Some help for those of us that are 'scarf challenged' :)
http://texeresilk.com/cms-scarf_tying_guide.html
photo by Diana Rowland
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Aiken Driving Club 'Send Off' BBQ
Many thanks to the Aiken Driving Club for organizing a 'Send Off' BBQ and thanks to Muffy Seaton for hosting it at her farm in Williston, SC. Jennifer Matheson and her crew, Janelle Marshall and Fran and I were presented with gift bags filled with red, white and blue items to use at the Championships. Wendy O'Brien and her crew have already left for Germany, but Jennifer will hand deliver those bags when she arrives overseas. About 75 club members attended and enjoyed the good company and food, and the summer storms circled us but never hit.
All of us from the Aiken area who are making the trek overseas have been so well supported by the driving club and it's members, a big THANK YOU!!
http://www.aikendrivingclub.com/
All of us from the Aiken area who are making the trek overseas have been so well supported by the driving club and it's members, a big THANK YOU!!
http://www.aikendrivingclub.com/
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Tax deductible donations for Team Catalyst
A new way to donate to Team Catalyst! https://www.justgive.org/nonprofits/donate.jsp?ein=52-1495923
Make sure to put 'Shelly Temple' where it asks how you would like your donation to be used.
If you would like to send a tax deductible donation in the mail, please make your check out to: American Horse Trial Foundation and send it to: Shelly Temple, 494 Pine Acres Rd, Windsor, SC 29856. All donations over $50 will receive a letter from the Foundation for tax purposes.
Thanks for your support!!
Make sure to put 'Shelly Temple' where it asks how you would like your donation to be used.
If you would like to send a tax deductible donation in the mail, please make your check out to: American Horse Trial Foundation and send it to: Shelly Temple, 494 Pine Acres Rd, Windsor, SC 29856. All donations over $50 will receive a letter from the Foundation for tax purposes.
Thanks for your support!!
Friday, July 8, 2011
The logistics of going overseas...
We've gotten a lot of questions about how the ponies and equipment are transported overseas, so I thought I'd tell you a little about the process.
We started talking to the Transportation Broker after Southern Pines, to get a feel for the charges and possibilities of going to Germany. We are going to stay at Michael Freund's farm near Frankfurt, Germany and go to several shows before the Championship. Fortunately there is a large airport right in Frankfurt that the ponies can fly into, so we won't have far to go once we arrive.
The ponies will fly from JFK Airport in New York. They will have to arrive at the airport early in the morning, where they will stay in the 'Vetport' right there at the cargo area of the airport. All animals going overseas stay there so there is an assortment of dogs, cats, birds and reptiles at the Vetport. It's not the most beautiful place and smells strongly of disinfectant.
The ponies are examined by a Veterinarian and all paperwork is checked and completed, and then the wait begins. The ponies will spend their day in the box stalls there as the flight won't leave until late in the day. A van does all the transport from the Vetport to the loading area, where the ponies will be loaded onto their pallet.
One of the worst parts of the whole trip is driving the horse trailer through the wild streets of New York City to the airport.
The ponies will ride in a 'pallet' which looks like a small horse trailer. Dividers can be added or subtracted so the pallet can hold from one horse up to three horses. Similar to a bumper pull horse trailer, there is room in the front for their heads to hang over the breast bar, and hay can be stored under their noses for the trip. We hang haynets just like you would in a horse trailer, and there is a small people door on either side in front, so you have access to the horses to check on them and offer water. The horses are loaded onto the pallet, it's closed up and wrapped with a net, then loaded onto the plane via a lift and moved around on a system of rollers on the floor of the plane, then locked into place.
There is a charge per pallet plus weight. It's less expensive to split the costs between three ponies, so we try to fly with other horses so the pallets can be full. Cooper will probably ride with one of Jennifer Matheson's ponies.
There are two types of planes - a cargo plane or a Combi which is both passengers and cargo. The cargo plane has a few passenger seats on the top deck behind the cockpit. Several times in the past, the cargo pilot has let me sit in the cockpit (in the navigator's seat) during takeoff or landing. I got to put the headphones on and hear the patter between air traffic control and the pilots coming and going. They call the big cargo planes "heavies'. It was really cool to fly into Frankfurt after dark and see all the lights below.
