Question for Merry

[Merry]

Chef: Yes, many of the stables in OC are dilapitated, especially the old ones. As for horse keeping property, come east, come east! Orange Park Acres, parts of Fullerton and Yorba Linda, Norco, Temecula, etc. Lots of horse property of all calibres and values will only go up!Take the toll road to cut over to the 91 Fwy.

Coreene: Last time I saw Mickey Hayden in the flesh was at Ride America this past year on warm-up day. Since I had my 3yr. there for the weekend just to “camp on”, I didn’t pay any attention as to whether Mickey showed or not.

And I do remember Meadowlark stables, on the lop-sided hill in “old” Huntington! I was probably 14 or 15 the few times I went there. The trainer lady there always had a string of horses and ponies for sale. I went with my trainer; I was the guinea pig kid who got to try everything.

[AMom]

First, Pam, I was the one who told you about the HORSES with Valor on the back and, although I have yet to find the issue(!) in the STACKS of junk in my as yet unfinished apartment, I SWEAR it exists somewhere!!! I’m still looking for it for you!!!

I also promised BostonBanker that I would find her an issue with Meredith Michaels and the REAL Boston Banker in it, but have yet to live up to that promise as well… I used to pore over that magazine (I actually have the 1984 Champions issue in my bedroom right now and my husband wants to know what could possibly be so interesting about a 17 year old magazine ) so I KNOW they are somewhere…

By the way Pam, do you or anyone else know what ever happened to Bavaria the Johnstone’s mare? It ocurred to me the other day that I hadn’t heard of any of her babies as far as I know?

I haven’t seen many stars at NorCal shows this year besides the Montanas, but I did see Larry Wilcox from CHIPS in line for a hamburger at Menlo awhile back. Does that count?

[dublin]

Does anyone remember him? He was apparently training down in Southern California at the same time as my sister (I believe mid to late 70’s) and then coincidentally they both later moved to New Mexico and trained there as well.

I was discussing this topic with little sis yesterday; she no longer is involved in the horse show business, but really enjoyed reading all the posts, and knew so many of the people we’ve been discussing.

She said she had found out a couple of years ago from a friend that Robert too had died of AIDS…it’s very sad how many of the trainers we knew died of it in the 80’s and 90’s, before they really had any of the medical treatments they have now.

[Beezer]

What I love about Southern California: It is sunny the vast majority of time. What I hate about Southern California: When it finally decides to rain, it dumps a year’s worth in a couple of days. Whoever said “All things in moderation” sure as heck never lived here. (And no neneer-neneer-neneers from the East Coast lurkers, please. We know we are wimps. But all this rain, combined with a couple of quakes over the weekend … including one centered in Indio … and what for us passes as FREEZING weather is making us VERY cranky.)

Can’t even ride. Even if I WERE willing to brave all this yuck, the horses – being true native Southern Californians too – simply do not “do” rain and the related mud and puddles. Envision hulking warmbloods tiptoeing around on the lunge line here.

Very sorry to have missed you, Coreene, at Pomona. We would have really enjoyed hooking up! But as AAJumper said, we exchanged brief, shivery greetings with her. And we came across a couple of other people we hadn’t seen in YEARS and had a good natter with them. So all was not in vain.

As for the exhibits, I’m probably not the best judge, because I can ALWAYS find stuff to buy. Merry, however, needs to fill you in on her, ahem, experience with the Van Teal saleswoman from Kentucky who probably set the phrase “Southern hospitality” back a hundred years.

[C_C]

I do dare you to call Bob McD. I’d still love to know what Kimmie is up to now. When Bob left, Kimmie was taking classes at OCC, but she and Bob had quite a few heated arguments (typical “I’m a grown up now, I can do what I want” vs. “not as long as I pay the bills” kinda arguments) not long before Bob and Debbie left. (Oh, and yes, I’m a chicken and could never call Bob myself.)

[Chef_Jade]

I’ll be at Indio weeks 5&6, so unfortunately not next weekend. And as luck would have it, I was in the desert last weekend for some down-time but it was the off-week.

And John is awesome. He rode my mare in the IHF last year. Hopped on a few minutes before the class and did an amazing job with a mareish (pig-headed) warmblood (thick-headed)and she’s chestnut (overly sensitive)

I can probably pretty much sum up what all our rounds will look like:

-Trot in ring

• Add leg to canter, head goes up, mares neck resembles that of giraffe.
• Pick up wrong lead
• Canter to first fence, right to base, horse snaps knees and jumps beautifully.
• Spook in corner, head back up, now heading for the first line prematurely.
• See forward distance, gallop, chip, gallop, long to oxer.
• Get her attention back somewhat, canter nicely to next line, hit perfect distance, relax into stride.
• Realize no way in H*ll I am making it down that line with the stride I have, gallop, chip, add stride.
• Continue in simlar manner over last 2 lines
• Thank God I am still alive as I circle and show off beautiful trot.

[JustaLurker]

MO, e-mail away. Perhaps the exchange should be taken offline.

Cheers, Maggi

[wtywmn4]

Ah now Merry, geeez the jack russells were just bringing some gaiety to this wake! Sorry, that was mine who jumped on you and made you spill the wine.

PamM, Patsy was riding as a Severinson, but haven’t seen her for a long time. Does anyone know if she’s still riding?

This will be a very long and slow thread death. We just can’t seem to let it goooooooo…

[Merry]

Humph! My sister keeps beating me to answering these posts!

Coreene, how many people could there be who A) rode with Bob and B) remember showing at Villa Park?

This is getting freaky here!

