Overture Farms Dressage - Home

Somehow it seems that collecting three horses deserves the tagline "farm". My husband John coined the name Overture Farm way back when we first came to Vermont as it seemed that starting graduate school and riding at the same time was certainly a good beginning to my 30s. I discovered a path of lifelong learning with both, and now, nearly twenty years later, I am blessed with great creatures and great friends that have come along with the journey. This site is as close as I will ever get to a "blog" - a way to share our adventures. Click on the horse's name above or their portraits here for their pages...


CVDA Fun! Anna, Ben & Brenda, Tempo: totally different breeds (all 4!) but fast friends enjoying May 2012 at GMHA! Safri Update May 2012 Starting in work, helped along by PJ! It will be long and slow, but he's happy..... No winter blues here.... Well, it's been awhile since an update but thoughts are turning to the 2012 season. We had our first clinic today - who'd have thought we could be comfy riding in February, in Vermont??!? Lousy winter for everything but riding. All horses are great - Saf is fat and happy thanks to Chris and David, and enjoying life. Tee has not only learned to lengthen, but LOVES it.... you say "TrotTrot" to her and you can see the gleam in her eye. She's very proud of herself for getting it! Willi is his usual marvelous self. We ended 2011 in fine style - unfortunately the after effects of Hurricane Irene shortened the show season and Tee & Bren couldn't get their last GMDC scores (they were 7th even without the extras, though!) but Willi and I didn't mind as they would have booted us out of the Reserve Champion spot. Willi & I were 6th in the NEDA year end, and Tee and Brenda were 9th, and Willi was so consistent he was 9th in the Hanoverian Breed Awards for AA Training. This year has seen remarkable changes in both partnerships thanks to Joy's great coaching. And, both horses are happy trail horses too (well, except for passing the llama farm.....). Brenda had to walk holes in her sneakers to get Tee to this point but it has been well worthwhile. All in all, goals exceeded!! So what are we planning for 2012? Well, it will be a building year at First Level for both horses so the goal is to qualify for Region 8 Championships at Training and then see if we can survive the big time at Saugerties! Hopefully we'll be good enough to ride First Level classes too by then. Stay tuned! The Overture Team Rolls On! It has been a busy and happy early show season. We started the year at Saratoga, which was a mixed blessing. Both horses were pretty wound up, but Tee settled enough for Brenda to pilot around a Training test and win a sixth in a big class with a 61%. Willi never settled enough to get into the competition ring, but was a trooper - and I learned that I can stay on through a melt down on Mr. Athletic - which is good for piece of mind! We all enjoyed the good weather and being at the track, which was pretty cool. We decided Tee was channeling her dad and grandfather - fortunately not at a high rate of speed down the track! After a few weeks of relaxing work, back in the trailer again for the first GMHA show. I was commuting back and forth to our graduation/alumni activities, so was grateful to John, Brenda and Shea as well as PJ, Obe and Anna and the rest of the crew for making it happen for me. Arrived on Friday night to find happy horses and Tee & Brenda as High Point Champs for the day - a feat they repeated the next day despite Willi and I winning our separate Training level classes as well. So, going into Sunday the race was on..... after all, we couldn't come home with just 5 wine glasses. A solid performance on Sunday for both but Willi and I prevailed with a 68% and a very happy crew headed home with all goals met! Then, the Big One - 40th anniversiary GMHA show. 250 riders! And 94+ degrees...... the only time in my life I've been grateful for 8:00 AM rides. We had a solid weekend with many high points despite a big Training Level division, including Tee's 71% which earned them High Point GMHA Adult Amateur and Reserve High Point Training For Show. The best part, though, was the peaceful and happy mood among all four of us (as well as the rest of Joy's students - all of whom enjoyed a lot of success!). We got to watch Joy ride a beautiful (like tears to your eyes) 4th level test with Kathy C providing commentary for the video - inspiring and educational, and how lucky were we!! We had some adventures with CeCe, Michelle, Katie and the crew but all was well that ended well and at the end of Sunday we all caravaned home happy and exhausted; both horses qualified for regionals, all goals for the year met. So, now -- on to First Level!!!! But first a move to a new facility (just for us!) and our first try at day showing in August at Dressage for Dignity. Still need to put the finishing touches on T3 if we're going to ride that at regionals next year. Starting off with a bang.... May 2011, CVDA - we start the year off on a roll. This show is always a challenge with brisk weather and horses off the farm for the first time, but fortunatly they run a critique day on Saturday so we all get to get our feet wet before the big day. PERFECT weather this year, and great company with Obe, Anna, Michelle, and Susan joining our happy little corner of B barn at GMHA. Saturday, not so perfect - let's just say that it is a new chapter in Tee's book of antics to leap INTO a dressage ring! But Brenda did a terrific job and didn't let it get to her (and stuck the leap, which was good....). Sunday, fantastic - we went 2nd and 3rd in Training 2 (68.9 for Willi, 67.5 for Tee - videos up on the results page!) and 1st and 2nd in Training 3 (66.8 for Willi, 65.6 for Tee). Came home tired but happy and with a clear action plan for Saratoga. Stay tuned! Summer Calendar is Up! Many great adventures planned with both horses - a gang of four. Looking forward to seeing all our friends! Will have our wonderful house for the GMHA events, so plan to come by and share some wine. The winter that won't quit.... I was just filling out forms for the summer on a lovely 40 degree day, when boom! 2 feet of snow and snowed in today. A good excuse to update the site! New pics on Willi's page, CeCe's page, and working on Tee's page finally..... here's a preview from 4/20/1996! A 15th birthday coming up.... Congrats Eline & Bob! Eline scores a smoking 61.5 in her first PSG test -- silver medal ceremony coming soon! And Bob and team represented the US with flying colors in Italy (more pics of them on Willi's page). Fall Fantasies.... It was close - but despite a bout of cellulitis that resulted in 5 days of stall rest (right up to the day we loaded the trailer) we went travelling: Willi, Eline, Joy, Scooter, Sue and I all headed to GMHA for the October show. You would think stall rest plus crisp weather would equal crazy warmblood. But no, right to work! Salvaged one test (Training 2) on Sunday, but it was all we needed ---- 67%, and three high score awards including overall adult amateur GMHA member. Follow this with two fantastic days with Kathy Connelly and a great cavalletti clinic with Jerry Schurink and this horse has proven he is worth his weight in gold. Even have started to conquer the sitting trot! Now, back to work for the winter and dreaming of spring................ First Show! Willi was a star at our first adventure, a schooling show here in the area. He gives me lots of confidence and we had a blast! There is a video link on Willi's page. GMHA Show We had a great weekend at July Dressage Days - many goals met, many great moments, and super friends. Scores are posted on our results page along with video links - Bronze scores for Tee and I, and Willi and Joy Reserve Champion! Most of all, relaxed and fun - who knew?!?	*Congratulations Dallas!* Dallas & Bananen Po walked away with the inaugural Overture Farms Challenge Trophy for the 2011 Challenge - Mastering the Stretchy Circle. The task was to submit three highest scores for the stretching circle from rated shows - and they submitted two eights and a seven! Winner by a mile. We had a great holiday party and celebration, and participation has doubled for next year's "Best Ball" challenge. We'll all have to work hard to keep up with this young pair!!!
We are so lucky for great human friends - here are a few important folks. Click on their pictures for a brief bio. Other VIPs appear on the page belonging to the most relevant horse.

