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“Small Packages - Great Expectations”
The 2005 Cornelia Endres FEI Pony Clinic
By Suzanne Moss Mullen
8/1/05
A quiet — yet unmistakable — revolution is taking place in the world of dressage. All across the country, from makeshift dirt rings in the backyard, to the flawless arenas of elite dressage stables, ponies are performing canter pirouettes, half-passes, tempi changes, passages and piaffes, with a precision and elegance once thought impossible.Just as the “shot heard around the world” signaled the first stirrings of the American Revolution, this seismic shift in the prevailing opinion of ponies and their suitability for dressage can be directly traced to Lendon Gray and her brilliant partner “Seldom Seen”, who remain unequaled with USDF National championships at 3rd, 4th, Prix St. Georges, I-1, 1-2 and Grand Prix levels. Since then, Lendon has been a passionate and tireless promoter of dressage ponies as the ideal mount for children and small-framed adults.
In her on-going quest to elevate the level and quality of U.S. dressage ponies and their riders, Lendon has established a relationship with renowned German FEI Pony Dressage trainer, Cornelia Endres. June marked the third year Ms. Endres has conducted a dressage clinic just for ponies – from Training level through FEI.The 2005 clinic was held on a blustery weekend in late June at Jim and Karen Clark’s Holly Lane Farm in South Hampton, NJ. Sponsored by Lendon’s Dressage4Kids, Inc. and the American Sport Pony Registry, the clinic drew talented ponies and riders from all over the country, with several already competing at FEI Pony level and setting their sights on Grand Prix.
One of those attending for the third time was Emily Mitchell from Illinois, riding her German Riding Pony “Till We Meet Again”. The pair qualified for nationals last year as the only pony on the Junior Team. During a clinic group lunch, Emily and “Till” performed their PSG freestyle for all the clinic participants and auditors. Emily plans to continue riding ponies throughout her career even after she transitions to horses, believing older, highly skilled riders have an obligation to pass along well trained ponies to younger riders.
Many of the junior riders credit the self-discipline, physical fitness and intense concentration essential for training and competing in dressage, for improvement in other areas of their lives. 18 yr old Cassie Martin, made the long trip from Maine for the second time to attend this year’s clinic. She has trained her 13.2h paint pony “Rainbow Mist” to 4th level and believes she’s a better person for it.
Cassie believes that “Dressage teaches you to stay more focused” as well as teaching “responsibility, and patience”. She also finds it “more rewarding and challenging” than other disciplines she’s tried.Kate Lussier also appreciates the focus and determination dressage requires, and says the time management skills she has acquired from being a full-time working student as well as part-time college student will serve her well throughout her life. Her mom, Georgiana, notes several positive changes in her daughter since she began riding dressage, and admires her daughter’s aspirations to become a professional rider and trainer.
Georgiana says “I’ve seen an increased ability to channel her considerable drive and intellect, as well as increased confidence in her ability to make things happen, and courage to pursue her own path in life.”
This is Chelsea Allen’s third trip to the Cornelia Endres clinic. She found this year’s clinic especially helpful—from specific advice on accomplishing a clean flying change, to an overall improvement in her understanding of dressage.
Nicole DelGiorno says she learned it’s important to keep going “forward, forward, forward”, even when you think your pony is already going forward, and how to keep more bend in the half-pass. Although she will be switching to horses soon because of her increased height, she relishes the experience she’s had riding ponies.
Tiny Rachel Chowanec isn’t in any danger of outgrowing her pony “Hakunamatata” any time soon. Although still a pre-teen, Rachel is another Endres Clinic veteran. Her one word summation of the experience was “AWESOME”. She especially liked that Mrs. Endres was less rigid in her lessons than many clinicians, “We could do our own thing and she fixed it!” According to her mom, Chandra, the family commitment required for Rachel to train and compete this seriously is “huge”, but she likes the positive influence dressage has had on Rachel.
Dressage is truly a family affair at the Leibler household. Both Isabelle and mom Renee are students of Lendon’s, and the family has graciously hosted picnics for the entire group all three years. Isabelle took two ponies to the clinic this year, one recently imported from Germany. She says dressage helps her “figure out the beat” more easily in her piano lessons, and is “more interesting than jumping”. While some of Isabelle’s comments about the clinic sound wise beyond her years, discussing “collection before extension”, and the finer points of tempi changes and canter pirouettes, having a pony as a partner keeps the fun in dressage, and besides, “it’s not such a long fall” to the ground!
Much of Lendon Gray’s passion and energies as a trainer and mentor are spent supporting children and teenagers who choose the rigor and the ultimate rewards of dressage at the highest levels. However, as the adult clinic riders can attest, she is equally fervent in her promotion of ponies as adult partners in dressage.
***Quote from Lendon here and possibly a quote from one of the adult riders.***
For sport pony breeders and trainers like Karyn Becerra of Iron Horse Farm in NC, and Nancy Ferebee of Through Connection, Ltd., in GA, events like the Cornelia Endres Pony Dressage Clinic bring welcome attention to the exceptional movement and talent of dressage ponies.
As a small framed adult herself, Karyn is pleased to see more adults, as well as children, choosing to ride and compete dressage ponies, saying “while children are the future, adults still represent the backbone of dressage.”
Nancy Ferebee made the 850-mile journey for the third year in a row to support dressage ponies and their riders. The first year she brought her two stallions, Benno’s Dream and FS Daily Hero. This year she was thrilled to meet “Benno’s Hit”, sired by Nancy’s stallion “Benno’s Dream.”
“It was truly exciting to see the number and exceptional quality of the ponies and riders at the clinic this year. Watching the development of skills of the children who have attended all three years shows just what can happen when a determined and talented child, a willing pony, and a dedicated trainer work together.”
Nancy not only wants to see more adults and children choose ponies for dressage, she is willing to put the time, effort and financial investment into leading the effort to hold a USDF Recognized National Pony Dressage Championship for them. “We have a wonderful group of dedicated and enthusiastic volunteers who are passionate about dressage and ponies. Lendon has been such an inspiration and generous in her guidance.”
We may not be ready to host an American equivalent of the European Pony Championships, but, this “quiet revolution” of successful pony dressage teams may soon make ponies as prevalent on center line as they are on course.