oh man, i'm so pumped!! (and so is tom!!)

-emily

Yeah!!!!!! So I have officially decided that if they gave out team spirit awards, team ceo would win.
--Ali

let the games begin!!! im totally pumped
~kat

woo hoo!!!
--Angela

Coursewalks Friday...
3:45pm Preliminary & CCI Phase D
5:00pm Training
6:00pm Novice

Wednesday plans...
7:30am CCI In Barn Exams Begin
10:00am CCI Rider Meeting
2:00pm Jog for CCI Horses

No Wednesday evening lessons at the farm this week. If you'd like to take your lesson on Tuesday, Novice riders are welcome to join us at 6pm, 6:30pm, or 7:00pm. (We'll just all be together.) Wednesday, let's meet the CCI riders after the jog to go over courses, timing, packing, and planning. :)
--Megan

Have a blast everyone!
GO TEAM CEO!!!!!

im there for all of it!! who needs college anyways..... ;)
~kat

WEDNESDAY UPDATE:
All five Team CEO CCI* horses passed the jog successfully today! The horses are Grasshopper, Spot Treatment, Supernova, Enchantez, and Gandalf. On to tomorrow we go!

We've started decorating the barns, and we have barns 19&20... So you'll be sure to be able to see your stall coming from a distance! They're glowing!!!

HOORAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
--Megan

COURSEWALKS UPDATE....

Thursday 3:30PM Meet in Barn for Prelim & CCI*
Friday 6:00pm Novice Meet at Start Box

What about training???
--Ali Z.

Training Friday 3:45pm coursewalk

THURSDAY UPDATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hopper and Ziggy both produced nice tests today, though I was a little disappointed that they weren't as good as they could have been... Still, in wind gusts and spotty showers, they were very understanding boys! Even with my lackluster feeling, they are sitting in 6th for Hopper with 59.6 and 7th for Ziggy with 60.0. Excellent boys!!

Kathryn produced her best test ever with Bentley to show huge improvements in their connection and relaxation. Just a touch up here and there will knock plenty of points off by spring, esp now that the 6yo's work is really coming along... Leaps and bounds! They scored a 71, and I'd expect them to improve on that all weekend. Well done on the qualifier!!

Jen & Lindsey are still to come tomorrow, as well as the entire prelim team. More tomorrow!
--Megan

Hi Everyone!
Good Luck at Team Challenge.
--Hannah

Hannah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We miss you!!!

I hope you're doing all right, Hannah! I miss you around so much! Can't wait until you come down again. :)
-Rene

Lindsey scored a 64 in dressage today, with a great and highly improved test! Onto xc we go!
--Megan

WWOOOOWWWW!! Talk about "Where never was heard a discouraging word"! Thanks to all of you for being so supportive and encouraging. Norad and I NEVER thought we would come this far, and have so much fun doing it. Team CEO ROCKS! And Howard's Angels, well words fail me..I am so proud to know you! See you all tomorrow!

A big thanks also to Lynn for doing such a great job as a groom, I don't know what I would do without you! Your braiding is to die for. And to John for working your magic. I can't explain why it works, but it does.
--Annie

SATURDAY UPDATE!

Hey guys! So much to say! First of all let me elaborate on my earlier post... I reported that Lindsey scored a 64 in dressage, but without explanation! She scored a 64 in the CCI*, which has a different scoring system than the horse trial... And thus it was a good score! :)

CCI*... WOW and WOW! Jen, Kat, and Lindsey all ran clean xc in their first CCI*! Kat is one of only a few riders in the entire fei competition to add nothing to her dressage score! Hopper and Ziggy were great, each adding one miss to their score, but I was really happy with them... They were both "honest" stops, and jumped really, really well... We can all miss sometime! Hopper thought the fitness of the cci was incredibly easy, and Ziggy showed a lot of heart to keep up with all the TB's who are 7 inches taller than he is!

Hoodoo Voodoo Team Training: WOW! Sarah ran her first Training on her last minute ride Thatcher, and they did wonderfully! They had just one gentle, momentary stop at the coffin, but jumped through everything else cleanly! Nicola catch-rode Vaughn in her first Training, and jumped clean... Especially after scoring a 36 in dressage! Ali Z and Alex showed great form and scored a double clean round today, adding nothing to their dressage score. Even more impressive for all three girls, since the training course offered two waters, an Alligator, a Squirrel, a water to a toothbrush, a trakehner, and a full coffin. It was a very busy Training course, and the girls were SOOO impressive!

Got Spots Novice: Excellent job! Lindsey scored a 32 in dressage and jumped with one rail for a GREAT round with Caleb! Nicola had a 38 in dressage and had just 4 jump penalties on Cruiser! Casey had a moment that we can all sympathize for and forgot her dressage test in the nerves of the moment, and sadly they eliminated her for that in dressage... But admireably, she stayed to cheer on her fellow teammates and showed alot of class & sportsmanship! Angela scored a 38 on Goose and had just one rail in SJ for a great round and our little gray boy all grown up!

