Artisan Dressage Blog – All Articles
We have Arrived!
Hello Everyone!
Milo and I arrive in New Jersey safe and sound. He walked right into the crate for the plane like a champ and was just a wonderful boy like always! He is all tucked into his stall safe, happy and quite social!! I will get on him tomorrow and lets hope he feels good!! Here are some pictures from the airport!
WE QUALIFIED! USEF Festival of Champions HERE WE COME!!!!
Well everyone we are going to Gladstone, New Jersey!!!! Milo and I recieved our official invitation to attend the USEF Festival of Champions yesterday. We both leave for LA on June, 9 and then we both fly to New Jersey on June 13th. We will be keeping you updated on here and I will be trying to upload videos from there!! Wish us luck!! Thank you all for your support!! http://www.usef.org/contentPage2.aspx?id=dressagefestival Also for those of you that haven’t seen Milo work you can search www.youtube.com using ‘Katie Johnson Millenium’
CONGRATULATIONS Jenna and Carol!
A schooling show was held on Saturday, May 30, 2009 at Creek Hollow Ranch in Ramona, Ca. Two of our students, Jenna on Annie and Carol on Lance competed at the Introductory Level. It was both of the pairs first show together and they both did amazing! Jenna and Annie received a 73% and and 82% and Carol and Lance received a 63% and a 69%.
We are so proud of both of them! The Creek Hollow Ranch schooling shows are super affordable and are a wonderful way to get out in the ring and have fun. We all need to support these small shows in order to keep them around!!!
Artisan’s ride times at Creek Hollow
For those of you interested my ride times at Creek Hollow are 9:30 and 9:47 on Sunday May 10th. Maybe we’ll see you there for our ‘get back to it’ show!! Elizabeth
2009 – Katie’s Young Rider’s Sponsors
Click to see the original sponsor letter
Hello Everyone,
As the time for the USEF Festival of Champions is closing Milo and I are so excited to be going to this prestigious event! We will be in the best competative company that I could ever hope for at this time in my career. Please keep checking back for updates and hopfully videos!! The funds for the trip are coming together thanks to so many very generous people…….
- Pam S. for everything that you have done and continue to do!!
- Mike S. & the team at “Rapid Transmissons” for the use of your wonderful truck! http://www.rapidtransmissions.net/
- Some selected extended family members
- Lisa and John Seger, “Seger Insurance & Equine Products, Inc.” www.sporthorseinsurance.com
- Robin Quasenbarth and Gary Vella, “On Q Hanoverians” www.onQhanoverians.com
- Nancy Reed, “Nancy Reed Horses” www.nancyreedhorses.com
- Christina Melhouse, Esq., “Ligget, Davis, Pagnini & Melhouse” www.ldplaw.com
- Aubrey and Raffy Dorian,“Moblie Veterinary Practice”
- Lady G.
- Linda M.
- Diane G.
- Joe G.
- Sharon and Kieran G.
- Gladys W. and Simon K.
Milo and I THANK YOU ALL!
Sponsors needed for Katie and Millenium
Katie needs funding to transport Millenium to Gladstone New Jersey. She is in a qualifying position to take part in the 2009 USEF Festival of Champions which invites the top 12 riders in the country, at their level to compete in this prestigeous event. Unfortunately the cost to fly him there is very high. She is seeking sponsors to help defer the cost. Ground transport that far would be very taxing in the heat for so many days. Please see the sponsorship link to read the letter she is sending out in hopes of raising the funds for travel.
Whats up this early May.
Del Mar was a success with Katie and Milo coming away with a 65.1 average to be applied toward her championship standings. We had a lot of fun up there and were sad to have to say good bye to Debbie and the crew. Katie followed them back to LA, got them packed and off to Idaho in the following couple days. MIlo came home with me and now Katie too it here for a while. We plan on going to another qualifying show, which is why she stayed in Ca. I am not complaining, I am enjoying them both!
Just prior to Del Mar I had the opportunity to go back up and have 2 more lessons with Debbie! What a treat!! This weekend I am teaching a clinic in Ramona. Its not too late to join in! Then Sunday I am taking Artisan out for his first show in ages at Creek Hollow. It should be fun!
Elizabeth
Del Mar National This week 4 (24,25,26)
Katie will be showing this coming weekend for one of her final bids for the championship qualification. Her times are approximate as the actual times aren’t known until the night before the class. Class start times are: Friday 1pm, Sat 9:35am, Sunday 1pm. All are to be ridden in the covered ‘San Diego Arena’. Also Brentina will be there for her final farewell to her local fans!! Hope to see you there!!
