Schedule and News
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2011 SCHEDULE—Spring, Summer, and Fall.

HORSESHOWS:
May 28th, 29th	Dressage at Saratoga, Saratoga, NY.  Joy coach.
June 17th, 18th, 19th	June GMHA, So. Woodstock, VT.  Joy coach.
June 25th, 26th	UNH Dressage, Durham, NH.  Joy compete and coach.
Or
July 1st, 2nd, 3rd	Dressage at Stockade, Glenville, NY.  Joy compete, coach.
July 22nd, 23rd, 24th	July GMHA, So. Woodstock, VT.  Joy compete, coach.
August 13th, 14th	Vermont Dressage Days, Essex, VT.  Joy compete, coach.
August 19th, 20th, 21st.	Hits on the Hudson, Saugerties, NY.  Joy compete.
Sept. 13th, 14th, 15th	NEDA Fall Festival, Saugerties, NY.  Joy compete, coach.
October 1st, 2nd	Fall GMHA, So. Woodstock, VT.  Joy coach.
CLINICS
March 31st, April 1st	Joy ride Wixen with Christoph Hess, UMASS, Hadley, MA.
April 9th, 10th	Audit, Christoph Hess and Michael Poulin Young Horse Forum, Once In A Lifetime Farm, RI.
April 16th	Susanne Winslade Clinic for Still Point students, Charlotte, VT.
April 22nd	Joy teach at Pirouette Farm, Norwich, VT.
April 23rd	Joy teach at Sherifmuir Farm, Harvard, MA.
November 5th, 6th	Audit, NEDA Fall Symposium with Kyra Kyrklund, UMASS.
JUDGING
May 6th	CVDA Critique Day, GMHA, So. Woodstock, VT
July 17th	CDSS Schooling Show, S. Hero, VT.
Oct. 9th	Beland Farms Schooling Show, Lakeville, MA.

Summer/Fall 2011 News

SEPTEMBER: Joy enjoyed teaching several clinics at Susan and Paul Van Huis' Coronach Farm in Whitehall, NY. They have a lovely spot and it's a good central location for students shipping from NY and central VT. Joy was also able to book Kathy Connelly for clinics in VT September through November and she and Wixen, along with Elise Ames and Willi, hugely enjoyed the two September clinics at Verne Batchelder's and Jeannie Hahn's River House Hanoverians and Ann Kitchell's Huntington Farm. Thankyou Kathy for coming north!!!

Still Point says a sad goodbye to Sue Woodhouse and "Scooter"(Prime Time). They have been a wonderful addition to our team for the past two years and we will really miss them! But, congratulations to Sam Williams on the full lease of this exceptional horse and continued good luck to both Sam and Sue. Come visit us lots!

AUGUST: August 1st brought a move for Still Point Dressage from Laura Mack's wonderful Northfork Farm over to Heart and Heritage Farm in East Charlotte, VT. The new place will allow Joy to have all her horses in one spot and accept more horses in training. This is a lovely spot with all the stalls offering in and outs to grass pasture, the continued superb care that Laura offered, access to an exceptional trail network, and a lovely indoor with super footing. The horses all settled in well! We miss Laura, but still go harrass her regularly!

August also means Vermont Dressage Days comes to Essex, VT and we love to support our local show. Joy and Wixen won their first Fourth 3 with a 69.25%. Joy's good friend and student, Rachel Markels Webber, earned her second Intermediare score towards her Gold Medal, earning a 62.5 and 63.5% Saturday and Sunday. Elise Ames tried something new with Willi and shipped in for the day rather than stabling. He was super well behaved and she earned two more good scores of 66.7% that will put her in the running for USDF Year End Awards.

Joy and Jim took their annual August vacation and travelled to Quebec this year. It was good to get away for a week, but good to come back home too. This area of VT was very lucky (!) and suffered little damage due to hurricane Irene.

JULY: July GMHA was another great outing. We all enjoyed the "hoe down" in celebration of this being the 40th Anniversary of Dressage Days. It was a good time to catch up with lots of people, sit down, and visit.