Cooper is a good traveler so we didn't have any problems going to/from Denmark and I don't anticipate any this time. It's cool down below where the ponies ride, I'd say around 50 degrees or so. We are allowed to go check on them from time to time, climbing down a small steep ladder-like staircase. There is a microwave and some frozen meals available for the grooms and pilots. An attendant is required for the horses, one per pallet. An attendant flew with us one of the times I went overseas with Lisa Singer. There were some racehorses on the plane with us and she was responsible for them. She traveled with her little Jack Russell and had flown all over world with horses, quite an interesting job! Although I'm sure he would be fine without me, I like to fly with Cooper and keep him company.
Once we arrive at the airport in Germany, the ponies will once again be checked by a Veterinarian, have their paperwork examined and stamped, and then they will be released and we'll be off to Michael Freund's farm.
We started talking to the Transportation Broker after Southern Pines, to get a feel for the charges and possibilities of going to Germany. We are going to stay at Michael Freund's farm near Frankfurt, Germany and go to several shows before the Championship. Fortunately there is a large airport right in Frankfurt that the ponies can fly into, so we won't have far to go once we arrive.
The ponies will fly from JFK Airport in New York. They will have to arrive at the airport early in the morning, where they will stay in the 'Vetport' right there at the cargo area of the airport. All animals going overseas stay there so there is an assortment of dogs, cats, birds and reptiles at the Vetport. It's not the most beautiful place and smells strongly of disinfectant.
The ponies are examined by a Veterinarian and all paperwork is checked and completed, and then the wait begins. The ponies will spend their day in the box stalls there as the flight won't leave until late in the day. A van does all the transport from the Vetport to the loading area, where the ponies will be loaded onto their pallet.
One of the worst parts of the whole trip is driving the horse trailer through the wild streets of New York City to the airport.
The ponies will ride in a 'pallet' which looks like a small horse trailer. Dividers can be added or subtracted so the pallet can hold from one horse up to three horses. Similar to a bumper pull horse trailer, there is room in the front for their heads to hang over the breast bar, and hay can be stored under their noses for the trip. We hang haynets just like you would in a horse trailer, and there is a small people door on either side in front, so you have access to the horses to check on them and offer water. The horses are loaded onto the pallet, it's closed up and wrapped with a net, then loaded onto the plane via a lift and moved around on a system of rollers on the floor of the plane, then locked into place.
There is a charge per pallet plus weight. It's less expensive to split the costs between three ponies, so we try to fly with other horses so the pallets can be full. Cooper will probably ride with one of Jennifer Matheson's ponies.
There are two types of planes - a cargo plane or a Combi which is both passengers and cargo. The cargo plane has a few passenger seats on the top deck behind the cockpit. Several times in the past, the cargo pilot has let me sit in the cockpit (in the navigator's seat) during takeoff or landing. I got to put the headphones on and hear the patter between air traffic control and the pilots coming and going. They call the big cargo planes "heavies'. It was really cool to fly into Frankfurt after dark and see all the lights below.
Cooper is a good traveler so we didn't have any problems going to/from Denmark and I don't anticipate any this time. It's cool down below where the ponies ride, I'd say around 50 degrees or so. We are allowed to go check on them from time to time, climbing down a small steep ladder-like staircase. There is a microwave and some frozen meals available for the grooms and pilots. An attendant is required for the horses, one per pallet. An attendant flew with us one of the times I went overseas with Lisa Singer. There were some racehorses on the plane with us and she was responsible for them. She traveled with her little Jack Russell and had flown all over world with horses, quite an interesting job! Although I'm sure he would be fine without me, I like to fly with Cooper and keep him company.
Once we arrive at the airport in Germany, the ponies will once again be checked by a Veterinarian, have their paperwork examined and stamped, and then they will be released and we'll be off to Michael Freund's farm.
Team Selection and Fundraising
I've read with interest the ongoing conversation on the CD-L regarding the Pony Team selection. I'm not aware of anyone saying they have been selected. In fact, there are still several selection trials to go (in Europe in July).
