Whiscalina is Progressing Well

Whiscalina has been with us for little over 3 weeks now and she's progressing well. I'm still extremely happy with her!
Right now she is ridden several times a week and is doing walk, trot, and canter. Whiscalina is a quick learner and seems to go better and more souple every time I ride her. At times she just seems like one big piece of elastic.

She has an absolute wonderful temperament and wants to please in whatever she does. As a 2,5 year old we can't wish for anything more!

A Day with the Tawil's

Saturday was the big day. It was the day of the Charottetown Christmas Parade! Weeks ago we were signed up to be part of this joyful parade. The day started early at the Tawil's. Morning and part of the afternoon were spent decorating the cart & pony and, shown in the picture, we certainly had to do a test run. By the time all this was done it was time to gather our costumes, load the pony, hop in the car and on the way we were to the University to get in line.

After some last minute decorations it was time to get ourself dressed in the beautiful costumes Ambre had ordered for us all. By the time everything and everybody was ready the parade was just about ready to head down University Ave. It had already gotten fairly dark and all the lights were lit beautifully.

Personally, I could not believe the number of people that came out to see this parade and of course Santa Claus. Walking down the street you could just see how much people, young & old, were enjoying it. For those of you who are somewhat familiar with our summer travel stories it's probably no surprise when I tell you that a fuse blew during the middle of the parade. Thanks to quick thinking and running of Mark and Darren we soon had our lights back.

Although, I admit I didn't know what I was getting myself into I had an absolute blast the whole day! Thanks to the Tawil Family for getting me involved. Ambre informed me yesterday our float had won the award for best costumes. Very exiting! I'm sure the kids will find a great spot for their beautiful plaque! Ambre mentioned that next year we are going for even bigger & better! Well Darren next time you won't even have to call me, I'm signed up...

Mark made some great pictures of the crew just before heading down University Ave.

The Guardian Interview

Working together as team spells success for Montague rider, horse
By Charles Reid, The Guardian

Picture by: Mark MacDonald

Saturday November 26, 2005

Winning usually stems from teamwork, whether teammates be human or animal.
Just ask Montague equestrian rider Harma Germs, who, with her horse Battle Times Boy, won the eventing competition at the Bromont horse trail near Montreal recently.
“It’s a joint effort,” Germs told The Guardian. “(Horses) need to be willing to work

and you need to be sure on what you want to do, where you want to go.

You have to work together. It’s kind of like a team.”
Germs, 22, is the first Atlantic Canadian to win the Bromont event, considered

one of the top in Canada.
“It’s still hard to believe. My goal was to go for a top 10 spot, but then it turned out to be the number one. It was quite the surprise,” she said.
“Without the help of the owner (Gary Evans) of the horse and my coach (her father, Jakob) it probably wouldn’t have happened.”
Germs started riding horses at age six in her native Netherlands and continued after moving to P.E.I. with her family six years ago.
She had been to Quebec before, competing in dressage, but eventing was a new to her when she began competing in it this year, encouraged by Evans and a friend, Amber Tweel.
“It was something I actually never thought I would do, but once I started it I got hooked,” said Germs. “With the eventing discipline I didn’t really know what to expect, (but) I knew that there'd be pretty good competition (at Bromont).”
Battle Times Boy, a 12-year-old, 165-centimetre tall thoroughbred, had a good idea of what to do, she said.
“The horse had some experience with cross country so the horse showed me a lot of it. This horse is designed and bred for cross country. He’s not super big, but he’s not small, either. He’s just a medium size and that makes it easy for the cross country.”
Bromont highlighted Germs’ year, which included 36 first-place finishes in 48 Equine Canada-certified events.
Along the way, she earned the Dressage P.E.I. title, was the show jumping champion of P.E.I. during Old Home Week in Charlottetown, took home the Atlantic Canada dressage, show jumping and eventing championships and finished first at Blainville and Bromont events.
Next for Germs, who works at a Charlottetown Internet company and teaches riding on the side, is a return to Bromont, perhaps at a higher competition level.
And although she’s tops in her event in Canada right now, she is hesitant about appearing on an international stage, like the Olympics.
“I don’t know if those goals are realistic,” Germs said. “I’d just like to take it step by step.”

Santa is Coming to Town

It's that time of the year again: Santa is coming to town. Saturday will be the big day in Charlottetown. We'll welcome good old Santa with a great big parade. This year, it will start at 16:30 and it will go down University Ave. Following the parade the lights will be lit in the down town area.

