Attention hunt riders!  Pick up some new bling for this coming show season.  I’ve just started my new blog where I am selling some very special stock pins.  I can guarantee you won’t see anyone else in the ring with these pins!

http://stockpins.blogspot.com/

- Nicole

If any of the Above Level readers have been inpatiently waiting for this, as I have, I am announcing that the Signature Sale catalog is now available online.  I found it on the Signature Sale website:  http://www.signatureequinesales.com/catalog.html which took me to the Morgan Connection website:  http://www.morganconnection.net  It looks like there are some nice horses listed.

Carole L. Mercer and the Dancing Morgans are going to Alltech FEI WEG 2010. We will be there September 25,26,27, and 28 2010.  The horses and I are so excited.

We need your help. Please visit our website at:  www.carts-carriages.com 

 and buy a mile ( or 100 miles or more ) to help us on our way.  Right now we are as far a wonderful Wyoming and seem to be stuck about twenty miles into Wyoming.  We need your help to move forward.

Just click onto paypal on the web site or send  a check to:

 Dancing Morgans- 2890 Alta Vista , Eagle Point, Or 97524

Please let the Morgan friends know that we need your help so we can represent Morgan horses to the world … 

 Happy trails, Carole L Mercer

Just curious, but are equitation boots or polo wraps allowed in hunter equitation over fences class or AMHA Hunter Seat Medal Over Fences?  I looked in the Grand National and USEF Rule book, but it was not specifically addressed.  Since equitation boots and polo wraps are allowed in Open Hunter over Fences equitation classes and finals (i.e. Maclay, USEF Talent Search, Pessoa Medal), and morgan equitation is judged with the same criteria as open equitaiton, does that mean boots are allowed.

I know it is not a huge deal, but i was just curious, as i have shown open equitation and would like to do it with my morgans on the morgan circut.

The count down has started for the annual Light Hands Horsemanship Event held May 20-23 at Art Perry’s beautiful Interpid Farms in Santa Ynez, CA. This is a one of a kind event unique in presentation and concept.  If you want to learn more this is the event for you.  It is all there from entertainment to education and a whole lot more ! Join horsemen,  Dr. Robert Miller, Jack Brainard, Rick Lamb, Jon Ensign, Lester Buckley,  Eitan Beth-Halachmy and 2009 Road to the Horse champion Richard Winters for a memorable and exciting weekend. Visit www.lighthandshorsemanship.com and blog.lighthandshorsemanship.com for more information and latest updates.

We have decided after serious consideration that we will offer HVK Rolling Thunder (Max) for sale.  Max is by HVK Bellweather and out of HVK Radiant, which makes him a sibling to many world champions.

He is bay and a solid 15.2, pretty and athletic.  He has been worked and people have been on him but he is not broke, although it sure wouldn’t take much.  He loves to have a job.  He would make a wonderful English pleasure or classic horse.

He is currently still a stud and has 2 nice fillies and an exceptional colt on the ground.  The colt took 4th at the very competitive Michigan Morgan Futurity 2 years ago and most people there thought he should have won.

As my dad, who does most of the handling and care of the horses, is now in his 60’s and the economy we have decided that finding Max a home where someone will either use him or geld him would be the best thing.  He is just too nice to sit around the farm.

Offers will be considered.  Asking 6500.00.  He is good for the vet and farrier.  He is easy to handle to hand bred and he has never been taught to collect.  He is handled almost daily by teens and is just a good boy.

There are several pictures of him on my outdated website.  www.upnorthmorgans.com.  There is also a link to the farm in the links listing on this website.

Please contact me if you are interested.  He could easily be ready for the end of show season this year and go to OKC.  I can see him gelded and made into a wonderful junior exhibitor horse in EP!!!  He would be a great new fresh face!!

Thanks, Missy

Ok, so as an offshoot of the discussion sparked by Stacy’s post a few weeks ago… I can’t help but notice the trend in the related Poll.  At first glance the No’s clearly have the lead with almost 40% of responses.  But, another way to look at it is that leaves almost 2 out of 3 people in support of some sort of change.

Since over 50% of folks seem to think increasing the qualifications for Grand Nationals is a good idea, that might be the best place to start.  But, that doesn’t accomplish the other goal of the discussion (which I think is a worthy one) of increasing the value of Regional titles (therefore increasing the value of those horses).  One thing I believe has been discussed in this forum before (although I can’t find those discussions now) would be changing the Regional judging format to a 3-judge panel.  Now, I know the first 2 objections I’ll probably hear, and they’re valid, are 1) That’s going to increase the cost to put on the show and therefore increase the cost to exhibitors, and 2) It’s hard enough to find 1 good judge for the show, let alone 3.  From what I understand though, other breeds use the 3-judge panel system more extensively.  I could be way off on that, I tried to research but wasn’t able to confirm.  But the question remains, if that is true, how do they do it?  Couldn’t we learn from them to implement that for our Regionals?

