American Competition Opportunities
for Riders with Disabilities, Inc.
ACORD EQUESTRIAN UPDATE   SEPTEMBER 2000
 
GEORGIA HORSE SHOW and DEVELOPING RIDER COMPETITION CAMP
The week of July 25 found us happy to be back at Wills Park Equestrian Center in Alpharetta, Georgia.  We had 12 excited campers ready for their first day of competition camp and our fourth annual show ran on Saturday and Sunday and   As usual on Tuesday morning, the staff gathered at 6am for the wonderful complimentary breakfast at Homewood Suites and headed over to Wills Park to get all set up for the week.  Wills Park looks just fantastic!  New manager Kathy Harper has done a magnificent job improving the property and giving us all the support we needed for our event.  The weather goddess was good to us the whole week - if you spend July in Georgia this is very important!
 We quickly split into groups of people to prepare for the camp, get the horses evaluated and matched, and put the show together.  Nora Grassmyer and Deb Tannenbaum set up the ACORD office, while Anne Beckemeyer and Jim Turner put everything together in the barn.  As usual, Mary Frankel had done an outstanding job with borrowed horses and kept everything on track the whole week.  Mark Leland was a fine Safety Manager for the entire event.  Char Feuerhelm and John Stevenson set up all the rings, managing to borrow even more gorgeous plants and trees to enhance our site.  Steve Frankel shuttled between office and barn to keep everything flowing smoothly and then expertly announced the whole show.  Nicole Serie chauffeured everyone around and quickly became Patrish Lawrie’s Production Assistant as Patrish took hours of video and photographs, made personalized photo keychains for lots of the riders, and produced terrific Competition Camp certificates.
 The campers were all matched on Tuesday, ready for action on Wednesday morning.  Camp Director Jay Johnson introduced everyone, we reviewed the different organizations for riders with disabilities, discussed rules from grass roots to international, and talked about the show coming up.  Campers’ complete show expenses and some travel/lodging expenses were sponsored by ACORD from the efforts of Carrie & Jerry Schwartz and the Variety Salute Benefit last April in Illinois.
 Camp days were laid out between mounted sessions with Clinicians Lisa Blackmon, Linda Fritsch, Marj Kittredge and Cliff Sudberry … and all the information we could stuff into their willing minds.  To put it mildly, the campers were thrilled with their horses and clinicians, enjoyed the non-mounted educational sessions and had a ball "networking" with their peers and ACORD staff.
 We had lots and lots of great volunteers, lunches donated every day for the camp, and terrific weather.  Saturday morning we enjoyed our traditional Opening Parade of athletes and volunteers, with the national anthem expertly sung by Linda Lane.  On Saturday, the show offered classes in Equitation, Dressage, Obstacle, Pole Bending and Musical Freestyle.  Entries in Costume were so numerous that we had two classes on Saturday and three more on Sunday.  A rousing Victory Celebration Party with live music, wonderful food and entertainment was thoroughly enjoyed by all Saturday evening.
 Creative Lisa Gatti and the Pal-O-Mine crew came up with a skit called "Atlanta Choir On the Road to Divinity (ACORD)" which was performed during the party, resulting in hysterical laughter and cheers all around.  It’s difficult to describe the skit, since I was a surprise participant and too busy laughing to pay close attention … but it involved nun’s costumes, a wheelchair rap performance, and enthusiastic gospel singing by the audience.  I can hardly wait to see the video!
 New classes this year were Unified Equitation, Showmanship and the UPHA Challenge, which all ran on Sunday in addition to more Obstacle and Pole Bending classes.   Our Awards Brunch was wonderful - we  were relaxed and ready to enjoy ourselves as the ribbons were distributed.
 All the participants were very pleased with how smoothly everything ran.  We now have quite a crew turning out to put this show together - and this year we found several more Georgians who really contributed in a big way.  We’ll be begging them to schedule their vacations during our show next year so that we can have them for the whole week!
 This year’s Georgia Show and Competition Camp was quite a success and we owe it all to the following for their generosity and support:

CAMP STAFF
Lisa Blackmon, Eva  & Brent Carter, Char Feuerhelm, Mary Frankel, Steve Frankel, Linda Fritsch, Lisa Gatti, Ann Genovese, Nora Grassmyer, Kathy Harper, Jay Johnson, Marj Kittredge, Patrish Lawrie, Mark Leland, Judy Serie Nagy, Nicole Serie, Patrish Lawrie, John Stevenson, Clifton Sudberry