We are all fortunate to have some enthusiastic supporters and if comments to the list made it appear that the team has been selected, I'm making it clear that this is not the case.
All the selection information is available on usef.org. There you will find the Long List for ponies and for pairs and related selection procedures. You might find it interesting reading. You can access the info here: http://usef.org/_IFrames/breedsdisciplines/discipline/alldrivng/hpDriving.aspx
When it comes to the pony selection, according to the selection procedures, by August 15 there will be a short list, and by September 15 (just six days before the Championship begins) the team will be selected. There will also be a mandatory training session held in Germany before the Championship.
Those on the pony long list have been encouraged to ship to Europe early and use some competitions there for training before the Championships. Since the majority of costs of competing at the Championship is in the shipping costs for flying the pony(ies) and shipping the equipment (carriages/harness/etc), it makes sense to go early and make the most of the trip. We are planning to leave on August 4. Kind friends are helping with our horses/dogs/cats/parrot left behind.
The downside is that it is a huge commitment in money, time and energy to go at all, and even a bigger risk to go without the team being chosen in advance. We have all worked hard to prepare and qualify, and now have chosen to make the most of the opportunity to compete at the Championship.
As to the fundraising, I can only speak for myself. I know that those who like me are actively fundraising have received some criticism for raising money for their own trip and not for the team. I would like to think that it is possible for a working person to be able to go with the support of our fellow drivers and the help we have received in many ways has been very gratifying. I have been active in raising money for the team this year and in years past, but also need to raise money to make our trip.
I am very grateful for the support that we will receive from the USEF IF we are chosen as a team member. It is about 26% of our estimated budget. We must raise additional funds in order to go.
At the beginning of my fundraising efforts, I made it clear that if for whatever reason I did not go to Europe, that I would return the money I raised. My equipment has already shipped and it will have to come back at my expense in that case.
I hope this answers some questions and concerns. If you have an interest in this, please read the selection procedures, the pony loan agreement and other documents. Many of your questions will be answered there. I'll be happy to answer any other questions you may have.
We are all fortunate to have some enthusiastic supporters and if comments to the list made it appear that the team has been selected, I'm making it clear that this is not the case.
All the selection information is available on usef.org. There you will find the Long List for ponies and for pairs and related selection procedures. You might find it interesting reading. You can access the info here: http://usef.org/_IFrames/breedsdisciplines/discipline/alldrivng/hpDriving.aspx
When it comes to the pony selection, according to the selection procedures, by August 15 there will be a short list, and by September 15 (just six days before the Championship begins) the team will be selected. There will also be a mandatory training session held in Germany before the Championship.
Those on the pony long list have been encouraged to ship to Europe early and use some competitions there for training before the Championships. Since the majority of costs of competing at the Championship is in the shipping costs for flying the pony(ies) and shipping the equipment (carriages/harness/etc), it makes sense to go early and make the most of the trip. We are planning to leave on August 4. Kind friends are helping with our horses/dogs/cats/parrot left behind.
The downside is that it is a huge commitment in money, time and energy to go at all, and even a bigger risk to go without the team being chosen in advance. We have all worked hard to prepare and qualify, and now have chosen to make the most of the opportunity to compete at the Championship.
As to the fundraising, I can only speak for myself. I know that those who like me are actively fundraising have received some criticism for raising money for their own trip and not for the team. I would like to think that it is possible for a working person to be able to go with the support of our fellow drivers and the help we have received in many ways has been very gratifying. I have been active in raising money for the team this year and in years past, but also need to raise money to make our trip.
I am very grateful for the support that we will receive from the USEF IF we are chosen as a team member. It is about 26% of our estimated budget. We must raise additional funds in order to go.
At the beginning of my fundraising efforts, I made it clear that if for whatever reason I did not go to Europe, that I would return the money I raised. My equipment has already shipped and it will have to come back at my expense in that case.
I hope this answers some questions and concerns. If you have an interest in this, please read the selection procedures, the pony loan agreement and other documents. Many of your questions will be answered there. I'll be happy to answer any other questions you may have.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
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