Howard's Angels Novice: Hooray! Annie laid it down but jumping with just 4 jump penalties and really defining determination and grit, and after already earning a 30-something dressage score (Sorry, my memory isn't more specific than that!). Holly and Killian showed us all how to ride a horse forward, and she did a beautiful, persuasive job for a CLEAR round! :) Eliza and Owen had a great go for their re-debut in eventing and jumped with just 4 faults to gain lots of confidence and another notch in their belt. Marian showed tons of class and had a great, clear round with Dapple to add nothing to her dressage score in the 30's.

GREAT job guys! More tomorrow!
--Megan

prelim team??????

Sorry, got overzealous! Prelim was phenomenal... All three jumped CLEAN around the tremendously challenging course!
--Megan

SUNDAY...

Wow... You guys never cease to amaze me.

Hopper, Ziggy, Bentley, Taylor, and Gandalf all successfully completed their first three day! Hopper showjumped a little exuberantly but well for two rails to complete the CCI* Open in 9th place! Ziggy had the showjump round of his life, leaping and flying over everything with ease, and making all the distances (which can be hard when you're 15h!) He was clear until one cheap, barely-touched rail at the last fence fell for just four faults! He completed the CCI* Open in 11th place. Hooray for spots! Jen & Gandalf jumped for just 8 faults, and they successfully took "the horse who wouldn't jump" to international status, completing his first one star in style! They finished 10th in the National Amateur CCI* Championship! Kathryn and Lindsey each completed the CCI* with a 4-fault round, which was GREAT!! (Lindsey rode the best stadium round of her life... Well done!) Kathryn finished 5th in the National 19-21yo Championship and 4th in the National Amateur CCI* Championship, as well as 6th in the CCI* division!!! Lindsey finished 6th in the National Amateur CCI* Championship, I think 7th in the National 19-21 CCI* Championship, and 9th in the CCI*. Together, they earned a 2nd place team finish in the National Young Rider One Star Team Championship!!!!!! Well done ladies!! Both Bentley & Taylor were wearing more ribbons than they could carry!

PRELIM... WOW. Rene started us off to show us how it was done and pulled off a fantastic DOUBLE CLEAR show jumping round at Prelim to put the perfect finish on an amazing weekend for her. The pair finished 7th!! Nemo showjumped double clear and finished 5th on his dressage score of 39. Emily & Tom did a great job in show jumping, and finished in 10th place in their preliminary division. Together, they earned a 4th Place Preliminary Team Award!

TRAINING: Sarah and Nicola each had an interesting task this weekend... They each catch-rode a Team CEO horse to ride in their first Training HT ever! (And around a pretty darn challenging course). Both girls very successfully completed their events...Congratulations! Ali & Alex put a sweet touch by finishing on her dressage score with a clean show jumping round... Well done!

NOVICE... Annie can really kick! Norad was quickly persuaded by Annie that he actually was a big, brave cross country machine, and they completed their first Novice!! Holly and Marian always seem to be a staple of style, grace, and consistency, and today was no exception. They both jumped double clean and were models of success. Spotted horses always seem to thrive around here, and Caleb and Cruiser both set out to produce lovely clear rounds for us today that we were all very proud of! Angela and Goose are always a force to be reckoned with on cross country, and today they had a great (and forward) round that really laughed at just how tough that Novice course really was!

Well done to everyone... You guys are amazing!

How many barns do you know that can send 5 successful CCI horses to one event??
--Megan

you best believe its TEAM CEO baby!!!!!!!!!
~kat!!

Pix are posted. I'm VERY proud of every one of you. It's never easy, and some had better weekends than others, but everyone competed with class, dignity, and a huge effort. And everyone cheered and supported each other. BRAVO!!!!
--Howard

Ooops... My tired memory has failed me... Here is Kat's actual result...

6th- Over all CCI* Division
4th- 19-21 year old National Championship CCI*
5th- National Amature Championships
Reserve Champion (2nd) Junior/Young Rider Team Championship (Kathryn, Lindsey, Marty)

Lindsey... What was your actual result??? I think if I messed up Kat's I did the same for yours... You two just had SOOOOOOOOOO many ribbons! (Poor Taylor was covered head to toe and trembling, but took it like a man!!)
--A Very Proud Coach Megan

WOW--that was THE most fun I've had all year!! You guys are such a force! Thanks so much for your ubiquitous presence throughout the week, Megan. I am SO impressed by everyone's energy and camaraderie. Kat--your mom kept me alive this weekend; no joke! FOOD...and...COFFEE??? OMG What is THAT??? Please thank her for me! I sure hope I can continue to have such fun again next year, new job permitting. Congrats to everyone!!!!
Tally Ho! ;)
Jen

What a GREAT weekend! My pictures are up now too.
--Annie

Lindsey's actual results were...

9th in Hagyards Midsouth CCI*
7th in National Amateur CCI* Championship
6th in National CCI* 19-21yo Championship
2nd in National Young Rider Team CCI* Championship