Welcome to 2016!

It's 2016 and Team Sundance is off to a roaring start! With a barn full of horses and riders, we have stayed busy all through the winter months - and have even managed to avoid drowning in all the rain! However, as a reminder to all our Sundancers - if it has rained enough so that the valley is flooded, please give yourself extra time to get here as they close the bridge in Duvall, meaning some long back-ups as everyone heads over to "our" bridge. Fortunately, our hill keeps us free from the raging rivers, and horses have managed to squeak in some outside time when we get dry days!

With a busy show season in front of us. we were so delighted with how organized all of our riders were in getting their show requests in for the season. If you weren't sure of which show you wanted to attend, some shows still have room, so please make sure you touch base with your trainers ASAP so we can get you on the list! We are excited to be attending; San Juan Capistrano, Thunderbird, Thermal and the Cascade Horse Shows in Cle Elum, to name a few, and would love to have all our riders there! If you haven't signed up for a horse show yet, now is the time to get on the list!

With horse show season right around the corner, it is also time to make sure your show gear is up to snuff! Congratulations to Gigi on her brand new Antares saddle, and to Kim on her pending SE trunk! If you are in need of any tack, helmets or show equipment, please check with us first so we can help guide you to the right items - and, maybe even get you a discount in the process! For those of you who do not have Sundance trunks, covers, name plates, halter boards and standing wrap holders, these items will be rented to you at the shows. However, there is still time to order before show season gets under way, so make sure you get organized now and you will have your very own equipment to start the season!

San Juan Capistrano looks pretty great, framed by some horsey ears! 

With a busy barn, and a busy show season, we are very excited to welcome our new Assistant Trainer, Hannah Paradis to Team Sundance! Hannah brings with her a wealth of teaching and riding experience and is an exciting addition to our fantastic staff! We have loved the warm reception she has received from all of our riders and are looking forward to her contributions to the barn.

Our Sales Horses are keeping Chelsea busy, with Charlie and Kash both coming along nicely. Charlotte wiggled her way into Katherine's heart, and has also joined the team - although how "for sale" she is, remains to be seen as she continues to win everyone over with her abundance of cute. She may, instead, find herself a member of the Best Lesson Horse Brigade, that Sundance is proud to host, as she earns more miles under the saddle - and over those scary fences! Our good friend, Mexico, found a new home in Eastern Washington, where she can continue to teach, and eventually enjoy a well deserved retirement. Although she will be missed by all of us, we are delighted she has found such a wonderful new home!

Brisky, Monte, Skye and Landon all joined the Team since last year and we are excited to have them on board with us for 2016. Brisky will start the year off first, making her showing debut with Team Sundance this March, as she and Katherine head to San Juan to get the show season off and running. And by running, we mean RUNNING, if you haven't seen this mare in action!

We have also started off the year by working on some new projects around the barn, including finishing the installation of the new water heater in 2015, a new set of doors (that close!) and another layer of felt for our fabulous footing! We are excited about all the improvements and are looking forward to continuing to better our facility for our horses and riders! We hope you've enjoyed them as well!!

We are, as always, excited to get started on a new year of showing, and hope that you are as well! If you are looking for some inspiration, make sure you check out the Year-End Video from 2015 - huge thanks to Rory for putting it together and to everyone who took photos and video during the season! It is great to have a fun way to look back at another great year of riding.

And, finally, congratulations to all our horses and riders on conquering the "Open Water"! We were so excited to add this larger liverpool to the jumping equipment, and even more delighted at how well everyone did! All of your hard work paid off and we couldn't be more proud! Looking forward to coming up with a new challenge for 2016!!

Looking forward to another great year with Team Sundance!

See you at the barn!

It's a Wrap!

At Sundance, we started the year on a high, and ended there as well! Wrapping up the Octoberfest Horse Show, with multiple Championships/Reserves and great riding by all, Team Sundance ended the 2015 Show Season with the same fun attitudes and fantastic horsemanship, as they started! All of the Sundance Trainers were delighted with the improvements of all our horses and riders, and we were excited to see some new faces on the show circuit. We are already starting on all our homework to prep the Team for 2016!

We have had a lot of line up changes this Fall, as Team Sundance is full of not only great riders, but smart students, and several of our riders have left us to pursue college. We are very excited for all our ladies and know they will be spectacular at whatever path they choose! They are all, of course, required to stop by for a visit and we hope to see some of them back in the barn next summer.