OUR HAPPY CAMPERS
Bret Brannan GA; Kim Decker VA; Megan Giusti VA; Amy Gee IN; Rebecca Hart PA; Fiona Larsen VA; Chris Lipe GA; Margie Maris GA; Keith Newerla NY; Donna Niethe NJ; Stephen Rouse KS; Barbara Spindler NY

OUR GENEROUS SPONSORS
ATT Foundation and Volunteers
The Brannan Family, Powder Springs GA
Cathy Gill, By-the-Bay Ad Specialties, South  San Francisco
Sue Carusos, Alpharetta
The Giusti Family, Purcellville VA
Carrie & Jerry Schwartz, VARIETY SALUTE, Chicago
Mary & Steve Frankel & Liz Michaels, Atlanta GA
Sonora Farms Parents Group
Green Valley Tack, Pine Island NY
Handy Farm, Broad Run VA
Jay Johnson, Gilroy CA
Patrish Lawrie, Los Angeles
Mark Leland, Washington DC
Dan Nagy and Staff at SECURITIES AMERICA, San Jose CA
Pal-O-Mine Equestrian Center, Long Island NY
Park Avenue Bank, Valdosta GA
Frank Tse, Pacific Coast Designs, South San Francisco CA
Loudoun Therapeutic Riding Foundation, Virginia

MAJOR FUNDING for this event was provided by the
STACEY ANN BOE MEMORIAL FUND
 
 

HORSE SHOW OFFICIALS:
EVENT MANAGER: Judy Serie Nagy; OPERATIONS: Nora Grassmyer, Deb Tannenbaum; HORSE MASTER: Mary Frankel; BARN MANAGERS: Anne Beckemeyer, Jim Turner; SAFETY MANAGER: Mark Leland; ARENA MANAGER: Char Feuerhelm; LOGISTICS: John Stevenson, Jay Johnson, Steve Frankel, Nicole Serie; VOLUNTEERS: Mary Hamilton; ANNOUNCER:  Steve Frankel; HOSPITALITY: Liz Michaels

JUDGES:
EQUITATION: Clifton Sudberry, Victorville CA
DRESSAGE: Anne Genovese, Stone Mountain GA
OBSTACLE: Kathy Harper, Alpharetta GA
FUTURES: Karen J. Miles, Atlanta GA
SHOWMANSHIP:  Sally Gray, Augusta GA
 
 
 

REMEMBERING BIG BEN—one of Canada’s national treasures
Big Ben’s groom wrote a great tribute to a great horse in the February 25 issue of the Chronicle of the Horse.  Belgian Warmblood Big Ben, the famous show jumper, was visited by hundreds of people travelling long distances after he retired.  Included in her memories of this great Canadian competitor was a story that will tickle us all.  (Many of us TR professionals can be rather blasé about horses’ actions; we’ve usually seen it all before, but to the "outside world" they are truly a surprise and a real delight.)
 A private tour of Millar Brooke Farm was granted to a young man with "severe physical challenges" who was also very bright and aware.  He was about 12 and used a wheelchair, communicating with a letter board.   Ben and Ian Millar were the biggest heroes in the boy’s life.  When the boy arrived with his family, Big Ben walked out into the arena and the boy’s reaction was unforgettable.  His arms and legs started moving erratically and banging his chair and he was crying loudly.  On his own, Ben approached the boy, put his head up to the boy’s face as if to give him a kiss and stayed right there so the boy could pet him.  "It was the first time in my life that I’d witnessed such professionalism and horsemanship—and I learned it from a horse, not a human", says Staci Hill, Ben’s groom and caretaker for five years.
 
 

NEWS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY

Hallie McEvoy, who has done so much for ACORD, is now full-time with Supracor, based in San Jose.  Of course Hallie will continue to promote our activities, and I will get to see her often on her regular business trips to northern California.  Sidelines Magazine calls Hallie "our favorite PR gal" and published a terrific photo of her with their article "Selling the Sport" in the July 15 issue.      CONGRATULATIONS, HALLIE!
 