It will be fun for young and old. If you're planning to go to the parade watch out for two efls. To make it a little easier there will be a little white pony around with kids in beautiful costumes. Please keep in mind that someone took advantage of my inability to say no. Yes, you know who you are!! I'm sure we're going to have a wonderful time and I look forward to it!

Senior Female Athlete of the Year

For the first time I received the Senior Female Athlete of the Year award. This past summer I had many successes with Kionus, Dexter, and Conner in the dressage ring and on the cross country courses. To get this award is a great closing to what I call an Amazing Summer.

In addition, I received the Horse Trials PEI Training level champion award. Eventing was something I thought I would never get into. Throughout the summer: I got hooked! Together with Dexter we made a great team and had a great time on many cross country courses. Horse Trials PEI furthermore awarded me the Senior High Point of the Year.

Two of my students were also pleased to receive awards! Karen was awarded the Dressage PEI Junior High Point! Ambre truly deserved and won the Horse Trials PEI PT90 Champion award! She also took home senior equitation, senior hack, and senior hunter! Congratulations to both of you on a job well done!

After the award night we all went out again to celebrate our awards and once again look back at the summer! It was a great night!

So far, the above picture is the only one I've got from the award night at this moment. More will follow in the days to come...

Preparty at Gahan House

Before heading out to the award night we sat down at Gahan House for a drink and some food and looked to look back at the fun and experiences we had this summer.

The conversation went from how much we eat at the shows to trouble sleeping in the motor home because of frogs, other people, dog, or simply the inability to sleep when traveling.

Darren, Ambre, and I told everyone once again about our Bromont trip. Although, we had a very rough start leaving PEI and encountered some issues when we arrived in Bromont I think it was the highlight of the year for us. Great stories and many laughs!

Above is a (blurry) picture of us at the Gahan House. Clockwise: me, Ambre, our supporter Ann, Darren who drove and cooked for us at many shows, my dad and coach Jacob, and photographer Mark.

Upcoming Award Night

Saturday evening, November 19, Island Horse Counsil will have its annual award night. Every club will also award its individual members for performaces through the 2005 show season.

This year, the award night will be slightly different. A meal will be offered! The reception will start at 6:30 followed by the turkey meal and presentation of awards at 7:00pm. I'm sure it will be a great night and enjoyed by all. A perfect evening to look back at the fun, laughter, and accomplishments we all had during the summer.

In the picture you see Ambre and me in Bromont, Quebec. Ambre and Trinny just finished their dressage test while Dexter and I just came back from the wonderful cross country course. Pictures and stories of the award night will be available Sunday!

Today She is Officially Ours!

I'm talking about Whiscalina, a 17 hand, 2,5 year old Dutch Warmblood mare by Redford out of a Gribaldi mare.

Whiscalina was imported from Holland by Ken Mellish, owner of New Perth Farms, two years ago. She caught our eye from the first time we saw her. During her first two years in Canada we visited her regularly and during this time she has grown quite a bit and has become a beautiful big and strong mare.

Since she is only young, she still needs to learn a lot. Most importantly she has not been backed yet. During the next few weeks we will work with her on the lunge line and slowly work our way up there. Updates on how she is progessing will come... For now, I'm incredibly exited and happy with her beauty and willing attitude!

Hacking at Brookvale Ski-Park

In a couple of months Brookvale will be a busy spot for Islanders to enjoy outdoor winter activities such as downhill skiing, cross country skiing, and tubing. However, today it was a beautiful site to go hacking with the horses.

Once again, Darren was kind enough to take Ambre & Wanja and me & Dexter to Brookvale. The trails were very nice, aswell as the weather. After all, a great afternoon to spent time with the horses in the fresh fall air.

Although, there are no actual cross country jumps Brookvale turns out to be a wonderful place to condition the horses. We will certainly go back sometime. If it is not this year, then it will be next year to get the horses ready for the 2006 eventing season.

For more information about Brookvale Ski-Park you can visit: http://www.gov.pe.ca/visitorsguide/winter/brookvaleoutdoor.php3

Well attended Sue Fraser Clinic

Eight riders from PEI attended the Sue Fraser clinic this time. Sue Fraser is a third level dressage coach from Canning, Nova Scotia. With her excellent coaching skills and knowledge about dressage she always has a great solution for problems or suggestion to keep the horses moving up in their level of training.

Kionus went very well and both Sue and I were very pleased with him. He was incredibly cooperative and showed us his amazing potential. Dexter has just been started lightly again after his break since Bromont. Sue's suggestions about loosening the horse in various ways resulted in beautiful rythems in both the trot and canter with Dexter.

Sue provided everyone with enough "homework" until her next Island visit in December.