Aiken Clinic Series

In June I kicked off the first clinic in my new 'Aiken Clinic Series' at Sporting Days Farm. The idea being that I will hold monthly clinics at SDF and so far the June and July dates were a blast! Meeting lots of new riders and horses at each session has been lots of fun and even better is getting to see some of the same ones each month to help them on a more consistent basis! It is always great challenge as a trainer/clinician to use your experience and knowledge to help each pair in their own individual areas of strengths and weaknesses. Especially when you are just meeting them for the first time and only have 45 minutes or so to do it in!

As of the July clinic, one of my great sponsors, Tredstep Ireland, has jumped in with even more fun  and has very generously offered 'goodies' to all participants! How cool is that?!? Each rider got a pair of Tredstep gloves and a Tredstep polo shirt!!

Next clinic date is August 17th. It is filling up fast but if you would like to come join the fun just email me at kseventing@yahoo.com, or check out the info on my website www.kseventing.com.
Tredstep Ireland will also be offering up some fun items again! So exciting to have a wonderful sponsor step in and be a part of this series with me!!

This August clinic is also the day before the Full Gallop Farm HT, which works out very well that I can help school a few riders and horses the day before their event! Possibly even get to walk their courses with them and warm them up the next day!

The September date is already set as well, Sept. 7th, mark that down on your calendars! Auditors are always welcome as well, no charge!

 Please help me spread the word, I'd like to grow these clinics a little more each time as more people get to know me and hopefully can develop this series into something even bigger and greater!!

I have a love for teaching passionate riders at all levels. Honestly, it does not have to be strictly eventing either. The nice part as an eventing rider/trainer, is that you can help riders from many horse sport disciplines because of the well rounded knowledge we gain as eventers. Dressage, show jumping, fox hunting, even tips on how to get the most out of your pleasure riding! There is always something to learn!

Best,
Kristin

(As you can tell from the pictures, I get 'into' my teaching, I'm riding right along with them!) :)









All photos courtesy of Samantha Bacon

Fitch's Corner and Millbrook HT

This summer is zipping by and the last few weeks have been some of my favorite events in the country. Two that I attended and 1 that I unfortunately could not make it to this year. Rebecca Farm is one of the most beautiful and well run events you can imagine! In a picturesque setting, it is the ideal place to hold an event with so many levels! Sarah does a wonderful job, following in her amazing mother's footsteps. I'm so sorry I had to miss your event this year!

Fitch's is also one of my favorites for many reasons. That area of NY is just lovely and especially at this time of year. The grounds are beautifully kept, the courses are extremely well made and challenging. Everyone involved with running the event are wonderful and helpful. Thank you to Fernanda Kellogg for holding this event for us!
Can not say enough great things about Fitch's corner......o, and the prizes are pretty good too ;)

We had a line up of: Myself riding Ricardo Time in the training and Jolie Loeber's Toffypops in the novice. Both horses won their divisions and RT scoring a 19.1 in the dressage!
Kira Statue rode her own Suleiman in the novice, Lynne Bauer rode her own Walkabout in the novice, Heather Loeber rode her own Spruce Meadow Onslow in the novice and Beth Durden rode her own Ricardo's Whistle and Pop in the novice as well! Busy weekend with great success for everyone!


Two weeks later we were at Millbrook HT, another great event with challenging courses at all levels over very hilly terrain. I was riding Ballylaffin Bracken in his first event back since Rolex and we went for a steady fun ride around the Int. track which Rox handled just perfectly. Ricardo Time topped his score from Fitch's with an 18.6, certainly a personal best for both of us! He was super all weekend!

RT very sleepy after an 18.6 dressage score!

Toffypops made the big move up to Training level and he was a star in each phase, he is a super horse for the future being that he is just 6!


Students; Kira Statue won her novice on Suleiman, Dawn Eastabrooks moved her horse Valito up to Novice, Lynne Bauer rode her own Walkabout at novice, and Katie Kogut took her special girl Yes Your Highness in the BN. Great weekend for everyone!!

