2012 MARCH
HORSES IN YOUR BLOOD,
BY KATE JOHNSON ......... 2
NFDA HISTORY, PART 2
BY JILL MORRIS ............ 3
NFDA SPRING SERIES I
SHOW RECAP ................ 4
T HE NORT HE A S T FLOR ID A D RE S S A GE A S S OCIA T ION IS A GROUP
ME MB E R O RGA N IZA T ION O F T HE UNIT E D S T A T E S DRE S S A GE FE DE RA T ION nfda Kate’s Corner You know how sometimes the words
“it’s in your blood” are implied and
often used to explain away/confirm
certain elements of our character or our
horses? Like the “of course he’s great
with kids, he’s a Connemara Pony” or
the “You get that from your mother she
loves a good debate”, “watch out for
those chestnut Thoroughbred mares
they tend to be a little loopy”, “You are
just like your father he always hated
rainy days”, better yet the “Oh, I’d stay
away from any of those ________ off-
spring! He was a nut”! So many of
these statements imply that ours and
our horses character, habits, personali-
ty, and even personal preferences are
somewhat determined by our “blood”.
It is with great pleasure that I share
with you all how horses are “in my
blood”.
My Maternal Great-Grandfather S.O.
Hinkle Sr. was not only, an amazing
businessman but also, an amazing
horseman. He had a thriving farm just
outside of Winston Salem, NC where
he bred and Tennessee Walkers. One
of his horses won the Grand National
Championship Title in the 1980s. His
name was Trouble and he was the
“horse of a lifetime”.
Here he is pictured with his horses and
his children (picture 1.0) (He is far left,
then my Granddaddy, my Uncle
Talmadge, Aunt Mary, Aunt Becky
and their barn help with a work horse).
Some of my most fond memories as a
child are going to his farm and playing
in the loft, and seeing all the horses.
My Great Granddaddy Hinkle made
sure EVERYONE had a horse, or bur-
row. This is a picture of my Grand-
daddy and his
sister Mary on a
burrow. He told
stories of riding
his pony all over
town and using a
cart to transport
watermelons for
sale. My Grand-
daddy showed the
walkers and al-
IT’S SHOW TIME!!
Saturday, March 24th—
SHOW TIME—Jax Equestrian Center
Picture 1.0—Here he is pictured with
his horses and his children. (He is
far left, then my Granddaddy, my
Uncle Talmadge, Aunt Mary, Aunt
Becky and their barn help with a
work horse).
Kate’s Corner, cont’d
ways shared stories of his
wonderful equine partners.
My Grandmother and Grand-
daddy Hinkle logged many
an hour at my horse shows
and ringside for lessons! We
even rode together a few
times!
This pic-
ture cap-
tures, 1.)
My first
Dr. Pepper
and, 2.)
Was taken
after we
did a trail
ride to-
gether at
Tangle-
wood. I
remember it vividly, both the
ride and the Dr Pepper!! My
Great Granddaddy had hors-
es for my mother and all of
her siblings at the farm,
though the girls mostly tell
stories of being taken off
with, aback some little rotten
ponies; the boys loved the
horses and rode up until
adulthood.
My Granddaddy always sup-
ported my riding and culti-
vated my love of horses. It
was this shared passion and
love that united us on a level
all its own. He understood
me, the drive, the commit-
ment ,and celebrated suc-
cesses with me until weeks
before his passing. He AL-
WAYS loved hearing about my competi-
tions and I was certainly blessed to have
him know me and understand me to my
core.
My Paternal Grandfather was a horseman
as well. His passion was the Standardbred.
He bred and raced both trotters and pacers
with much success up and down the entire
East Coast. My father (and all of his sib-
lings) were involved with the Johnson
Family equestrian endeavors into adult-
hood. I remember going to Delaware to
visit with my Papa and Grammie; they
were there racing the horses. I remember
LOVING to go to the Winners Circle! I
loved crawling into and digging around
tack rooms, tack trunks, and equipment
bags with glee! He had a larger-
than-life smile and never ever
stopped me. We had a filly
named KJK and when I was 18
months old the trainer scooped
me up and put me on her back.
(She was a 3 year old and had
never been ridden, only driven).
I think my father almost passed
out and I smiled ear to ear.
This is the “Johnson Family” in
the winners’ circle. My Papa
standing proud behind TBJ a
Standardbred he bred at home and named
for my dad (Thomas Bradford Johnson).