Joy and Wixen again earned High Score of the show for Fourth Level, earning a 72% at Fourth 1. The Overture Farm horses are on fire, with Elise Ames earning her second Qualifying score for Training Level on Willi, 67%, and winning the T 2 Stakes class with a 69%. Brenda Hilfrank was the GMHA High Score AA Member and Reserve High Score AA at Training Level with a 71.6% on Elise's horse Tempo. Susan Van Huis on her lovely 5 y.o. Contucci mare, Concise, won several classes, including her T 3 with 67%. And Robin Troy and her mare, Secret, did a super job at their first show of the season, winning a T 3 with 61.6% , and earning a Training Qualifying score the next day.
PJ Laberge had another good showing with Nannen Po, earning 63-64%s in their T 2 and 3. The best part was that everyone was truly supportive of each other and showed so much appreciation for their horses.

Congrats to Lilliana Joseph for earning her Third Level scores towards her USDF Bronze Medal! She has been leasing Sue Woodhouse's horse, Prime Time, and earned her final score at Dressage At The Stockade over the fourth of July weekend.

JUNE:  Joy and Wixen had a great first outing of the show season at UNH Dressage.  They won both of their Fourth Level classes:  Fourth 1, 68.5%, Fourth 2, 66.7%, and were High Point Fourth Level on Saturday. 

The Still Point Crew had a blast at June GMHA.  A whole gang rent the Miller's Cottage in S. Woodstock and the dinner on Saturday eve has become a tradition:  lots of wine, lots of deserts, great food, and lots of laughs.  Joy and a few other students stay up the hill at the Hyacinth House, and it's an easy walk down the hill to the Miller's Cottage.  Showing really is about having fun! 

Congrats to Brenda Hilfrank riding Tempo (owned by Elise Ames) for earning AA High Score Champion at Training Level for the show with a 70.35%.  She was followed closely by Elise Ames on her other horse Wilkinson, who was Reserve AA Champ at Training Level with a 68.5%.  Lilly Joseph did a super job with Elaine Ittleman's horse Oliver and was Reserve Champ, Open, First Level for the show with a 67.29%.  And, PJ Laberge riding Bananen Po (owned by Dallas Mack), had a great first outing together bringing home the JR Reserve Champion at Training Level for Friday and Saturday with 65%.

MAY:  The month started out with the CVDA Critique Day May 7th, and Schooling Show May 8th.  Joy was one of the clinicians for the Critique day, one her very favorite schooling shows to judge!  Several Still Point students, Elise Ames, Brenda Hielfrank, and Susan Van Huis, got great benefit from doing the whole weekend and getting super help from the other judges, Katie Rocco and Leslie DeGrandmaison.

Dressage at Saratoga was the first recognized show outing for Still Point students on Memorial Day weekend.  Elise Ames, Brenda Hielfrank, Lilly Joseph, and Dallas Mack trailered down from Charlotte.  It was a great weekend to hang out together, and the horses and riders all had fun, despite some first show of the season nerves.

APRIL:  Joy and Wixen started off the season by riding in the Christoph Hess clinic held at UMASS in Hadley, MA.  Christoph remembered Wixen from two years ago, when, as a six year old, she and Joy were a demo pair for the NEDA Spring Symposium.  He was very impressed with their progress to a solid Fourth Level/beginning PSG, and said, "Two years from now we'll all come together again, and we'll ride through the Grand Prix!"  Christoph's confidence in Wixen's training was a great compliment for Joy after having worked alone all winter in northern VT!

MARCH brought a fun change of pace with Joy attending a Competitive Trail Riding seminar at the Green Mountain Horseman’s Association in So. Woodstock, VT.  Joy believes in cross training, and the presention piqued her interest in this sport! 
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STILL POINT FARM PHOTOS 2011

   

Winter 2011 News:  

During FEBRUARY Joy enjoyed teaching clinics at Pirouette Farm and First Choice Riding Academy.  This has been a long winter, but we keep on training!

