Well, it proved to be a challenging year here at Phoenix Farm, filled with joy and sorrow.
It was a tough year for loss, as we said goodbye to Heather's grandfather Wes, and her aunt Diane and grandmother Christine. We also lost our farm mascot Munchkin the mini, and our beloved Doberman Odin.
In addition, John was injured in a fall from a young horse early in the year, and spent much of 2010 healing. As he recovered from that incident he was kicked. While the initial injury seemed fairly minor, the wound became severely infected and he had to recoup from that as well.
So that was the bad. (And we'd like to extend thanks to all those who helped us in the aftermath of the accident--Kate, JM, Amber, Lee, Mireya, and Heather's parents Steve and Vicki--we wouldn't have made it without you!)
On the good side of things, Heather and Myster formed a strong partnership and had a great competitive year with top three finishes. Our students had an excellent season at a variety of levels, some moving up, and some forming new partnerships. We welcomed a new class of PreSchool and Kindergarten horses (Amani, Sparrow, Zuni, Fahren, Freckles, and Ricky) in 2010 who all graduated with honors. Our students at home continued to grow and excel.
We've had a fall of homecomings, as former PF horses have returned home with their new owners to join the family here. Fable returned first with owner Claire, and then when she left us for a career at MIT (miss you Claire!) with his new owner Zoe. Fable's old pasture mate Cruiser and his owner Lindsay have also moved in. Finally, we welcomed back Matilda, and her family the Erickssons. We look forward to working with all of them in the new year!
In the fall Heather, John, Wesley, and Mireya attended the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, where Heather and John worked in the press office. It was an amazing expereince!
After missing of the competition season, John is raring to go with his two preliminary horses Sisko and Alba, and next year will be the debut of our homebred filly Amani. Heather looks forward to a year of coaching students, and moving Myster (who she bought in the fall--thanks Roxanne!) up to Novice.
We also welcomed a new canine member of the family, as Jackson the hound mix joined our little family.
As we look forward to 2011, we can't wait to see what new challenges the year brings. We look forward to the new competition year, and working with new horses and riders.
2010 Starts Off Strong
After the first few shows of the year, Phoenix Farm horses and riders are enjoying fun and success. Zoe Feldman is enjoying her lease of Heather's former mount Sam, and has the ribbons and joy to show for it. After a strong showing at the Twin RIvers combined test in January, they made fantastic Beginner Novice debut at Ram Tap, coming home with a lovely red ribbon for second place. They had a great dressage and show jumping round at Twin Rivers horse trials, but the heavy rains cancelled the cross-country and ended the weekend prematurely. They then moved up to Novice at Ram Tap and we're having a great weekend, until Zoe forgot where Fence 16 on cross-country was. Oh well, we all do that once!
John and Alba sucessfully moved up to preliminary with strong goes at the Twin RIvers combined test and Ram Tap. She had a lovely clean jumping round on the cross-country at Ram Tap, but the heay fog wreaked havoc with John's glasses, causing him to have to pull up and wipe them at various points on the course, adding a heap of unfortunate time penalties. The weather intervened again at Twin RIvers Horse Trials, and Alba was only able to complete her dressage test before we packed up and headed home, but she garnered her best-ever dressage score of 36! She then moved on to Galway where she galloped around perfectly, and then Ram Tap, where the climate again intervened, and she had a single glance off due to a sunlight problem. Still, she was ridable and excellent everywhere, and her dressage continues to fulfill all the promise we knew she had. She even finished with a pretty green ribbon!
Sisko made his 2010 and preliminary debut at Ram Tap also, with a great, if a bit inattentive cross country round. His dressage continues to be a challenege, but we know time is the best cure. But, John is thrilled with how easy it all was for him, as he just played over the bigger jumps.
Mireya and Zoey (the horse) had a strong final Novice run at Ram Tap, and will be making their Training level debut at Woodside!
2009: A Year Of Changes At Phoenix Farm
It's been a big, strange year at Phoenix Farm. 2009 started with a bang, when Heather discovered she was pregnant in March. Heather and John had been told they would not be able to have children, so you can imagine their shock! Unfortunately, it's been an extremely rough pregnacy as Heather had hyperemisis, a condition which made her violently ill for most of the pregnancy, and at one point was requiring weekly hospitalization for fluids and glucose to keep her organs functioning. Other complications led to her essentially being on bed rest for most of this year.
Unfortunately, Heather wasn't the only one to have a rough year. We lost one of our first homebreds, Bongo, to an undetermined neurological problem in January, and his mother, our beloved broodmare Lizzie colicked three weeks after giving birth to her 2009 foal. Despite the best efforts of the wonderful staff and surgeons at Pioneer Equine Hospital, she didn't survive.
We also said goodbye to some non-equine friends this year. Our ancient Lab Elwood moved on to the next world, and two of our orginial goat herd, Zena and Fish, succombed to cancer.