My Aunt Terry is at his head, my Uncle
Todd Driving, some cousins, My amazing
Grammie smiling ear to ear, and me in my
dad’s arms…. And oh…. That’s my
mom’s sister Bunny (the one who always
got taken off with on the far right).
When anyone asks ‘How long have you
ridden?” My answer is always “I have
ridden for as long as I have known my-
self”. But, quite honestly I think my love
for horses started before that. I honestly
think it is “in my blood”. How could it not
be???
Pictured here are both sets of my Grand-
parents. This picture was at a farm where
we kept the Standardbreds (my Hinkle
Grandparents on the left, visiting us in
Maine from North Carolina and Johnson
Grandparents on the right). I am in my
Papa’s arms, and judging by this photo it
might have been one of my last with him.
He passed when I was just 5, but I know he
is with me and has watched me grow as an
individual, and as a horsewoman. My Hin-
kle Grandparents passed away 4 years ago
(14 hours apart of totally unrelated causes
but that is another story altogether). My
Grammie is 91 years old and I still love
sharing my horse stories with her. She has
shared with me stories, memories, and a
very special stopwatch that belonged to my
Papa that keep him close.
So, can this equine affair be “in your
blood”… I say YES! I would love to hear
from you, our membership…. How it’s in
your blood? My Grandmother Hinkle al-
ways said “Wherever Kate goes she will
FIND a horse” of course I will, IT’S IN
MY BLOOD!!!
Happy Riding,
Kate Johnson
History of NFDA... Part II
Last month, we were introduced to the be-
ginning of NFDA. This month, enjoy
Part II of the NFDA History.
In 2001, amidst steady
membership growth,
NFDA became it’s own
Group Member Organiza-
tion with USDF under New
President, Wanda Wiggins.
Wanda held the office for
two years. NFDA incorpo-
rated and became a 501C
(3) non-profit organization.
Schooling Show attendance
had reached an all time
high with rides averaging
130 per show. At the end
of 2002, NFDA had almost
125 members. Wanda
Wiggins led NFDA with
a steady hand as we en-
tered a new era of oppor-
tunities and growth.
Wanda was the rock we
needed as we entered this
transition
from Chapter
to GMO.
In 2003,
Marge Sav-
age became President and
continued to lead a strong
group of very dedicated
members. By the end of
her term, NFDA mem-
bership reached approxi-
mately 150. Not only did
Marge serve as NFDA
President but also as
Show Manager. Under
her leadership, NFDA
continued to have
“overflowing” schooling
shows and the Spring Se-
ries was joined by the
Fall Series. To hold the
two highest positions in
our club in the same year
was quite a remarkable
feat.
In 2004, Mary O’Brien
became President for the
next two years. Mary’s
leadership skills were
very strong and she was
able to juggle
many balls at
once. Under
Mary’s term,
NFDA became
the Host GMO
for the 2005 Re-
gion Three
Championships.
Mary once again
took a strong lead-
ership role and ac-
cepted the responsi-
bility of Chairman
of this very im-
portant show. Mary de-
veloped (in 2003)
NFDA’s Beauty
in Motion –
Beauty in Art -
Equestrian Art
Exhibit which
highlighted lo-
cal artists. In 2004 the
show grew to include a
Silent Auction. This spe-
cial event, which benefit-
ed local equestrian pro-
jects such as Jacksonville
Equestrian Center, con-
tinued to grow in size and
in 2005 was held in con-
junction with the Cham-
pionships.
In 2006, Jill Morris once
again became President
for a fourth term. During
her term, Jill developed
The Northeast Florida
Dressage Championships
(NEFDC). Modeled after
the USDF Regional
Championships, The
NEFDC was designed for
the schooling show rider
to give them a feel for
what it is like to qualify
over a year’s time for our
Championship show held
Show me your horse and I will tell you who you are.
OLD ENGLISH SAYING
By Jill Morris
in November. Complete
with neck sashes, Champion
jackets and victory gallops,
The NEFDC became a hit.
Dressage on the First Coast,
since being revived in 2005,
returned for good in 2006 as
our Spring Recognized
show.
In 2007 and 2008, Molly
Tatham became President.
With all that was added to
NFDA the previous 3 years,
Molly held us
on a steady
course. With 6
schooling
shows, the
NEFDC and
Dressage on
the First Coast,
there was plen-
ty of work to be done.