JANUARY brought a great break from the VT winter with a week long trip to Santa Fe. NM.  Joy and her partner, Jim
White, had a glorious time hiking through the NM hills.

Joy also attended the Region 8 Judges Forum in CT held during the Lendon Grey Youth Syposium.  This was a very useful seminar for reviewing the new tests and rule changes.

 

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    Spring/Summer/Fall 2010

NOVEMBER 2010:

Time to settle in for the winter and have fun training! Check out Joy’s clinic dates if you’re interested in lessons through the winter.

OCTOBER 2010:

One last show!  GMHA in South Woodstock, VT has started to have a Fall show and Still Point Dressage was there to enjoy it. 

We ended the season on a great note with Sue Woodhouse’s horse, Prime Time, and Joy earning High Score of the show, High Score Fourth Level, and High Score CVDA and GMHA member with a score of 71.819% at Fourth 2.  Thanks to CVDA for another beautiful wool cooler and to GMHA for a great GMHA directors chair!
Elise Ames could not have been happier with her first show with Wilkinson and earned High Score of the Show for Adult Amateur at Traning Level and High Score Adult Amateur GMHA member with a score of 67.8% at Training 2.  Susan Van Huis brought her 4 year old Contucci mare, Concise, to her first recognized show and rounded out the weekend by earning Open Reserve High Score at Training Level.

SEPTEMBER 2010:

What a great show year it’s been.  The shows are a wonderful time to gather with friends and spend quality time with our horses, and it doesn’t hurt to do well too!  Congratulations to Joy and Wixen for placing 1st in the Third Level Open division of the NEDA Year End Awards with a median score of 73%!  Still Point Dressage students Lilly Joseph riding Fahrenheit and Heidi Hauri Gill riding Willioso also deserve great kudos for their placings in the NEDA Year End standings.  Lilly placed first in the Adult Amateur First Level division with a year end median score of 70.263% and Heidi placed 8th in Open First Level with a median score of 70.5%, and 8th in the Open Second Level with a median score of 66.577.  Lilly and Fahren also placed 5th in the huge USDF First Level Adult Amateur Region 8 Championships.

 

 

 

AUGUST 2010:

Joy traditionally takes a week off in August, but not before the Vermont Dressage Days in Essex, VT. 

--Joy and Wixen had another successful outing, winning both Third Level 3 classes, with a 73.9% and a 76%. This was from two separate judges and they both agreed that Wixen is doing well!   Wixen brought home another CVDA High Point Cooler and was High Point of the whole show.
--Lilly Joseph had another super show with Fahrenheit, winning 1st4 with 70.2%, and getting their feet wet at Second Level with scores of 62% and 63% at Second 1.

--Heidi Hauri Gill and Willioso were in top form again and won their First 4 with 72.1% and 2nd 4 with 66.7%.
--Marty Young Stratton did a great job riding her PSG and won with 64.7%.

 

JULY 2010: 

Still Point Dressage tried out a new show in NY, Dressage at the Stockade.  The footing, stabling, and organization were all super.  Joy debuted Wixen at Third Level and they won both Third 1 classes with 68% and 71%.  A great first outing!  Joy also showed Sue Woodhouse’s horse, Prime Time, to a win at Fourth Level with 67%.  This is “Scooter’s” first year back in the show ring after a break and he’s proving to be a super show horse.

Dressage Days at GMHA in South Woodstock, VT is a long time favorite show!  Still Point Dressage, again, had a great showing plus a whole lot of fun.  Results:
-Elise Ames and her wonderful Draft/Tb mare, Tempo, had their best performance yet, improving each day with scores of 60.33% and 4th place at First 1, 61.4% and 2nd place at First 2, and 62.2% and 2nd place at First 2.  Elise bred this mare and Joy has had a blast working with the two of them.
-Heidi Hauri Gill and Willioso continued their winning ways winning the 1st 4 with 66.5%.
-Wilkinson, with Joy riding, won his Training 4 class with a 70.8% and was Reserve High Score of the show at Training Level.  Elise will compete him next time!
-Wixen and Joy won their Third 2 with 67% and were second in a big Third 1 Stakes class with a 73%, putting them Reserve High Score of the show at Third Level.  Joy was High Score CVDA member of the show and won a beautiful wool dress cooler.  Thanks CVDA!