You are visitor number: 17665	Add Your Message Meg May 6, 2011 @ 8:22 PM Goog luck to you and Brenda this weekend,hope to see you at the next Woodstock show,meg Mom Montpelier Jul 24, 2010 @ 5:14 PM Hugs to my beautiful daughter - well I remember your leaning out of my arms, over the pasture fence of the Sherburne Farm in North Pomfret, age 2, to stroke Old Nag. You were entranced! Your first riding lesson came when you were 5; your first summer pony, Ladybug, when you were 6. You declared you would one day be a vet, which you are, adding humans to the healing mix. Your love for Old Nag and her successors has grown, as has your accomplishment and understanding in the equine world. Your grandfather salutes you from his U.S. Cavalry mount - he is so very proud of you. So are we, Your Mom and Billy. Mary V NH Jul 24, 2010 @ 10:00 PM You have come a long way since med school girlie! Your website makes my eyes leak, not just because a photo I took graces the first spot, but because you and the embryo I remember as Tee have found a wonderful place in this world with the ever-by-your-side John [not Johann]. Cheers! meg peru Jul 21, 2010 @ 4:00 AM Hoing to see you friday at gmha London Margaretville, NY Jul 20, 2010 @ 10:00 AM Saf, This really rocks. Your own COOL website! The photo of us together brings back such wonderful memories of you & me. Like Bogie said in "Casablanca," we'll always have Ocala. Miss you, bro. London Add your message: Name: Location: Message: Please type the text that appears in the picture below: