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Foxwin Sunrise and Foxwin Easter Eve 2011 Competition Year in Review
Foxwin Sunrise and Foxwin Easter Eve had a very busy and successful show season in 2011, campaigning both locally and on the road in both Morgan and Open competitions. In June, two-year old Eve made her competitive debut at the Cayuga Dressage and Combined Training Dressage Sporthorse Breed Show at the Chemung County Fairgrounds in Horseheads, taking first place ribbons in the Morgan IBC (72.6%), Amateur Handler (72.3%), and Open In-Hand Two-Year old Fillies (61.8%) classes, this last class earning her the Fillies Championship. Eve was handled in all her classes by owner Jim Schoonmaker, who continues to demonstrate his excellent in-hand skills with both Foxwin competitors!
Foxwin Easter Eve with handler Jim Schoonmaker
In August, Sonny and Eve teamed up with Jim to compete in-hand at the PBF Open Sport Horse competition in Holland, NY. Jim got his running in this day, taking Eve to first place again in the Morgan IBC (75.5%), Amateur Handler (76.7%), and Open In-Hand Two-Year old Fillies (74.5%) classes, again earning her the Fillies Championship, and demonstrating marked improvement over Eve's scores at her first show in June! Sonny took second place in the in-hand Open Stallion, Four-Years Old and Over class with a 69.5% and a second place to his little sister in the Morgan IBC with a 70.15%. The two also traded first and second places in the Get of Sire (Eve), Produce of Dam (Sonny) and Breeders Group (Eve) classes. Eve's accomplishments earned her the AMHA Open High-Point Award for the Morgan with the highest score in the Open Classes. All in all, the family show was brilliantly successful for Team Foxwin!
Not finished yet, the two horses traveled to Syracuse for the New York State Morgan Horse Society Regional Show in September, and the team continued its winning ways at this state championship event. Eve took the Sport Horse Suitability class with a 79.9%, just ahead of Sonny's 75.5%. The young stallion, making his first ever under-saddle appearance in competition, took first place in both Intro Test A (64.375%) and B (66.875%), accomplishments with which breeder/trainer/rider Pat was quite satisfied, given Sonny's inexperience and the typically challenging weather of the Regional show! Eve's strong debut season earned her third place high scores in both the Specialty in Hand and Promotion at the annual New York State Morgan Horse Society's Year-End Awards banquet in December, while Sonny's accomplishments brought him top honors for Sporthorse in Hand and Intro Level Dressage from CDCT. (See below.)
What a fantastic season for this brother-sister act and their dedicated humans! We can't wait to see what 2012 will bring!
Foxwin Sunrise Earns Year-End CDCT Awards
Cayuga Dressage and Combined Training held its annual year-end awards banquet Sunday, November 13, 2011, and Foxwin Sunrise was again a winner. Bringing home the top honors for Sporthorse in Hand and Intro Level Dressage, Sonny and Pat were again among the top honorees for their dressage accomplishments in the 2011 season. Congratulations Pat and Sonny! Next up, New York State Morgan Horse Society year end honors!
Pat and Sonny at the NYSMHS Competition, September 2011
Michael McCullen Earns Reins of Hope Dave Fors Memorial Scholarship
Erica Stapleton of Reins of Hope reports:
Reins of Hope, Inc. is pleased to announce Michael McCullen as the 2011 winner of the
Dave Fors Memorial Scholarship.
Michael, from Corning, was nominated by his instructors as a model example of the scholarship criteria: A current rider that always demonstrates good horsemanship and sportsmanship as well as showing significant improvement in their riding skills.
Pat Ross, Erica Stapleton, Michael McCullen on Belle, Carol Edwards
His nomination included accolades such as The other riders in the class look up to Michael. When something new is being taught Michael is the rider that you go to to demonstrate the new skill. By having the riders watch Michael, and with Michael's encouragement the other riders soon pick up the new skill and Michael is very polite and a pleasure to have in class.