Broodmare for sale SOLD! Congratulations Lori
Marahoote, our broodmare, is for sale. I need to scale back and focus on the riding horses! She is the mother of Artisan and Santayo (the now 2 year old) She is 16.3 h, 15 yrs old. KWPN but also in the ISR/NA and Oldenburg Breeders Society studbooks. I showed her through 2nd level winning the San Diego Chapter Champion Award. In her showing she had very high scores in the 70’s. Unfortunately an old injury surfaced and I had to retire her. I am considering ANY OFFER.
Dressage Affaire Update
Katie and Milo added nicely to their goals for qualifying for Young Riders again. They achieved a 64.7 and a 66.3 in their test rides and a 67.2 on the freestyle!!! It was fun to have so many show up on Sunday for the freestyle. It is so rare to be able to share her riding with everyone!! Thanks for coming!
Just an update!
It has been a very busy first part of 2009! Katie is still working hard up at Epona, where Debbie’s gang winter with the horses. I have been to the shows with them and as part of my ‘continuing education’ I have been going up to their barn in Hidden Valley and have the honor of sitting with Debbie as she teaches the crew up there. I have so enjoyed the learning by watching horse after horse as she helps them. Its a long 1 day drive but worth it!!! I am very excited to be taking my boy up in a couple of weeks for some help of my own! I have been riding and teaching tons and have had some very rewarding experiences with mine and students horses. Between the lessons and teaching my weeks are extremely full. Thank goodness for my help around here at my barn. I could never keep up with out them. Soon I hope to add a fully covered mare motel, an equal opportunity gender housing project. It will house 4 horses fully covered so I don’t have to deal with the mud again! I am crossing my fingers that I can swing it. Soon I hope to have some photos for the site. I have been trying to get better at taking pictures!!
Thanks to all that make this happen!!! Elizabeth
High Point YR/Amateur FEI
So not only was the show a success but we just found out that Katie and Milo won the high point for their division!!
The first show is a success for Katie and Milo!!
At the show last weekend at the LA Equestrian Center Katie got to test out her progress in training! She achieved a 68.9 % at Prix St Georges and he was ready go on Sunday to get a 70.2 % in the young rider test! I went along in grooms capacity, which felt odd. It is always a treat to listen to Debbie coach and teach!
Elizabeth
Katie is coming back to So. California!
Sometime late next week River Grove Farm will move their operation to the LA area to enjoy the warmer climate and participate in the CDI show season. It looks like Katie will be staying on as a groom in LA and will be competing Milo in hopes of qualifying for Young Rider’s again. To say her time in Idaho has been great is putting it mildly. She has worked hard giving the horses the special attention that they are accustomed to; daily grooming, walking, feeding and various forms of therapeutic care. Selfishly, from a mom’s perspective, I am looking forward to having her close. The trainer in me is hungry to be able to go learn more! So on to 2009!!! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!
Hammy aka Gadget found a home!!!!!!
Katie’s first dressage horse found a special home where he can show her the ropes and enjoy life! He is in the mountains of Descanso enjoying his new pony club mom, another Katy! As well as that he has a herd of cows to keep him entertained! I miss the little guy but am so happy that he has a full life once again.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!
Thanksgiving in Idaho!
Our family had a great trip to Idaho to visit Katie and share dinner with some wonderful friends!! Me, Bill (my hubby), Jessica (Katie’s sister) and of course Tinker (our mini doxie) made the 17 hour drive together. The weather was accommodating bordering on disappointing for us So. Cal. fair weather travellers with no snow at all in town! Even the ski areas couldn’t open! Boo hoo, no sisterly snowboarding. We spent a lot of time with Katie in the barn watching her lessons and helping out on chores. I had the honor if having two lessons on a mare named Wishfull. What a treat to be under Debbie’s watchful eye. I promise to get some pictures up soon of our sojourn. A big thank you to the team I have here that make it possible to be able to leave!!! Soon I will also start a page for my friends and clients so you can meet them all!
Reunion with Milo’s (Millenium) roots!
http://www.paardenexpert.nl/catalog/typo3.php?id=1152
Congratulations Tiffany, Jenna and Samantha
Whether its Young Riders or a schooling show, I get sappy when they have fun and do well! At a schooling show in Ramona, Tiffany Atalla rode her mare Fiesta in training level test 3 & 4 in their first show together, achieving 1st and 3rd place with a 63 & 66 %! Jenna Smith rode her first dressage tests ever on our beloved school master Treasure aka Burrito (24!) training level 1& 2 winning each class with a 66 and 69%! And Samantha Hoffman on Lujan rode training test 3 & 4 in their first show together getting a 2nd and 3rd with a 62% and a 64%!!! I am very proud of all of them. Pictures will be coming soon!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Elizabeth
Ramona, Ca. New monthly dates for 2010
Location: International Equestrian Center in Ramona, Ca
Dates: March 20 and April 24. All levels welcome. I am also finding myself with a little more time and am available to travel in the San Diego area for lessons and clinics.
Contact Elizabeth @ 619-561-7366 or email through the web site!
Elizabeth & Artisan