As far as competing, we are using the rest of August to practice and strengthen our skills and come back out competing in Sept. at Seneca, Plantation, Flora Lea, and Morven as our next 4 events.

Then hopefully on to Galway with Rox for he and I to contest the 3star tract! Very exciting!!

-Kristin

It takes a village

Three weeks ago I jumped an amazing horse around his first CCI****!

Ballylaffin Bracken, better known as 'Rox', cruised through his first Rolex in style! My boy that I've had since he was a barely broke 4 yr old stallion blew me away on that 4star cross country track!!!
For me, this was an even bigger accomplishment being that Rox is the first horse I have personally produced from his first event through the 4star level!

There is an immense build up that happens leading up to a four star event. Hard to describe it in detail, but everything you do, think, eat, say etc is for Rolex, is for the horse you're riding at Rolex....you have to become completely consumed. Then comes Rolex week! Great fun, great friends, but hey! - you are running in a 4STAR!! So it is intense and feels like a whirlwind of a week. Then after all the excitement and adrenaline starts to settle, you find yourself sitting in your truck already on your drive home. It's madness! But we love it! 

This year, I hadn't really gone back home yet after our winter trip to Aiken, so I had been away for almost 4 months. Getting home was great, to see everyone, people and ponies, that I had been away from for some time. But it also brought a very strong sense of unsettlement.

In order to pursue certain dreams, you surround yourself with groups of close friends that are in that same position and understanding. I tend to enter into a slight state of 'numbness' after a big event such as a 4star. All the buildup and hype and then afterwards, I personally, feel like I crash a bit. Maybe it is why we give our horses time off as well, to mend and let down. I already knew this about myself and had planned 2 short weekend trips in the weeks after Rolex. Both times heading back to Aiken for a few days of down time and to visit a close friend. It was just what I needed!

At the 3 week post Rolex mark, both Rox and I seem ready to go again! He has needed every bit of that time to not be pampered and pestered over every detail. Let him be a horse and just graze! For the first time in the 8 1/2 yrs that I have had Rox, he finally has started to nicker to me when he sees me. I think he's smart enough to know that he just accomplished something pretty big and that we did it together.

So for the next few weeks, Rox and I will be just hacking and slowly returning to work. Still working on what our fall plans will be, but I'm sure I will be announcing that soon! Right now I am finalizing some additions to the exciting Ballylaffin Bracken Syndicate! Hope to be able to build a strong support team for Rox and future horses. Please contact me if you or someone you know may be interested in joining us on this adventure!

This spring leading up to Rolex just showed me even more so of how much of a team effort it takes to get to and complete a 4star. I am very lucky to have an incredible group of friends and supporters! Phillip Dutton whom I have trained with for many years now, has always gone above and beyond for me. He is a mentor and amazing trainer. He is the true strength behind Rox and I getting to and running well at Rolex! Robyn Ford came on to groom for me this winter and to get me through KY. She did an amazing job handling not only Rox, but her rider as well!! Can't thank her enough! I also think she turned Rox out beautifully, and she should have won the groom's award at Rolex by far! Melissa Boisvert and Janine Ordway kept the farm in NJ running smoothly for me while I was away competing, couldn't ask for better help! Melissa is a saint, she keeps the farm going and keeps clients very happy while I leave each winter, and she does it with the best attitude I've seen yet!
My mother and owner, Janet Geiler, again, I could not have accomplished this with out your support in many ways! Thank you!
There have been a team of vets that have truly helped us get to KY and their hard work shows when Rox trots up beautifully after running around a 4star! Dr. Kevin Keane has put in endless hours of care for Rox and I couldn't be more appreciative. Dr. John Peroni at UGA pulled some favors to get Rox in there with a moments notice and did a wonderful job helping me to get back on track to Rolex! Dr. Mitch Byrd of Aiken Equine has been a huge support and has helped keep Rox on his game leading up to Rolex as well! Having him travel to KY to support us means so much to me! He helped me stay on my game too!!
Our farriers, Sean Gaul, while in SC, and Bob Pethick in NJ, Thank you!!

