Galway Downs Annual Fundraiser Clinics & Symposium! Who are you clinicing with?

[SuZQuzie]

This will be my first year heading down for the clinics & I’m super excited! They just announced today who the clinicians will be & I’m trying to figure out which ones should be my top three picks. I’ve trained primarily with northern California trainers, so I don’t know much about the training style of these fine men and women.

Has anyone ridden with any of these trainers? Do you know their teaching style? Do you know what types of teams they seem to do best with? Which ones push your limits? Which ones build confidence? Who is very PC? Who is more about “tough love”?

Pippa Funnell
James Atkinson
Hawley Bennett-Awad
Barb Crabo
Gina Economou
Robyn Fisher
Erin Kellerhouse
Debbie Rosen
Kin Scheid
Tamra Smith
Jennifer Wooten
Taren Atkinson
Fredric Bouland
Bea di Grazia
Auburn Excell-Brady
Susan Friend
Kristi Nunnink
Alice Sarno
Bunnie Sexton
Wendy Wergeles

Hopefully I’ll see some of you there!

[runNjump86]

I am SO bummed I can’t go. Well, I’m not positive, but I’m about 90% sure I won’t be able to get it off work. Boo.

Tamie Smith is very tough love and you need a tough skin. She is VERY good, but does not sugar coat anything. If you want to show up, ride, and LEARN, she’s amazing. If you want to be coddled, find someone else.

Debbie Rosen is AMAZING with young riders and young/green horses. She is very no-nonsense, to the point, but has a softer edge than Tamie. GREAT confidence booster but she will also push you.

Taren Atkinson is also very to the point, but not as blunt as Tamie. She is very good at reading the horse/situation and finding different approaches that help you progress and get the job done. Also good with young riders. Confidence building, but will push you.

James Atkinson is a bit tougher, but also very good with young horses. He gets results, doesn’t have a lot of “fluff”, and is also very good at creating situations where your horse will succeed even if you’re having trouble. Gets results, pushes you and your horse, and has a great eye.

I’ve never ridden with Frederic, but he and Gina E. were the ones I was hoping to ride with (I’ve ridden with the ones I mentioned). I’ve heard both trainers coaching from the sidelines and both have very constructive methods and get results.

Hope to see you there! I may get the flu that weekend, haha!

[mugsgame]

Pippa Funnell is excellent. Very very correct and does not miss anything. Her jumping is also excellent thanks to be married to a top SJer. She rarely teaches in the UK but when she does they fill immediately.

[SuZQuzie]

Thank you rNj & mugs! This is exactly the information I’m looking for! Anyone ridden with Hawley, Barb, or Bea?

[azeventer]

I ride with Alice Sarno…she is great! Very good at building confidence, very good at reading a horse and rider and knowing when to push for more and when to back off. She is also very calm and positive. Awesome instructor, she is why I drive 1 hour after work to board and train with her! I have also ridden with Barb Crabo, she is also excellent and her teaching style is in many ways very similar to Alice’s. Either one would be great…they are good with newer/more timid riders/green horses, up to the more advanced been there, done that set.

[azeventer]

forgot to add…I have also ridden with Wendy Wergeles at an eventing camp…it’s been a long time now, but I remember it being a very positive experience and would be happy to ride with her again. Very positive and knowledgable as well… For disclosure…I like to be pushed when I ride, but want it to be in a positive way. I don’t want easy and unchallenging… Don’t sugarcoat, expect me to learn and try, but I don’t respond well to the yellers and the sarcastic comment instructors out there. YMMV…but all three of the above fit my criteria of demanding but positive.

[SuZQuzie]

Very excited that this is coming up this weekend! I’ll be there riding with Bea DiGrazia on my young horse, along with auditing. Anyone else attending?

[dotcantrot]

I’m riding my Tr/Prlm horse with Bea and a young one with Taren. What a packed weekend it is going to be! Look forward to meeting you. Come meet my boys, Mario and Cabrio somewhere on the Galway map.

[Mobilia]

I’m riding in one of the Prelim groups with Pippa, can’t wait!!