On the COVER of DRESSAGE TODAY … our own Jerry Schwartz and gorgeous Romulus with an excellent article on "Teaching Your Horse to Stretch".  The August edition was also given out in all the riders’ goodie bags at the NAYRC.  We are thrilled to see Jerry get this kind of recognition—he is a clinician extraordinaire.
 

CAPITOL PRODUCTIONS at the SYDNEY  PARALYMPICS
Congratulations to CPTV, the only United States Broadcast Company that will be covering the Paralympic Games.  They will be producing a webcast and a two-hour documentary.  Executive Producer Bob Cohencious tells me that he will be doing a special segment on TeamUSA member Kathy Whelan in Atlantic City, his home town.
 We met Bob when he and Richard Gargliagano came to our ‘98 Georgia show for a day to shoot some footage on Fiona Larsen.  They loved what they saw, stayed the whole week, filmed the entire event, and have become big supporters of competition for riders with disabilities.
 Bob thanks us by saying, "If it were not for my experience with ACORD, I would have never even bid on the entire Paralympic Games (all sports).   Thank you for opening up my eyes and my heart to such a tremendous opportunity.  I hope that we produce a program that will help ACORD and organizations like yours."
 

"COWGIRL OF THE PRESENT"
That’s what the Gallopin’ Gazette is calling our Char Feuerhelm in a wonderful biography with a great photo of Char in her spotless tackroom.  Char runs HEART (Helpful Equine Academy of Riding Therapy) in Castro Valley CA.  HEART is described as "a big spread with a cozy feeling".  We’re delighted that Char received this recognition—she is definitely one woman in a million.
 

For all you wonderful ACORD Volunteers from a Parent new to the world of Equestrian Competition:
 "My daughter will be showing at the ACORD Georgia show.  I have long participated in animal-assisted therapy with my dogs, but I never realized the degree of positive thinking that caring for, training with, and loving a horse could generate for a special-needs person.  It is so wonderful to see my daughter blossom.  I hope you know that ACORD’s work is valued more than you could ever know by parents like me.  Thanks to you, my daughter has something to smile about."  Thank you all!

SCHOLARSHIP FUND:  Leave it to those clever Virginians … TRAV is inaugurating a Competition Scholarship Fund in the name of Moizelle Johns, mother of TRAV board member Peggy Shifflett.  Scholarships are available for riders with any disability to compete at horse shows in Virginia and outside the state.  For more information, contact     Barb Ford at 757 425 8833       equikids@aol.com    or
Margie Youngs at 540 837 1575     mlyoungs@hotmail.com
 

GARDEN THERAPY:  Eileen Flickinger (PA) was featured on the front page of the Lifestyle section of the Reading Eagle/Times in May, with two huge color photos in her extensive garden.  Eileen has been both gardening and riding for most of her life, and considers both very therapeutic.  Her attention to detail and careful planning skills contribute positively to both her interests.
 

OUTSTANDING RECOGNITION:  John (JTC) Stevenson, usually of England but now travelling around the world to work both the Olympic and the Paralympic Equestrian Competitions, received the Bob Kestler Memorial Award given to the most outstanding volunteer at this year’s CALNET state championships.    As you know if you’ve worked with John at an ACORD event, he is deserving of one of these awards every month!  We keep trying to get him to relocate to the US so we can see him more often.
 
 
 

BEER STUDY COMPLETED    from Hallie McEvoy
Remember that Article about Women being more Charming than Men?
It’s payback time, ladies!

"Yesterday, scientists revealed that beer contains small traces of female hormones.  To prove their theory, the scientists fed 100 men twelve pints of beer.  They observed that 100% of the men gained weight, talked excellively without making sense, became emotional, couldn’t drive right, and refused to apologize when wrong.  No further testing is planned."
 

ACORD POLO SHIRTS
ACORD polo shirts are in and selling like hot cakes!  They are completely different from the information in May’s Equestrian Update (ACORD’s allowed to change our minds, aren’t we???).  They are a horsie-compatible heather-grey with our logo embroidered in red, white and blue.  Very snazzy and they still look great after 6 hours of horse work!  The shirts will help fund our activities, so you can look good and do good.
Total price is $35, including shipping & handling.