Chelsea has kept the stalls full, however, as we have welcomed Charlie to the barn, and have Charlotte on trail this week. Both of these horses are young and green, and we are excited to see what the future holds for both of them. Check the SE website for Sales updates as we move into 2016!

Chelsea & Giac looking stylish as they ride to a 2nd Place finish out of almost 40 riders, in the 1.10 Classic at Thunderbird! Photo Credit to Totem Photos

Team Sundance spent the summer out and about, enjoying shows in Canada, at the always popular Thunderbird Show Park, where not only did we get to see some amazing riding in the Longines Grand Prix (Go, Rich & Flexible!), but our team did their own amazing riding and brought home some hard earned ribbons. We also headed back over to the Cascade Horse Shows in Cle Elum and the newer facility, Meadowwood, in Monroe, and had a great time with all of our Sundance Riders and Fans - both in the rings and at the fun events after the shows. Cries of "METERS" are still ringing throughout the barn and the debate over who can truly "Hang" and who can not, keep us up at night in rowdy debate. Of course, at the end of the day, we know that ALL Sundancers can "Hang", because, well, we are just that cool.

Our Fall Schedule is filling up, and, although we have ended the show season, we are, currently, looking into participating in the Winter Thermal show this year.  This show runs the last week of October and the first week of November and the due dates are fast approaching, so, if you have ANY interest in this show, please let us know ASAP as we are currently deciding on whether or not to go. We hear it is a fun show, and the weather is (generally!) nice, so it could be a fun way to get your horse to California without the crowds of the February/March circuit.


We will also be holding the Annual Work Party in October, so keep an eye on the Sundance Facebook page for an update on dates. We know how everyone loves to paint those jumps, so bring your brushes and sand paper and painting clothes and show up for painting, cleaning, and, of course, food!

We are hoping to have Jay Duke back this Fall for another clinic - please make sure you let us know if you are interested so we can make arrangements with Jay before his calendar fills up for the season!

We will also be hosting the Yearly Christmas Barn Party and need your photos! Pictures and videos are welcome - they have to be of high quality, so if you aren't sure if your photos/videos will work, please email Rory and check with him. The more we have to choose from, the more likely you are to see your shiny face on the big screen (or little, depending on the size of your computer!)!

We are enjoying the last, warm days of the Fall before it starts to rain again, be aware that horse sheets will be coming out of storage, so look for updates about what we need you to bring for your horse coming soon!

With this lovely September weather, it seems like a great time to say:

See you out at the barn!

It's a "HIT"s!

It may only be March, be we are underway with horse show season and have wrapped up the first of many great shows with Team Sundance for 2015! HITS, Thermal, was a great show - for both our hunters and jumpers! Chelsea and her new boy, Giac, got to know each other and moved up the Levels to finish up in the Level 3 Jumpers on their last day of showing - bringing home a 4th place ribbon out of almost 40 riders. Gigi showed both of her ladies - taking home numerous blues with Finesse (aka: Super Pony), and working on her hunter skills with Ms. Maia. We were delighted with Maia's progress this year as she works on her hunter skills, and hope everyone had a chance to watch the video of Maia and Gigi in the hunter ring - what improvement! We were also very excited with Maia's first place finish - twice! - in her schooling division. It was a great start to the show season! Toby and Katherine worked on their skills in the Level 6 & 7 classes, and had some great rounds, leaving the show very excited for the next challenge.

A beautiful way to relax at the show!

We move on to our next stop in the show season, with San Juan Capistrano starting up this Monday. We are looking forward to another fun show with our jumpers and are excited to try this new venue out for the first time for Team Sundance! Look for photos and update on Facebook.

At home, Danika and Aubrey have held down the fort, keeping everyone fit and show ready, with lots of lessons and rides. Our force of Working Students have also been indispensable, and we are, as always, grateful for our hard working team. A great barn really does take a village and we know we have a GREAT barn!!

We have had some changes to our show line up, so make sure you check the calendar at home. We will not be going to the Eugene Mother's Day show this year, so, once we are home from San Juan, plan on lots of time for torture with ALL your trainers on deck! We will be participating in all three Thunderbird shows this year. For riders interested in this show, be aware that we will be doing our show sign ups in April, so plan on doing deposits early for this, very popular, show. We are excited to have a great group of riders already signed up for these shows!

We had a great time with Jay Duke before heading off for the shows, and are excited to see Ella and Lucy ride in the George Morris Clinic again this summer. Make sure to mark your calendars for the first weekend in June so you can come audit. It is a privilege to have Mr. Morris so close to home, so please make sure you take advantage of this opportunity.

We have a few things coming up on the calendar for you to make note of - we will be taking sign ups for the Cle Elum shows in June as well as starting an RSVP list for Dinner and a Horse Show! This is our annual Spring get together and is always a fun, relaxed night of food and horses - our favorite things! Please plan on meeting us for dinner at the Monroe Red Robin and then heading to the Fairgrounds to watch the Grand Prix. This is a fun night of horse shows and a chance to get to watch some big - and fast - jumpers duke it out for the cash prize. Make sure you plan on joining us!

Chelsea will be arriving at the home front this coming week and checking up on everyone's progress. We are expecting good things from all our horses and riders! Hopefully the Washington weather will cooperate as well and show off some of that lovely, early spring, weather you have been enjoying. A nice break from the heat of the dessert!

We are looking forward to seeing our next group of riders at San Juan, and hearing about all the fun you've been having at fun as well!

See you at the barn!

Hiting the New Year, Hard!

After a much needed, and enjoyed, couple of weeks of downtime, we are looking forward to returning to the ring, refreshed and ready to work! A few of the horses spent Christmas playing with their riders and out in their fields, while others enjoyed extra trail rides and attention from their people. It was a great way to wrap up a busy, and productive, year, and we are excited to get back to our normal schedule - lots of hard work, flat work, maybe some of that no-stirrup work (maybe? how about, "of course"!) and a couple of jumps thrown in there as well. We hope everyone is as excited about 2015 as we are!

Can hardly wait to get back to the shows!

We are wrapping up our preparations for both Thermal and San Juan Capistrano this week. Horses will be getting all their paperwork done next month, as well as their routine care - we also expect to have Sam out this month as we look to start the year with everything in place - in mind AND body! We are excited to offer several great shows this year, including: HITS, Thermal, CA., Blenheim, San Juan, CA., Thunderbird, Langley, BC and the Cascade Horse Shows, Cle Elum, WA. We have group housing available for Thermal, San Juan and Cle Elum on a first come, first serve, basis, so make sure you let us know if you are interested in sharing the housing. These are only a few of the shows that will be on the table, so make sure you look at your calendar now as we will be entering the majority of these shows well in advance this year.

We had a lovely time at the Barn Christmas Party this year, and truly enjoyed all the lovely gifts we received, and, of course, Katherine was blown away by the new trunk (& cover!)! What a surprise and an amazing gift! Thank you to everyone who donated and, of course, a huge thank you to Chelsea for, once again, putting it all together. You will all be thought of each time it is used - and let's face it, that's a lot! We are all looking forward to seeing it, in all its glory, at the shows this year! We were also excited for the annual unveiling of the Year-End Video! If you haven't seen it yet, make sure you check it out! And if you have seen it - why not watch it again! Thanks to Rory for all his hard work putting it together and to all our photographers and videographers as well!

As an added perk to our riders without "standard sized" trunks, this year we have an extra trunk for riders to rent during show weeks. Outside of looking great, this will reduce the clutter in our Ready Room at the shows and allow us to all use that space more efficiently. This is a great way for our riders to have access to a trunk, while saving up to get their own. This is also a great time to make sure you have your show supplies order in at Olson's. Make sure your horse has a name plate for the shows and we would like everyone to look into the halter boards as well. We have a very limited supply, and halter boards keep your nice show halter off the ground and away from curious pony teeth. Please contact Mike at Olson's and he can get you set up - do this early so it is here for the shows! We are also in the process of ordering barn jackets - please let us know if you need one! One must wear all the cool clothes, after all!

Wednesday lessons will be returning to our schedule in February, so please look ahead at your calendars and let us know if this is something you would like to utilize. This will be a temporary addition, so if you have been dying to ride on Wednesday, make sure you let us know so we can get you on the schedule! As a reminder, during the wet weather, if there is flooding in Duvall, traffic is quite bad coming out to the barn as the second bridge floods. Please allow extra time to get here!

We are looking forward to the WSHJA Awards Banquet this weekend and want to remind everyone that now is the time to re-new your memberships! Riders should have memberships in the WSHJA, USHJA and USEF. If you have questions or are unsure what to sign up for, please check with your Trainers. As a reminder, horses need memberships too, so make sure your four legged friend is up to date! We also want to congratulate all of our riders on their year-end awards! Too many to list here, but check out the Sundance Ad in the Flying Changes to see your name in lights!

We have two fun clinics for riders so far this year. Jay Duke will be returning to the barn on February 7th and 8th and, rumor has it, George Morris will be at Potcreek this summer. Space is very limited for both these events, so sign up now to make sure you are able to participate.