The real blow came in September, though, when we lost our wonderful, beautiful, special guy Merlin. You can read all about him on his page. The hole in our hearts from losing him may never fully heal.
On a more positive note, John moved his two horses, Sisko (Russian River) and Alba (Glass Pass) up to Training level this year, and they both rose to the occasion as we'd always believed they would. Sysco will close out the year at Galway's Training Level Three-Day Event, and Alba is regrettfully for sale. John would love to keep her, but bills need to be paid--such is the life of an equine pro.
All of our students made us proud this year, whether it was them finally being able to ride their horses at home after years of struggle, or going out and excelling at events. You guys are why we do this and we are proud of you all!
We also had a lot of fun with youngsters this year, from taking our yearling and two-year-old siblings Ianto and Sparrow to an in-hand show, to starting Chris Misita's wonderful 3-year-old Panzyr under saddle. Sparrow, and her friend Amani were both started in work this summer, mainly light longeing and ponying, but we also put them through the jump chute once for fun. Both girls show the jump, movement, and brains we were hoping for, and we are so excited for next year when we can finally sit on them! We also welcomed new foals to Phoenix Farm this year--Phoenix Bellisima, Phoenix Promiscuous, and Phoenix Phinale. Having fancy youngsters like these around in a year of so much loss helps us always remember the cycle of life.
On the oldster front, Heather's horse Sam has an new friend in our 2009 working student Esley. She's been kind enough to dote on him the manner he prefers, and in exchange he's been showing her the ropes over fences and on the flat. To see our "rogue" trasnformed in to a schoolmaster has been great fun!
The year is winding down now with only a few events left on the calendar. John will be going to coach a few students at Woodside in early October, but not riding in case the baby makes an early appearance, and then he will be attending the Galway Downs Three Day Event, both as their Press Officer, and as a competitor in the Training Three Day. John and Heather may be attending the November Ram Tap, depending on how they adapt to the new role of parents.
We'd like to extend our thanks to those students and clients who have stuck by us during this incredibly challenging year. You are truly why we love what we do. Happy horsing to everyone and we'll see you out there soon!
Older Stories
Congratulations
to PF client Ambar Arabians!
Phoenix
Farm would like to extend congratulations to Ambar Arabians
and Jean Marie Diaz. Her 2-year-old filly ADA Intuition
(aka"Poppy")was brought to PF farm for training on the
triangle in late April, and in May she took first in the
Arabian Sport Horse Mares in Hand (2 year olds), and
Reserve Junior Champion, Arabian Sport Horse Mares in Hand
at the Pacific Coast Arabian SPort Horse Classic. She
followed up this impressive performance by placing 4th in
the Arabian Sport Horse Mares in Hand (all ages) class at
the Pacific Slope Championships on Father's Day (handled by
PF trainer John Strassburger). These impressive showings
have qualified Poppy for the Arabian Sport Horse national
Championships. Yay for Ambar and Poppy!
John Strassburger wins USEA award
Phoenix
Farm trainer John Strassburger was 3rd in the country in
the Intermediate Master Amateur category for the United
States Eventing Association's yeard end awards.
Congratualtions!
Native Monarch 1986-2006
Phoenix
Farm is sad to report the passing of our flagship
broodmare, Native Monarch at the age of 20. "Ariel" (aka
the Queen Bee) came in to John's life 14 years ago, after
winning her final start at the race track on a fractured
cannon bone. John rehabbed her, and then raced her over
timber and hurdles, before eventing her through the
training level and foxhunting her. She is the mother of our
first homebred, Phoenix Secret, who has become a top ribbon
winner at the Intermediate level. We know Ariel is proud of
her son, and his heart and talent and keen expression will
remind us every day of our grand old lady. She has lived
for the past six years at Duck Hollow Farm, with John's
sister Karen and Kathy Marshall. Kathy has been competing
Ariel these last eventing seasons in Area I, and we thank
them for their excellent care, love and stewardship of her.
RIP Quartermaster
Photo Courtesy of Starstruck
Farms
Phoenix Farm is sad to report the passing of the stallion
Quartermaster on September 11, 2006 at the age of 22. This
handsome Anglo-Arab stallion is the sire out countless
performers in the eventing,hunter-jumper, endurance and
Arab worlds, and is the sire of two of Phoenix Farm's
youngsters--Cruiser and Seeker. He competed through the
intermediate level of eventing, and was still competing at
the preliminary level with a young rider at the age of 19.
His sire, Yankee Lad, was the sire of the 1984 Olympic Show
Jumping gold medalist, Touch Of Class. His world class
pedigree, temperament, and ability will be sorely missed.
Our condolences to his long-time companion Terry on the
loss of his very special friend. To learn more about
Quartermaster, click
here.