In 2009, Denise Dale be-
came President and kept us
sailing smoothly through the
first decade of 2000. NFDA
remained strong member-
ship wise although the econ-
omy was beginning to take a
downward turn. Luckily,
NFDA was financially
sound. At the end of her
term, it was announced that
NFDA would be the Host
GMO for the 2010 USDF
National Convention and
Symposium. A big under-
taking for the next Presi-
dent.
Jill Morris has been an integral part of NFDA for many, MANY years. She is
the proud owner and rider of “Mingo”
- the Swedish Meatball.
WEB SITES OF INTEREST
NFDA
Www.nfladressage.org
STRIDE
Www.stridedressage.org
SWDEA
Www.southwinddressage.com
Behind the Bit Blog
Www.behindthebitblog.com
PerformanceEquineUSA
Www.performanceequineusa.com
Blog about Biff, the Nakota
Www.iamboyfriend.com
Horse Nutrition
Www.feedxl.com
Horse hair jewelry
Www.nannasalmi.com
Attention all
members and
show participants!
Every show, we scramble at the last
minute, to fill several of the volun-
teer positions needed to make our
shows run smoothly. This year we
plan to try a different approach.
Essential volunteer positions need
to be assigned BEFORE ride times
are scheduled. This way, if a rider
wishes to volunteer for either
morning or afternoon, their rides
can be scheduled accordingly and
thus there will be both the oppor-
tunity to help, without the hassle of
ride time changes once they are
assigned.
Here are the needed positions:
Ring set up:
1 Coordinator/Leader
2-5 Assistants (depending on the
number of rings)
WE NEED YOUR HELP!!
Ring set up can be scheduled
for morning. the day
before the show, or at
the JEC, could possibly
be done on Thursday
evening, before the
show.
Leader needs to communi-
cate with helpers well
ahead of setup time to
agree on when to start.
Right now we only
anticipate 1 ring per
spring show.
Ring takedown:
1 Coordinator/Leader
2-5 Assistants (depending on the
number of rings)
Ring take down is scheduled
after the last ride of the
show.
Requires a team coordinator
to assure that a vehicle
is available to pull the
trailer around the ring
and that all volunteers
are still present after the
last ride has finished.
Scribes:
1 – Morning rides
1 – Afternoon rides
(per ring)
Ring stewards:
Morning
Afternoon
Possibly one at the warm-up ring
Runners:
This is the least technical job, and
can be covered by relief volun-
teers if needed to accommodate
ride times
Scorers:
Morning
Afternoon
(one per ring)
To volunteer, please contact
SARAH LAKE at
[email protected] or call her
at 904-704-4338. Write your de-
sired volunteer position and morn-
ing or afternoon on your entry.
NFDA Spring Series I February 19, 2912
It was a beautiful day at the Jacksonville Equestrian
Center on Saturday, February 18, 2012. Over 60 en-
tries for the one-ring show, judged by Erin Brinkman
“L”. It was great to see so many happy riders and
horses. Enjoy the pictures!
CLINICS: Education, Knowledge,
Growth Check this page monthly for clinics that are
available to participate in and/or audit!
Dean Graham will be at
Whitelock Farm (off of
CR210) on Tuesday,
March 13th . Dean will
also be holding lessons the
day after the show, at the
Jacksonville Equestrian
Center, Sunday, March
25th. Interested partici-
pants, please contact Mary
Farr at [email protected].
Other dates will be availa-
ble in February. Please
contact Mary to be placed
on the email distribution
list.
Dean was raised on a mixed
enterprise farm in Whenua-
pai, New Zealand, where his
mother bred and raised
warmblood horses for dres-
sage, hunting and three-day
eventing. Dean has worked
extensively with young hors-
es. He starts numerous hors-
es every year. He has a kind
and confident system that
teaches the horses to learn
and enjoy their work. Dean
also conducts clinics and
coaches students throughout
the Eastern states He is an
enthusiastic teacher and
gives his students the confi-
dence they need to excel.
CALENDAR
13th Dean Graham
Whitelock Farms
25th Dean Graham
Jacksonville Eques Ctr.
Have Newsletter Ideas???
Email stories, pictures, trip
journals….you pick it; the sky is the LIMIT!
Please SAVE THE DATE!!! Great judges!!