He was selected among several other nominations by friends of Dave Fors.
Anyone wishing to contribute to the Dave Fors Memorial Scholarship Fund may do so by contacting Reins of Hope at 607.562.8000, or PO Box 206, Elmira, NY 14902
Congratulations, Michael! Foxwin is proud to have you carry on the traditions of horsemanship that Dave Fors represented!
Foxwin Purchases Wireless Communications System
With assistance from neighboring business, Dalrymple Gravel, Foxwin Farm was able to purchase a Comtek Wireless Communication System to make communications between trainer and rider much clearer and easier. A simple earbud in the rider's ear, and a lightweight microphone clipped to the instructor's collar, and suddenly there is no more shouting, no more missed cues, and much quicker and more direct instruction in the riding ring! A second wireless receiver can transmit to a powered JBL speaker for clinic or large lesson situations. Many thanks to our friends at Dalrymple Gravel for the support!
Sydney sporting her earbud and custom Foxwin-logo helmet
Pat with her new voice-saver
Foxwin Attends NYSMHS Dressage Clinic with Michelle LaBarre
Pat and Twinkle
The first weekend in May, 2011 brought a long-awaited return of the Foxwin family to the Fingerlakes Morgans barn for the annual New York State Morgan Horse Society's Dressage Clinic with Michelle LaBarre. Owners Pat and Trish, along with boarder, Lena Weaver, made trek to Bath for two days of serious training riding.
Pat's work with Twinkle focused on getting the mare to properly load weight and carry with the right hind, relieving the left hind of the extra work it has been doing as a habit developed after a long-ago injury.
Lena and her Friesian, Rhett, continued the training work they had begun over the winter while Rhett was in boarding training at LaBarre Dressage, and were very clearly the hit of the clinic! Michelle pushed them both beyond their comfort level, and they rose to the challenge with grace and good humor, winning the gallery over and earning themselves an appreciative ovation after their ride on Sunday!
Trish and Celby worked towards getting the both the schoolmaster and the rider to accept her authority in the saddle. Demonstrating that he's still got plenty of go in the old engine, Celby clearly appreciated the correct riding and loved showing off for the crowd!
All three pairs worked very hard and thoroughly enjoyed themselves! Many thanks to NYSMHS Sport Horse division (particularly Kristen Sackett for putting it together once again), Fingerlakes Morgans, and Michelle LaBarre for an educational and inspirational weekend!
Lena and Rhett
Trish and Celby
Foxwin Farm Announces Horse Leasing Program
Foxwin Farm has made the decision to begin offering, to the right riders, the opportunity to lease a quality, Foxwin-bred sport Morgan on-premises. Horses of various training levels and experiences are available for part- or full-lease. For more information on the lease program, click on the brochure below, or contact Foxwin Farm directly.
Foxwin Sunrise earns USDF Sport Horse Breeding Reserve Championship
After a wonderful season of performing well at CDCT, WNYDA at Paduka Run, and Dressage at Devon, Foxwin Sunrise thrilled us all by earning the United States Dressage Federation All Breeds Dressage Sport Horse Breeding Awards Reserve Championship for Mature Stallions of the Morgan Breed. While we knew he had shown well, with marked maturity and panache, in his first season out, we were tickled red to received Sonny's Reserve Championship medal in the mail the week of December 12th. Merry Christmas to Foxwin, all tied up with a red ribbon!
We cannot express enough our deep gratitude to the many people who went into this accomplishment, and first on the list must be Jim Schoonmaker, our dear friend, and fellow Foxwin horse owner (Sonny's baby sister, Eve). Jim and Sonny hit it off and stormed the circuit, earning Sonny a mean score of 69.5 in the Morgan Breed division, and a 68.55 overall, garnering Sonny the slot for 17th best DSHB Stallion in the nation! What a delight for us to have our horse shown by such a wonderful handler, also in his first season of competition!