I remember the roan-with-the-chrome Day Tripper, too. That gal won EVERYTHING locally, but one year when we went to Del Mar, and she was in a hack class with all the Lakeside Ranch horses, our trainer dryly said, “Well, water has found its own level.” Poor Day Tripper was definitely out-classed. There was also a girl named Jill Johnson who rode a horse named Superstar. She was at all of the Villa Park shows.

And now, here’s another name for Coreene: Peggy Osterkamp/Pinza! Or how about the Oertleys and the original, old Winrock Farm, before the Stewarts took the name? Am I frying your brain?

Many, many years ago I took lessons at Ocean View when my horse was laid up. That’s when Mickey Hayden was there with Mark Mullen and his sister, Janet. They let me ride Funny Face, Janet’s gray horse. Ring a bell?

And now, for OZMAN: Yes, I write for magazines. And newspapers. And some Internet sites. Recently I finished a section for a book that was freelanced. And if I could get some free time, I need to get beyond my rough draft of MY book. Horse related? Much (but not all)of it. I’ve been doing it for many years, so I’m fortunate that editors contact me for all the work I can possibly handle, rather than having to send queries out. Get your foot in the door by starting small. Every editor always tells me they are desperate for more writers, but that not many people write well, or write in the style they need. Oh wait… this is a riding BB, not a job search !

[C_C]

PamM I think the picture you are looking for of Valor is in (not on the back of) the Holiday 83 issue. There is the most incredible retirement add for him. The picture is stellar!! I couldn’t think of parting with the issue (as one of my old horses is in it too), but I’d be willing to send you a copy of the add. Email me if you want.

My only moment with a “star” comming out to ride was actually at Bob McD’s place. Not long before leaving, Bo Derek and husband came to look at one of his horses that they wanted for a western pleasure type thing. Don’t rembember if they bought it, but I do remember thinking how much she looked like my barbie dolls looked like when I tried to make them ride the Breyer model horses. Legs out in front of them and totally unconfortable looking!!

Scott King. Funny you should mention him as he is in the same 83 holiday issue as head trainer of Atomic Farms. Are they even still around? One of the Atomic Farms adds is for Kyle King who I know as a jumper rider now. But in this particular issue he is still riding small ponies. That’s why I love these old mags!!

[Bumpkin]

You could fly up and see WTFalso!

[Coreene]

I took yesterday off to ride. It was so unlike me and I just loved it. Since I refuse to have a computer at home, well, you know how it goes.

I hope that this Pomona thing isn’t going to lure me into spending lots of money on things I don’t need but I Surely Must Have This Or I Will Die. Always a downfall of doing these events!

[Beezer]

Oh, AAJumper, it was enough to keep Merry frothing at the mouth for the rest of the day. I had to stop her a coupla times from going back in there for Round 2.

I’m sure … as long as she hasn’t been sucked into the morass of mud that is our little ranch at this point (and she will NOT be rescued, I might add, by the Labrador retriever who belongs to our Quintessential Horse Show Mom because Merry, the alpha mare, is the only one that blankety-blank dog obeys and he is not pleased by this – but I digress) … that she will sign on and give you a full report of “the incident.” Merry vs. the Southern Belle. I should have sold tickets.

[MO1]

You found her! Maybe there is some truth to what Melissa Cardenas has been “bragging about”. Strange still, I had a Bernie Traurig clinic not too long ago, and she rode also. He didn’t seem to recognize her, after she just finished telling me how many times she “beat him in Calgary”. So, still I sit here in wonder. But at least we’re getting closer!!

[SuaveReno]

Bumpkin: JJ had a big part. I didn’t realize that was him. Is he still around?

[Merry]

AAJumper, I don’t recall your horse, but I’ll bet some people will if it was that successful of a show horse.

No, coreene, I am not bidding on the HORSES magazines. But you go for it, girlfriend!

By the way, are any of you going to the Mary’s sale in Del Mar March 2-4? It’s their annual tent sale. This’ll be our 5th yr. going. Beezer and I plan weeks in advance. Queen of Horse Show Moms will once again grab a table next to the free food stand, sit there and whine and moan and make faces at us each time we go back into the store “for one last look”. Of course, the line to check out weaves back and forth like the crowd-control lines at Disneyland’s Space Mountain, but what an event!

Two years ago we ran into Jeanne Stevens there!LOL!

Last year we saw Sandi Nisson!

Who knows, maybe this year we’ll meet up with Bob McDonald!

[Merry]

AAJumper: Come on, rally the troops for us! Try to realize that the LAEC show demonstrated what you needed to work on. Now get out to the desert and have a blast!

Coreene: Yes, we recall Fleet Apple when he was out here. And when Mark Mullen was at the ‘eventual Oaks’ place with Victor. Hate to carbon date myself, but I knew Mark and his sister when they lived near my aunt near Yorba Linda and rode at the funky Orange County shows!

And what about Kathy Hobstetter, who is back on the scene, training at the Orange County Fairgrounds? Since you recall Ed Marcy, you surely must remember Kathy H. from back then.

Yes, we must get together, especially since you’re so local. Trust me, we shall cross paths!
(And don’t feel old: I turn 46 in March! )

[dublin]

bumpkin, would that have been the same horse, so many years later than we showed??? Bay, wide blaze, not the most attractive head??? If it was, he must have been pretty darn old by then!

[Lord_Helpus]

Melissa Cardinas (Johnson) was discussed several pages back. She DID have a warmblood breeding operation outside of Santa Cruz in the 80’s.

[rusty]

Don’t laugh but I still have a navy hunt coat with a velvet color in my closet. It was my favorite coat at the time. I still think it looks nice.
I could probably be talked into wearing it if I could still fit into it.