 

 

 

 

 

 

JUNE 2010:

 Joy, along with Deb Dean Smith, taught the CVDA Adult Dressage Camp at GMHA in South Woodstock, VT.  It was a great two day camp packed with lessons, lectures, demonstrations, and an opportunity to ride to music. The campers, and instructors, all had a great time!  June also brings congratulations to Elise Ames on the purchase of her new partner, Wilkinson, an 8 y.o. Hanoverian gelding.  Joy and Elise looked at about 15 horses together and “Willy” rose to the top!

Dressage Today published another article by Joy in it’s Ask the Experts column. 


MAY 2010:

 Joy and Still Point Dressage students had a great outing at Dressage at Saratoga on Memorial day weekend.  Results:
--Joy and Prime Time, owned by Sue Woodhouse, Open High Point at Fourth Level, 67%.
--Lilly Joseph and Fahrenheit, owned by Zoe Williams, Adult Amateur High Point of the show at First Level 
with 72%. 
--Heidi Hauri Gill and Willioso, owned by Heidi, Open High Point at First and Second Level with 73% and
67% respectively.
We all had a blast going out to dinner in the town of Saratoga and just hanging out with our horses and each other.

 

 

 

 

 

 

APRIL 2010:

 Joy and Wixen shipped down to Beth Baumert’s Cloverlea Farm in CT for a two day clinic with Henk Van Bergen.  The clinic was extraordinary helpful and Henk was very positive about Wixen’s training to date and about her potential for the future.  Thanks Beth for making us feel so welcome!

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   Summer/Fall 2009 News

  Still Point Dressage had a very successful and educational spring, summer, and fall.  The spring started off with Joy being a demonstration rider on Wixen at the NEDA Spring Fling Symposium with Christoph Hess.  Christoph is head of the training department of the German National Equestrian Federation and a world renowned “I” judge, so his word could be trusted!  He is a firm believer in the classical principles and based all his lessons on the training scale, which worked with each and every horse.  Mr. Hess had Joy ride Wixen in a very forward, almost medium, gait through all the trot work,
especially
emphasizing to
keep this quality of swing and
impulsion in the
lateral work so that the collection would remain dynamic and loose.  Canter work was started in a two point and Christoph used the medium canter
both on a twenty meter circle and the long sides,
sometime with the reins in one hand, to help open up Wixen’s canter stride.  Christoph was very complimentary about Wixen’s character and training to date and once she had performed his exercises, classified her work as “top class”.  The effects of the clinic have been lasting and Joy hopes to have an opportunity to work with Mr. Hess again.

Both Joy on Wixen and Joy’s working student, Lilly Joseph, on Prime Time, owned by Susan Woodhouse, rounded out the fall by riding in CVDA’s Kathy Mann Memorial clinic taught by Tuny Page.  Tuny has a long history of success both in eventing and dressage, recently winning the US Freestyle Championship and representing the US at the FEI World Cup Finals in 2006, where she was the highest placed American with her “Wild One”.  So, another opinion to take seriously!  Tuny placed huge emphasis on rider position, being a stickler that the rider sit square and truly ride from her center.  She was strict with both Joy and Lilly that the horses were 100% properly bent on bending lines, totally straight on straight lines, and ALWAYS in self carriage. 
This was a great clinic to end the season with and set the standards for schooling during the winter. 

Joy was able to make the trip down to MA to work with her trainer Kathy Connelly several times over the summer.  Kathy is excited about Wixen’s ability for collected work and piaffe in particular.   Joy and Kathy worked her on the longlines to develop her ability, strength, and understanding of this.  Kathy is a master at keeping the horses happy as they learn the skills for FEI and Joy will continue with her guidance as Wixen develops.