Contact Sandy Dota for Ordering Information:
455 True Blue Road       Bangor PA  18013
610 588 2019  fax      sdota@fastnet.com
 
 

A RIDER’S VIEW of  PARALYMPIC TRIALS       by Lisa McCann
Sadly, I will not be representing my country at the 2000 Paralympics in Sydney Australia as I had hoped.  It was a very strong effort, but heavy rain and poor timing led to my downfall at the Trials (at Gladstone in May).  The horse I drew, Contessa, seemed to be the best match for me but unfortunately she decided that she did not want to stand quietly for the mounting process at the ramp.  So, trying to mount the horse in a more familiar, able-bodied fashion and hoping to put her at ease, we were moved to a mounting block.  Because of my disability, I had to lay across her withers and shoulders to begin the process.  The 16.3-hand mare crouched low, then sprung up into the air with my head hanging down over her right side.  The ground damaged my helmet but saved my head, and I had a severe road rash on shoulder and knee.   We next were paired with Alex, who was 16 hands and well put together, but difficult to move forward … but he was safe and willing.  I expended much effort and concentration on keeping him forward, but that caused me to lose concentration and go off course.
 I was very disappointed but I am proud of how far I’ve come.  Who would have thought that I would qualify to compete at the Paralympic Trials, when just five years ago I was flat on my back in a hospital bed!
 There’s always the 2004 Paralympics in Greece, but for now it’s back to the business of living and raising my boys, setting new goals and dreams.  Thank you to everyone who helped me to get this far, your generous financial donations and emotional support are greatly appreciated.

We predict that Lisa will indeed be a serious contender for the 2004 team!
 
 

PARALYMPIC EQUESTRIAN TEAM READIES for SYDNEY

The Paralympic Games are the pinnacle of sport competition for athletes with disabilities.  Paralympics are the counterpart to the Olympics and take place in the same venues, two weeks after the able-bodied Olympics.  Opening Ceremonies are October 18, and Equestrian competition runs October 25-28.  68 riders from 22 countries have been invited to compete in Dressage at the Sydney International Equestrian Centre, Horsley Park.

We are proud to salute the members of 2000 TeamUSA:  Robin Brueckmann (NC); Kebbie Cannon (NC); Mary Green (MI); Hope Hand (PA); Lynn Seidemann (TX); Kathy Whelan (NJ) and first alternate Barb Grassmyer (CA).

The United States Olympic Committee has funded several training camps before Sydney:  Unionville, Pennsylvania; Summerfield, North Carolina; and El Dorado, California.  The camps will focus on the most unique challenge of our Paralympic team:  riding borrowed horses.     WE ALL WISH YOU LUCK!!!

For more details or for membership information in our National Governing Body for equestrians with physical disabilities, please contact USCPAA, 25 West Independence Way, Kingston RI 02881.  Phone 401 874 7465
 kkellyoz@hotmail.com
 

The Grassmyer Family is hosting team members as this goes to press for a Training Camp with Barbie’s trainer Geoff Laurin at his farm in Eldorado.  Can’t wait to see everyone.
 

Nancy Degutis did an outstanding article in the June 16 edition of the Chronicle of the Horse, announcing the members of TeamUSA after the final trials at the USET.   Terrific interviews and great, flattering photos of each team member … our favorite was Lynn Seidemann in rain-drenched cape and helmet absolutely beaming at the camera.  Her expression really sums up that winning attitude!
 
 

DEAR TECHNICAL SUPPORT:
In our February issue we ran an e-mail from a man who had upgraded from Girlfriend 7.0 to Wife 1.0 and needed some help.  Here is Tech Support’s answer:
 Your problem of upgrading is a common one—many men assume that Wife 1.0 is merely a Utilities & Entertainment program.  Wife 1.0 is an Operating System, and designed by its creator to run everything.  It is unlikely you could purge Wife 1.0 and convert back to Girlfriend 7.0.  It is impossible to uninstall, delete, or purge Wife 1.0 program files from the system once installed.  Some have tried to install Girlfriend 8.0 or Wife 2.0 but end up with more problems than originally.
 I recommend you keep Wife 1.0 and just deal with the situation.  Install an important  background application program
C:\YES DEAR to alleviate software augmentation.  Having installed Wife 1.0 myself, I might also suggest that you carefully read the manual on General Partnership Faults (GPFs).  You must assume all responsibility for faults and problems that might occur, regardless of their cause.  The best course of action is to enter the command C:\APOLOGIZE.  Avoid excessive use of YES DEAR because ultimately you will have to give the APOLOGIZE command before the Operating System will return to normal.  Wife 1.0 is a great program, but very high maintenance.  Consider buying additional software to improve the performance of Wife 1.0.  I recommend Flowers 2.1 and Diamonds 5.0.  Under no circumstances should you install Assistant with Short Skirt 3.3.  This is not a supported application for Wife 1.0 and is likely to cause irreversible damage to the Operating System.  Best of Luck!  Tech Support
 