Thanks also to everyone who sponsored classes, ran shows, and babysat the farm so we could campaign Sonny. This is entirely a team effort, which could have been accomplished without the contributions of everyone involved. We are humbled and grateful to be beneficiaries of your remarkable generosity.
Now, on to 2011!
Foxwin Sunrise Shows Strong at WNYDA Dressage at Paduka Run
Sonny hit the road again early on the morning of July 23 to make the pre-dawn trip to Geneseo for WNYDA Dressage at Paduka Run. Not hesitating one bit at the dark trailer in the dark driveway, Sonny hopped on at 4:45 a.m. and hopped off at the show in the pouring rain at 7:30. Though the day was soggy and muddy, and he had a seven hour wait between his two classes, Sonny was a sport and a trouper, and everything we could hope for in a young horse at his first big show. Again qualifying for USDF Region 8 Championships, Sonny did very well.
With no warm-up, and not ever having seen an arena with mirrored walls, Sonny entered his first class (Stallions 4 and older, not at stud) with his handler, Jim Schoonmaker and scored a 68.55%! At the end of the day, he scored a 69.5% in his Morgan IBC class. In addition to his good scores, we were very pleased with the way Sonny handled himself on this long day of muddy conditions, strange surroundings, and new experiences. Many thanks to Jim and Joanne Schoonmaker for sharing this day with us and for showing this wonderful horse at his best.
Foxwin Sunrise Makes his Debut at CDCT
Friday, June 18, 2010 was a day we at Foxwin have been anticipating for some time. Foxwin Sunrise, our beloved Sonny, made his competitive debut at the Cayuga Dressage and Combined Training show at the Chemung County Fairgrounds. A USDF recognized show right in our own backyard, this event offered the opportunity for Sonny to make his first trip off the farm, his first official trailer ride, his first entrance into an indoor arena, and his first experience at a horse show. And Sonny-boy didn't let us down.
Shown in hand by dear friend Jim Schoonmaker in the Stallions 4 Years and Older class and in the Morgan Breed class, Sonny took first place in both classes. More importantly to all of us at Foxwin, Sonny comported himself with the grace, maturity, and confidence we look for in any horse we ask to represent us, and his brilliance was matched by the composure and sheer delight of his handler, Jim. It was a fantastic day for all involved, and we're just thrilled.
Stallions Class:
Morgan Class:
Boarder Lena Weaver and Rhett Debut at CDCT
Also making their first competition appearance at CDCT on June 18, 2010, were Lena Weaver and her five year old gelding Friesian, Rhett. This pair also made a strong debut, bringing home blue ribbons in the Amateur Handler class with a score of 62, and in the Friesian IBC class, scoring 69.15. We were delighted to share this big day of firsts with Lena and Rhett! Good job, everyone!
Foxwin Farm Address Change
While we're not actually moving anywhere, the addition of a second home to the farm property has required an E-911 address change! We've had to name the "private road" that serves the farm, and numbered both houses on the road. We've named the road FOXWIN LANE, of course! Pat's address, and the official business address for the farm will be 12 Foxwin Lane, and Trish and Marty's house will be 20 Foxwin Lane, Elmira, NY 14901.
Foxwin Farm, LLC Partnership Official
On March 5, 2010, the next generation of Foxwin Farm was signed into existence. Pat Ross welcomed new partners, Trish and Marty Pierce, into the business. Trish came to Foxwin as a boarder in 2007 and fell quickly in love with both that spring's colt, Sherman, and the pastoral timelessness of the farm itself. When Dave died later that year, Trish and Marty felt it imperative that the farm continue its traditions of excellence in instruction, care, horsemanship and stewardship, so they stepped in to help keep things running smoothly through a difficult transition. Over time, their dedication evolved into a discussion of making their commitment long-term, and when Ethel retired in the spring of 2009, they were pleased at the opportunity to enter into partnership and continue their apprenticeship with Pat. It is their intent to take over some of the heavy lifting at the farm to let Pat do what she does best-- bring out every bit of ability in horses and riders.