A special thank you to all of my clients, family and friends for being so understanding of what it takes to get to a 4star and being my underlying support through it all, thank you!!

To all of my sponsors: County Saddlery, Five Star Tack, Tredstep Ireland, Equine Organix, HAYGAIN, Equine Matrix, Kedrah House Stud, Sporting Days Farm, and Running S., THANK YOU for all of your constant support!!

~Kristin

Cavaldi Retires

For the past 10 years I have been blessed to compete at the advanced level on an incredible horse. Cavaldi, fondly known as Joey in the barn, has been my 'once in a lifetime' partner and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to ride and compete such an amazing athlete.

Back in October of 2002 I traveled to Ireland specifically to try Joey, as he had just been offered for sale and this was not really public knowledge yet. My dear friend Clare Ryan, whom has helped me to find nearly all of my own horses as well as for clients over the last decade, had just heard this news and shortly after received a phone call from me saying that I was retiring my first upper level horse, Rusheen Warrior, from advanced and that I was very actively in the market to find that next horse.

Joey had just completed the prestigious Le Lion de Angers event in France, as a 7-year-old - (Young Horse, two-star division). He was just coming back into work when his owner at the time, Ginnie Webb, made the decision to sell Joey because she owned him and a 4-star horse. How lucky am I to have called at the right time as Joey had not even been seen by anyone yet! I am a firm believer in that 'everything happens for a reason', and I feel that I was truly meant to go and try Joey that week.

A few weeks later Joey was on a plane to the states! For the winter of 2003, I traveled to Ocala, FL where I started out at my first event with Joey at Intermediate. Realized I had very little control on xc, yet still decided (yes, this was the very naive, young Kristin), to move him up to advanced at our 2nd event together. A couple more advanced horse trials and we were qualified for a CCI***!! Off we went to Foxhall CCI***, still undecided on a xc bit mind you. After a horrid dressage test that left us in the absolute bottom of the pack, we jumped around xc in classic 'Joey style', to move up 65 places going into show jumping!! An amazing finish in 17th place and winning the Spring Markham trophy!

That fall, Joey and I were a bit more on our game, and finished up 2nd at the Fair Hill CCI*** and also won the Fall Markham trophy! This helped me to finish 2003 as the USEA YR of the Year! Not a bad first year together!


Though Joey and I may not have racked up a showcase of blue ribbons, I think the overall accomplishments say enough about this unbelievable horse:

-16 International event completions at the advanced level (FEI CIC's and CCI's)
-10 were CCI's
-6 CCI ***
-4 CCI ****

-4 top ten finishes in CCI's
-7 top twenty finishes in CCI's

Finished Rolex 3 times in 12th, 20th, and 31st
Finished Burghley in 30th

Joey has done more for my riding and career then I can ever put into words in a blog. Beyond that, he has been a best friend for more then a decade. Joey is currently sound and healthy and my goal was to have him finish his amazing career just that way.



-Kristin

              

       

                                        

Sporting Days in Aiken March Horse Trials

 This past weekend we competed at Sporting Days in Aiken Horse Trials. Valito (Finn) finished on his dressage score of 33 and Toffypops (Toffy) finished on his dressage score of 29! I'm so pleased with these two young horses.

Next Rox and I are off to Florida for the Red Hills Three-Day Event in Tallahassee. Stay tuned for updates!

-Kristin

Results from Sporting Days:

Open Novice A

5th Place -- ToffyPops


Open Novice D

5th Place -- Valito

Pine Top Farm Spring Advanced Horse Trials

Pine Top Farm in Thomson, GA this past weekend was a very successful outing for KSEventing!

We started out with a bang in the advanced on Ballylaffin Bracken, scoring a 31.6 in dressage, clear but a slow cross-country in the mud, and then a lovely double clear show jumping round to clinch 4th in his first event of the season.

Next up were Suleiman and Ricardo Time in the training: RT made his move up to training with a lovely 33 in dressage and just one rails down in the show jumping over a very tough track in the mud. We were clear but slow around the cross-country and finished 12th overall.