HOW DO YOU SPELL SUCCESS?
 We have come a long way in a short time.  Several people who have been running ACORD events for a long time were recently discussing  the phenomenon of volunteers who show up event after event, year after year, using their vacation time to work 18 hours a day in the dirt to help run an event.  Someone mentioned this thought:  "Everybody wants to be recognized for something they’re good at."  I couldn’t agree more, and I think this is one of the reasons for our success—we sincerely try to make sure that all the wonderful people who make our events successful are recognized for their tremendous contributions.    WE LOVE YOU, GUYS!
 
 

BELGIAN CONNECTION
Last summer I heard from Marijki Stassen, who was interested in learning more about horseback riding for people with disabilities.  I gave her some information and wished her luck and didn’t give it another thought—I hear from people all the time via email and rarely have a chance to find out if they’ve been able to move forward.
 This July, I got another email from Marijke—"I would thank you so much for your help, I got in touch with an organization in Belguim who organizes lessons to become a therapist with horses.  They found me qualified enough to start with the course.  It’s very interesting, it takes two years, and it’s in French.  In two years I would like to start a non-profit organization.  You gave me a good direction for starting!  Thank you so much!"
 Marijke is looking for an 3-month OT internship working with horses for her final year.  She sounds like a wonderful woman, and you can contact her at
marijkestassen@hotmail.com
 
 

MARTHA STEWART in your BARNYARD?    from Sandy Dota
There are ten ways you know that she’s been to visit:
1. There’s a Potpourri Pomander hanging from each halter.
2. The horse hooves have been cut with pinking shears.
3. Horse Treats are all stored in color-coordinated crocks.
4. That tell-tale lemon slice in each new silver water bucket.
5. The pitchfork has been decorated with raffia, ribbon and flowers.
6. Carrot and apple treats are stamped out with cookie cutters and decorated with royal icing using a #2 rosette tip.
7. Mane and tail hair has been collected and put out in wire baskets for bird nesting material.
8. A seasonally-appropriate wreath adorns the front of each stall.
9. Your horse goes outside naked and comes in wearing a knitted blanket with matching leg wraps.
The manure pile has been sculpted into a pair of swans.
 

TEAM CHALLENGE at the
NORTH AMERICAN YOUNG RIDERS’ CHAMPIONSHIPS
High Prairie Farms, Parker, Colorado
August 1 - 6, 2000

An exciting team competition involving riders from each of the NAYRC disciplines and an ACORD rider with a disability resulted in lots of attention for our six wonderful young riders with disabilities.
 Five teams were formed for the High Prairie/ACORD Team Challenge with riders from Show Jumping, Eventing, Dressage and Musical Freestyle.  The scores of all riders in their regularly-scheduled competitions during the week were combined to produce the winning Team Vail.  Members of Team Vail were Kasi Boyd, Rebecca Wolfson, Gwen Poulin, Holly Harris, Adam Wieser and Megan Strigh.
 We showed off our freestyles at noon on Saturday, August 5, mounted on borrowed horses.  Before an enthusiastic crowd, Chris Lipe (Georgia) led off on Halloh Handsome, performing to ragtime music.  Halloh is Janet Wysocki Brown’s former grand prix partner and is now enjoying a second career at Pikes Peak Therapeutic Riding Center in Colorado Springs.  Megan Strigh (New Jersey) rode elegantly to classical music on That’s a Rocket, loaned by Sundance Ranch.  Jessie Dawn Patrol, a very cute Arabian owned by Pikes Peak TRC, teamed with Becca Hart (Pennsylvania) to Charlie Brown music.  Schoena Townsend (Missouri) used circus music in her dance with I Believe in Magic, owned by Mary Mitten.  TJ Crystal Fingers, a quarter horse roping star loaned by Sundance Ranch, finished up the Team Challenge with Bret Brannan (Georgia), riding to rousing Broadway tunes.
 Sandy & Louie Dota, John Stevenson, Jane McBride and Mary Mitten moved into the FEI barns on Monday morning to get everything ready.  Riders, staff and horses arrived at High Prairie on Tuesday for the formal jog and vet exams; Carrie Schwartz and I got to Denver in time to find a relaxed, organized group ready for the training challenges of a new horse and huge facility.
 As last year, we enjoyed true peer acceptance and local community support - feeling very much a part of the whole NAYRC experience.  Especially enjoyed were the wild golf cart races and "Rave on the Range" party Saturday evening.
 The Olympic-style awards ceremony on Sunday afternoon was a lifetime highlight for most of our group.  Riding into the huge arena with all the Zones, Areas and Regions, receiving ribbons, medals, gifts and warm congratulations from host Helen Krieble created memories to last forever.
 As the ACORD riders left the arena before the Victory Gallop, the other young riders all turned their horses as one to cheer us out the gate.