Marty comes to this endeavor with a strong farming background. Having grown up on a 600-acre beef cattle farm in Lindley, NY, Marty brings the requisite husbandry, carpentry, engineering, tractoring, and haying skills to the farm, along with a good dose of patience and the understanding that (in his own words) "it's a farm; it'll never be done." His education and employment background in information technology and the arts keeps the farm computers in good working order and the walls strewn with beautiful photographs of the horses and the landscape. Marty is a digital photography technician at the Corning Museum of Glass.
Originally from Binghamton, NY, Trish came to horses later than many, but her kinship with animals and her learner's approach to life has served to make her a quick study. Though she didn't start riding horses until she was in her mid-30's, she quickly found at Foxwin a place to apprentice in the traditional approaches to riding, training, and care. For the past two years, Trish has made the daily 30-mile trip from Corning to Chemung to ride and train with Pat in the mornings before work. (This is either madness or dedication; the jury is still out...) Pat has become not only a dear friend, but an irreplaceable mentor in this process, and Trish looks forward to the many years it will take to learn half of what Pat knows. With a background in literature and education, Trish looks forward to not only helping with the lesson students, but sees Pat's biography as the easiest best-seller a first-time writer could ever hope to write! Trish does the website work, including the Facebook page, and provides marketing and strategic planning skills...along with wielding a mighty manure fork. Trish works as Development Manager at the Clemens Center.
The Pierce's plan to break ground on their home at the farm in early April, and hope to be settled in by Memorial Day. There may be a bit of construction dust at Foxwin this spring, but we're certainly open for business, and once that dust settles, it'll be business as usual for the next 25 years!
Pat Ross Honored by American Morgan Horse Association
Congratulations to Pat Ross on her recent recognition as a Master by the American Morgan Horse Association. Pat was nominated by the New York State Morgan Horse Society for the AMHA Master's Certificate award in late December, and was awarded the honor at the AMHA annual convention in February. The Master's Certificate recognizes Morgan owners, 60 years or older, who have taken an active role in role in enjoying the Morgan breed. Nominees must be nominated by an AMHA Recognized Club, and only two nominees per club are permitted in a given year. Pat was one of only ten Master's Certificate recipients in the entire nation in 2009, and we couldn't be more proud! Special thanks go out to Joanne Schoonmaker for suggesting Pat as a candidate and drafting the nomination biography, to Nancy Vidler for shepherding the process, and to the New York State Morgan Horse Society for submitting Pat's nomination.
Foxwin Farm, LLC has a Facebook Fan Page
Please join us and our growing fan base on Facebook. We're posting frequent updates, with photos and video, and invite all friends, boarders, students, clients, and other horse lovers to join us there. You can post pictures of your ride, share stories of your "ah-hah!" lesson moment, or just share in the ups and downs of the weather conditions in upstate NY!
Foxwin Farm, LLC Unveils New Logo
Foxwin Farm is proud to unveil our new farm logo, designed by good friend, and talented graphic artist, Polly Smith-Blackwell, of PS Graphic Design.
The dual silhouette horse graphic of Polly's design captures both sides of a Morgan Horse-- the graceful, majestic, and slightly wild, beauty and the refined, formal, controlled work ethic of a Morgan under his dressage rider.
The clean, sleek lines of the text reinforce the controlled schooling we engage in at Foxwin, and capture the essence of our quiet farm. The text also emphasizes that we offer Traditional Morgans and Traditional Dressage, spelling out our firm belief that these horses can perform in any discipline a rider chooses, and that every rider can benefit from classical riding education. In one fell swoop, the new logo summarizes our business, our approach, and our beliefs-- exactly what a logo should do!
We are so pleased with the design that we have set up a store where friends and fans of Foxwin Farm can purchase logo-items to share their enthusiasm for the Farm.
The Foxwin team is proud to have such a graceful, elegant, and concise representation of our identity! Thank you, Polly!