Thoughts?

You heard it here first folks, this show isn’t even on the AMHA calendar of events.  It’s called the Bluegrass Morgan Classic and will be at the indoor arena at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, July 7-11.  Judging this year will be Larry Bolen and Cindy Mugnier.  There will be a full line-up of classes including in-hand.  Check the website, bluegrassmorganclassic.com, regularly for more information.

This convention was a first for me, and one I’m very grateful to have participated in.  I almost didn’t go mostly due to cost and logistics of setting up for someone to feed the horses while I’m gone, etc.  But in the end it was definitely well worth it, and I recommend all Morgan owners try to make at least one at some point in time.  I’m sure I’ll see my fair share of conventions down the road.

The festivities started up first thing Wed evening with a welcome reception at Playmor farm.  The reception was so well coordinated and included a dinner.  They had set up tables in their indoor arena, with a path left open around the outside for the horses that were brought out for us later.  The line-up was stellar, including such names as Stonecroft Byzantine, Arboria Noble Victor, SpiceOLife Present Tense, RJM Pardon my French, Centerpiece, Minion Millenium and Mizrahi, along with a number of sale horses from various stables.  There were a few folks taking test rides later on, so there may have even been some sales later that night.

Thursday was the farm tours.  It was FREEZING, but we all tried to make the best of it.  Keeneland Racetrack was first.  Although this isn’t a Morgan landmark, it’s an equine sporting landmark and is a beautiful track.

Next came Saralin where there was a mare who had been kind enough to have her foal the night before so we could all stand around oohing and aahing.  A few of the highlights here were a couple other mares with foals, a Dragonsmeade Icon yearling filly, and a number of breeding stallions including a Chicagoan son and Mine (yes, that is the name of the horse).

Dragonsmeade of course was lovely.  Again, the list of familiar names is overwhelming, Dragonsmeade Icon, HVK Obsidian, Beethoven, Bocelli, And the Beat Goes On (who might now just be my new favorite Morgan stallion).

We wrapped up the day with a glimpse into the future of the Morgan Pavilion at the Kentucky Horse Park.  Honestly it’s not much more than a hole in the ground at this point, but the foundation has been laid and there was a model and multiple CG drafts.

Thursday night was the AMHI dinner which was packed to overflowing, followed by the benefit auction.  I did not stay for this entire event as it became standing room only, but I heard it went well.

Friday and Saturday were mostly seminars, with something for everyone.  For each session there was something I was interested in, but I never felt torn as to which one to choose, so the scheduling there worked out really well for me.

Friday night was the awards banquet, MC’d by Harry Sebring.  For those of you who didn’t know, Harry skipped out on the Wed night reception at Playmor for a Black Eyed Peas concert.  So it was only appropriate that the awards presentations began with some tunes (I got a feelin….).  A number of worthy recipients were honored.  I don’t have the complete list in front of me, but I’m sure it’s posted somewhere.

I did not go to the luncheon on Saturday, but I felt the reception and Stallion Service auction in the evening was an appropriate close to the event.  Mizrahi and 3 of his sons (Dragonsmeade Icon, Graycliff Tony and Mastroianni) were the top 4 horses at the close of online bidding.  The other service to break into the top 5 at the end of the night was AFF Leroy Brown, selling for 5000.  I believe Dragonsmeade Icon and Mizrahi tied for top bid at 5700… although I had a rather rambunctious and distracting table behind me (you know who you were, in the back corner ).

Next year’s convention will be in Boston.  Not sure when I’ll make it to another one, but I’d definitely go again.  It was such an education and I met a lot of people who were so enjoyable.  I would love to hear other folks’ impressions.

-Erin

Hello!

Ohio Morgan is proud to present Sandy Sessink coming back to join us for a full week Clinic if we have that many people!  Saturday night will be a pot luck dinner and Sandy will be going over “Style Tips”  and any questions you might have.  Ohio Morgan will also be having a general meeting for all our members to attend.

May 20-22, 2010 held at Windcrest Farms in Wooster Ohio

Please contact Amy Snyder OMHA President if interested!!!

$150.00 per student which includes two one on one rides with Sandy.