples and Nancy Flower were out there with him, helping to get him set up to go.  It was a beautiful picture of Morgan camaraderie and community to see them giving him a hand.  But as we were standing there looking, all of the sudden it went dark behind us and the music stopped!  The power had gone out in the show ring in the middle of a victory pass.  After a few minutes of darkness, the power was still on in the warm-up ring and there were only 2 classes left so they moved the officials over there to continue.  As they led the harness horses for the last class out of the ring so the next class could go, Lynn was at the head of our fire-breathing dragon and summed up the sentiment of the whole crowd as he yelled back “Hurry up, please!”

After a quick one-horse class, Gary and Brian Stewart (with Bri-B XTC) came back in with their prancing steeds.  Brian and his horse were beautiful, but it was hard to take my eyes off Gary and HFF Tomcat Victory.  He was in and out of form, and often on the verge of being out of control, but when he set up and got going he was beautiful.  Brian and XTC won, of course, but I felt privileged to have seen one of the Horne Morgans driven by his breeder.