Sully scored a 20.9 and jumped around double clear in show jumping, then went clear and in the time on cross-country to take home first place!

Click here for complete results

Click here for coverage from EN including some great photos of the mud!

-Kristin

KSEventing has arrived in Aiken!!

Here is our stellar line up of horses for the 2013 winter season in Aiken, SC!!

Cavaldi- 'Joey'

-18yr old ISH gelding by Cavalier Royale

-owned by Kristin Schmolze

Returning to competition for one more shot at a 4star this spring!! Joey has competed and completed at
4 CCI****s and 6 CCI***s with Kristin already,  in their 10 YEAR career together!!!

Ballylaffin Bracken- 'Rox'

- 13 yr old ISH gelding by Ricardo Z

owned by Janet Geiler and Kristin Schmolze

Entering his second year at the Advanced level and aiming for his first CCI**** at Rolex this spring.
Rox successfully completed 2CCI***s in 2012 at Bromont and Fair Hill International. He was also the PRO 2012
Advanced Horse of the Year!!

Ricardo Time- 'RT'

- 6yr old ISH gelding by Ricardo Z

owned by KSEventing 

This is RT's second year competing with Kristin. He was imported as a just turned 4yr old in the summer of 2011,
did a solid

year in 2012 at the novice level and will be moving up to training level this winter. RT will be offered for sale
 this winter.

Ricardo Bailey- 'Bailey'

- 5yr old ISH by Ricardo Z

owned by KSEventing and Kedrah House Stud

This is Bailey's first year competing with Kristin and he is starting his US eventing debut. 

He was imported in the fall 2012, and will start out novice with a move to training this spring. 

Bailey is being offered for sale this winter.

Leave Em Laffin- 'Liam'

- 4 yr old ISH by Ballylaffin Bracken!!

owned by Kristin Schmolze

Liam was just imported in January 2013. He is Kristin's first bred, sired by Ballylaffin Bracken and
out of Rathcolman Lady (TB).

He is just starting under tack in Aiken.

Valito-  'Finn'

-8 yr old Canadian Sport Horse gelding by Warkansan

owned by Dawn Eastabrooks

Making his Aiken debut this winter with a move up to training level planned. Finn was originally found
by Noel Clark in Alberta, Canada, then imported to the US by Noel.  Kristin took one look at this
gorgeous leggy chestnut and knew that Dawn and Finn would be a perfect fit! They are a match made in
heaven, and best of friends! Dawn kindly let Finn come to Aiken to get a jump start on his career!

Toffypops- 'Toffy'

- 6 yr old ISH gelding by Time Walk

owned by Jolie Loeber

An adorable 15.2h brown gelding with toffy colored highlights. He was imported by Kristin and Kedrah House Stud
 in the fall 2012. Toffy named after a yummy english treat, showjumped quite a bit in IRE and will be making his
eventing debut this winter with Kristin in order to get a jump start on his career for his owner/rider Jolie. They have
plans of aiming for the YR 1star championships in a few years time!

Suleiman- 'Sully'

- 6yr old ISH gelding by Guidam out of Royale girl-by Cavalier Royale

owned by Teresa and Kira Statue

Sully was just imported in January of 2013 and will be making his US eventing debut. Sully was previously owned
 and ridden by Jane O'Flynn in Ireland up to Prelim.  Sully has a lovable personality and looks to be more like an
adorable  connemara cross rather then his Selle Francais- Cavalier Royale bloodlines!! But his talent shows through
his heritage! Kristin and Sully will get started competing in February to help jump start his career for Kira, who will
 be aiming for YR 1star championships in a few years time!!

Rhapsody- 'Mimi'

-12 yr old registered Hanoverian mare by Rhode Scholar

owned by Lynne Bauer

This gorgeous mare will be offered for sale this winter. She is a delight to watch float across the ground with
her beautiful fluid movement and jump over fences in perfect style! Mimi will be debuting in Aiken at Highfields
for the PSJ circuit.

More to come soon!!