USEF/USDF: 323224 CLOSING DATE: APRIL 5, 2012
Presents
April 28 & 29, 2012
Jacksonville Equestrian Center
Jacksonville, Florida
Official Qualifying Competition for the FEI North American Junior & Young Riders’ Championships and Collected Gaits
Farm/USEF National Pony Rider, Junior, Young Rider and Brentina Cup Championships. Official Qualifying Competition for the Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Program and USEF National Developing
Horse Dressage Championship Prix St. George Division (sponsored by the Dutta Corp and PSI) and Grand Prix
Division. Great American/USDF Regional Qualifying Show
USDF/Dover Adult Amateur Medal Program USEF Dressage Level 3 Competition
Judges: Jennie Loriston Clarke FEI “I” ( UK )
Show Manager: Carlie Evans Ulrich Schmitz USEF “S” (AZ) (352) 215-0710 TBD [email protected]
TD: Ann Sterling Hart “r” (FL)
Show Secretary: Dibbie Dunnam
(352) 466-3538 [email protected]
Vet : TBD (On-Call)
Farrier: TBD (On-Call)
For more information, the USEF/USDF approved prize list & Dressage on the First Coast
required entry forms go to:
http://www.DressageOnTheFirstCoast.com
Gone...but never forgotten
Sue Burdan, dear friend and fellow
horsewoman, lost her battle with cancer on
February 11, 2012. She will be greatly
missed. Her art blesses many equestrian
homes.
“Remember Jas-mine”...aka Jasmine, was sent
to the Rainbow Bridge much too
soon, February 10th, 2012.
Tracey David, her owner, rider
and caretaker, took Jasmine to
many shows, finishing off the
2011 show season with the title
of CHAMPION—Training Lev-
el—AA Division with a score of
66.183%. She will be greatly
missed.
NFDA ADVERTISING RULES and RATES AD DEADLINE: Payment and/or order must be received by 25th of preceding month. QUESTIONS: Heather Rodney (904) 294-2563 cell or [email protected]. CLASSIFIED AD RATES NFDA members: First 50 words free (email to [email protected] by 25th). Additional words at 5 cents per word. Payment must accompany order for ads over 50 words. Non-members: 5 cents per word. Payment must accompany order. Note: Classified ads run for 2 months (see months listed in brack-ets at the end of your ad). To renew, notify us by email to [email protected] by the 25th of the preceding month (e.g., Jan 25 for Feb issue). DISPLAY AD RATES: Two sizes only Business card size (3.5"x2"): $10 / month. $120 for 12 issues Full page: $45 / month or annual rate $450 prepaid Check must accompany order Ads must be submitted in elec-tronic format to [email protected] SPONSOR ADS: Businesses that offer NFDA members a 10% discount get a free business-card size ad. Ad must be submitted in electronic format, and contain the words "10% Discount for NFDA Members.” MAIL CHECKS TO: Heather Rodney, NFDA Ads, 804 Hickory Knolls Drive, Green Cove Springs, FL 32043. Make checks payable to NFDA.
SERVICES
Personalized, bead embroi-
dered stock pins. You pick
the picture and colors—I do
the rest. Starting at $30.
Heather Rodney—
904-294-2563.
TACK
17.5” Passier Antares Dres-
sage Saddle – Medium tree,
very good condition. Does
have a few surface scratches
from a barn cat. E-mail for
pics. $800
Jill Morris ontheb-
[FEB/MAR]
17” Wintec Isabell with
CAIR. Sold with Medium
gullet plate. Saddle only used
maybe 2 dozen times. Excel-
lent condition. $650
Jill Morris ontheb-
[FEB/MAR]
17.5”
Tou-
louse
Aachen
Dres-
sage
Sad-
dle—
Medium Tree. One scratch
on cantle. $650 OBO.
Heather Rodney rprin-
APPAREL
9 1/2” Petrie Dressage
Boots. Style 3000. These
boots are barely broken in.
Sell new for $547. Will sell
for $250.
Jill Morris ontheb-
[FEB/MAR]
Classified
s
2012 OFFICERS
PRESIDENT: Kate Johnson
VICE PRESIDENT:
Shantel Brooks
TREASURER: Michelle Velasco
SECRETARY:
Heather Rodney
Board Members: Anna Kirkpatrick Linda Holmberg Barbara Turner Carolyn Belcher Martha Moore
NFDA—NEWSLETTER
804 Hickory Knolls Drive
Green Cove Springs, FL
32043