Joy’s plan to take 2009 off from competing Wixen has proven a good choice.  As a six year old, Wixen is still very happy in her work and is now confirmed in her flying changes and has developed much needed strength for the collection of Third/Fourth Level.  They plan to continue the gradual strengthening process through the winter and resume competing in 2010.

Speaking of competing, Still Point students had a wonderful season!  Susan Boardman brought out her four year old mare, Floriana (Fabuleux), bred by Eliza Rutherford of Foxwood Farm Hanoverians, for her debut at GMHA.  She won her Training Level class and marched around the showgrounds like a champion.  Susan’s older horse, Pavarotti, who is being leased by another of Joy’s students, Rachel Markells Webber, earned  Rachel her USDF Silver Medal with good scores at Fourth Level and Prix St. George.  Rachel did a beautiful job showing Pavi in their first season together and plans to compete at Intermediare 1 and do an Intermediare Freestyle for 2010. Congratulations to student Marty Young Stratton and her horse Notre Nean Valjean for their outstanding first season at Prix St. George.  They started the season with a win at Dressage at Saratoga and earned scores for their USDF Silver Medal at GMHA and Vermont Dressage Days.  To continue in the Medal winning, Jennifer Tousignant and her mare Palatene, who Jenn imported from Holland as a two year old, earned both their Second and Third Level scores to earn Jenn her USDF Bronze Medal. Joy’s working student, Lilly Joseph, who had great success competing Ashley Chase’s Bold Tobit at Second Level this summer, has taken over Palatene’s reins while Jenn takes time out to have a baby.  Congratulations to Jenn on both counts!  Congratulations also to Eve Whittenberg who earned her final Third Level scores for her Bronze Medal with her long time partner, “Blue”. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joy started teaching this pair when Eve was learning to put Blue on the bit, so it’s especially exciting to see how far they have come together. Meg Wyatt had a very successful first season with her new horse, “Nickodemus”, bringing home high scores and wins at First Level from GMHA and King Oak, a good beginning to what is proving to be a wonderful partnership! Lilly Jospeh also piloted Zoe William’s, Fahrenheit, a four year old stallion, to the Champlain Valley Schooling Series Champion at Training Level and garnered high scores and wins at Vermont Dressage Days.  This will be a pair to watch for next year as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are many Still Point students who are training at home and this is just as important as competing.


The relationship with our horses is really what it’s all about.

Remember, take time out to have fun.
And relax. 
                      

 

 

 

 

 

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  Spring/Summer 2009 News
         Joy and Wixen winning at GMHA Dressage Days, July '08

Joy and Wixen have been selected to be Second Level demo riders in the NEDA Spring Fling with Christoph Hess.  After a long winter training on her own, Joy is very excited to get three days of intensive training with Mr. Hess and to audit the symposium.  She plans to take 2009 off from competition with Wixen and, if all goes well, to bring her back out at Fourth Level in 2010.  This symposium should be a good building block towards that goal.

In April, Joy began to haul down to MA to start up lessons again with Kathy Connelly and will bring Kathy and Nancy Fischman’s horse, ZZ Top (Tolando/Chronos), home to VT in May to her training program.  “Z” spent the winter in Florida with Kathy and Joy will bring him out at First Level for his first season of competition as a five year old.  It was a productive winter and horses in training, Nebraska (Roemer) owned by Candi Piscopo, Wonderment(Werbellin/Brentano II) owned by Claudia Tarlov, and Wixen(Welser/Warkant) all made good progress.  Joy enjoyed teaching the clinics in MA at Scarlett Hill Farm, Apple Valley Farm, and Sherifmuir Farm over the winter and looks forward to doing a similar schedule next year.  It was a great time to catch up with old students and friends and to meet new horses and riders.

Joy and her students are very excited about the show season (and some sun and warmth!).  If you would like coaching at any of the shows listed above or would like to stable with the group for fun and commradery, contact Joy at joycongdon@aol.com.  Look for more news later this summer!

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