Watch for us on FOX TV and OUTDOOR LIFE NETWORK—we got nice footage in both productions.

We would like to thank the following people for their exceptional support:
Sandy Dota (PA) Chef d’Equipe; Hallie McEvoy (vt) TC Coordinator; Jane McBride (Colorado) Horse Master; Mary Mitten (Colorado) Barn Manager; Mary Frankel (Georgia) Head Coach; Linda Fritsch (Indiana) Coach; Sandy Rafferty (Missouri) Coach; Axel Steiner & Carol Plough, Judges; John Paxton & David Marcus, Scribes; Elizabeth Williams, FEI Steward; Veronica Holt, Scorer, Geoff Morgan, Announcer; John Stevenson (England), Jan Strigh (New Jersey), Louie Dota (Pennsylvania), Carrie Schwartz (Illinois), and Nancy Brooke (Colorado).

The North American Young Riders’ Championships is the premier equestrian competition in North America for young riders, age 16-21.  Equestrians come from all over the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central America, Puerto Rico and the Caribbean Islands.  The competition is run under the rules of the FEI (Federation Equestre Internationale), the international governing body for equestrian sport. The NAYRC returns to Tempel Farms in Illinois for 2001 and 2002.
 
 

HERE’S to the CRAZIES     from Teddi Schamber Hart

Here's to the crazy ones.
The misfits.  The rebels.
The troublemakers.
The round pegs in the square holes.

The ones who see things differently.

They're not fond of rules.
And they have no respect for the
status quo.

You can praise them, disagree with them, quote them, disbelieve them, glorify or vilify them.
About the only thing you can't do is ignore them.

Because they change things....
They invent. They imagine. They heal.
They explore. They create.
They inspire.

They push the human race forward.

Maybe they have to be crazy.
How else can you stare at an empty canvas and see a work of art?
Or sit in silence and hear a song that's never been written?
Or gaze at a red planet and see a laboratory on wheels?

Some see them as the crazy ones,
Others see genius.
Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.

NAGY:  Ah, yes, doesn’t this give you a great perspective on some of us?
 
 

COMPETITION CALENDAR

Oct 14-15 TRAV Southern VA State Show, Lexington
October 7 3rd Annual ACORD SoCA Show, Rancho Cucamonga
Oct 24-28 Paralympic Equestrian Competitions, Sydney, Australia
GO, TeamUSA!!!
Nov/Dec 4th Annual ACORD Gulf Coast Show, Baton Rouge
Nov 9-11 NARHA Conference, Minneapolis
Nov 29  USDF Annual Convention, Cincinnatti
    ACORD riders entertain at Black & White Gala

2001
April  2nd Annual Variety Salute Benefit & Clinics, Chicago
Summer Bids Invited for IPEC European & Regional Championships
TBA  First Annual ACORD Midwestern Show
July  5th Annual ACORD Georgia Show, Atlanta
Aug 7-12 Team Challenge at NAYRC, Tempel Farms, Illinois
Sep 9-10 Norway Open Championships
Sep 23  Belgium Open Championships

2004  Paralympics, Athens, Greece
 

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