Branch River Ranch - Read About Our Ranch News (Nov 08 Issue)

• Articles for Wisconsin Horseman's News by Julie Stammler | Feb09 | Jan09| Nov08 | May07 | Jun07 | Feb07 |

Manitowoc / Nov 08 - WOW! What a year it has been. We attended 5 dressage shows this year with great scores, achievements and a whole lot of fun. Trainer Jen Bender has earned her Training, First and Second Level USDF Rider Awards and is 2/3 of the way towards earning her Bronze Medal. This is truly an accomplishment in itself but to achieve so much in just 18 months shows the extreme dedication, ability and skills that Jen has. In addition to her own personal awards she has also trained and completed Training Level and First Level with Rhianna BR earning her Horse Performance Awards in both levels and Gentil MOR earning his First Level Horse Performance Award. Gentil MOR just needs one more qualifying score in Second Level Test 4 and he will have his Second Level Horse Performance Award. In checking the year end results for USDF Jen Bender and Rhianna BR rank Second for Training Level and for First Level with the Andalusian & Lusitano Horse Association (Open) with a median score of 64.2% and 64% respectively. Gentil ranks First with the United States P.R.E. (Open) in First Level with a median score of 63.158%. Where do we go from here…….the Grand National Championships in Fort Worth, Texas for the International Andalusian Lusitano Horse Association!

As I write this we just have two days left to get everything packed and organized for our journey to Texas. Jen already has the three horses body clipped that we will be taking down. Coming with us will be our Andalusian stallion Gentil MOR 1 (8), and Andalusian mares Rhianna BR (7) and Garbeau (3). All three horses will compete in the dressage in hand classes and Gentil MOR and Rhianna BR will compete in First Level and Training Level dressage respectively. Garbeau being only three years old will be going to Nationals for her Three Year Old Futurity class. We have asked her original owner/breeder Roy Colwell (Florida) to do the honors of presenting her in this class. He has not seen Garbeau since December 2006 when she came to us as a yearling. In addition to the dressage classes Gentil will also be competing in Dressage Hack Open, Native Tack & Attire Open and Western Pleasure Open. Rhianna will be competing in Dressage Suitability Open and Hunt Seat Open. We will leave Friday, October 10th and go as far as central Missouri. There we will unload the horses and get a good night sleep. Day 2 will bring us to Fort Worth and we will spend the entire evening unloading and getting the majority of our tack room, ready room and office/dressing rooms organized. Sunday Jen will be busy working and caring for the horses as Chuck and I finish the hospitality area and the final unpacking and organizing. It will be a lot easier this trip as we are only bringing three horses and one rig versus in previous years with eight horses and two rigs. Hopefully we will have more down time to enjoy the area attractions and visit with friends in attendance at the show. Branch River Ranch wishes everyone in attendance Good Luck and safe travels.

When we return to Wisconsin the last part of October we will be welcoming a couple new boarders to the family which will also bring in two different breeds to the horse mixture. It should be a very exciting winter getting to know new people and horses. Our young horses will start their training this winter and we will continue to work with the horses already started. Of course we are watching our pregnant mares closely and getting excited for the 2009 foals. I always ask myself what I would be doing if it wasn’t for the horses….bored.