We are excited for another fun and competitive year in 2015, and can't wait to spend it with all of Team Sundance!

Stay warm, stay dry, and we will see you at the barn! 

Fastest Fall Ever!

With Fall, came the end of show season for Team Sundance, and we enjoyed a few weeks of beautiful colors around the barn before the chill of an early winter settled in for a stay. Where our last post found us coming home from California, this one finds us longing to return, as Staff has spent the last week blowing out waters at night to keep the freeze from setting into the pipes. Ponies are fresh and enjoying lots of turn out time in the chilly, but beautiful, weather, and, hopefully, all our Sundancers are making good use of their Sundance Wear and layering up for lessons!

We had another busy, fun and successful show season in 2014. With horses and riders in divisions ranging from the 2' Hunters to the 1.40m Jumpers, our Trainers kept busy running from ring to ring at shows in Canada, Washington, Oregon and California. We visited old favorites - such as Thunderbird and Thermal, and added new shows as well, including the Sacramento International Horse Show, which featured the opportunity for Katherine and Toby to participate in the International Grand Prix as a fun way to wrap up the year. Cle Elum was a big favorite among our riders this year, as was Octoberfest, and both those shows look to be on the schedule for 2015.

With the end of the season for 2014, we are already looking toward the 2015 season, with plans underway for both Thermal and San Juan Capistrano starting the year. If you are interested in either one of these shows, make sure to let us know now as we are reserving hotels, grooms and lodging for horses on the way there/back and these arrangements have to be made far in advance. The same will be true for riders looking to do Thunderbird in 2015 - we will be sending in entries for all of the shows at the beginning of the year, so check your calendars now and start planning for another fun year of showing!

Things stayed busy at the home front as well. We brought in a bunch of new lessons students, who have kept our lesson horses (and trainers!) busy and we have truly enjoyed watching everyone improve over the year. We were especially delighted with how many of our riders participated in the Jay Duke clinic in November, and we so impressed by how well everyone rode. Jay, himself, commented on how well turned out everyone was, and how educated they were in terms of their riding. He said that we were the exception to the rule and your Trainers can't tell you how proud they were to hear that! We are hoping to have him return in December, so please make sure you let us know if you are available to ride with him again (12/13-14). For those of you who are interested in seeing our other favorite riding instructor, George Morris, in action, he will be holding his (infamous!) clinic at Rich Feller's place in Wilsonville, OR 12/3-5. As always, we strongly encourage you to come and watch - just remember your layers!

Chelsea stayed busy with Sales this year. We helped several riders in finding new homes for their horses, as well as new horses coming to our home! We have welcomed several new horses, and still have a few for sale. Please remember to mention our great Sales Horses to your horsey friends!

The Barn continued to work on improvements at home - including having the folks at Arena Rehab add more MAG to the arena this Fall, and replacing the arena lights. We also started offering credit card payment options, and, for those riders wanting to leave a card for regular monthly payments, we are offering a discount on the fees associated with the card. Outside of having a lovely facility, we are excited to make things more convenient for our clients as well!

A beautiful Fall day to go for a last walk

We did have some sad news this year, as we had to say Good-Bye to Danika's boy, Harry. Harry was diagnosed with a neurological disorder for which there was no cure, and we were left with the difficult choice to euthanize him this month. He was such a lovely boy, with a heart as big as his ears, and has been missed by us all. We have been very lucky to have had such longevity in our horses and it is always so hard to let them go. Our hearts go out to Danika and to everyone that was touched by Harry (aka: Rico), as we know he was loved by so many. We were deeply moved by the outpouring of support that we received, not only from our own Sundancers, but from the outlying horse community as well. It is always so uplifting to remember how much we all share at the end of the day.

We are looking forward to a break in the freeze this week, and will be back at body clipping some very furry horses. Please make sure to look for messages about blanket changes as we try to keep your ponies happy, healthy and warm.

Bundle up, stay warm and we will see you at the barn!

Could that be Spring in the air...?

What a beautiful day for a Blog!

The sun is out and shinning and reminding us all here at the barn that summer is coming - not winter! - and that it is time for Horse Show Season to get in full swing!

Sizing up the course at last year's show in Cle Elum
photo credit: Gigi White

We traveled down to Thermal for 4 weeks this winter - enjoying the sun and warm temperatures as Sundance Riders prepared for the show season in fine style over the always impressive HITS Jumps! Big classes, technical jumps and some really great food made for a fun trip for everyone - and a couple of nice ribbons just added to the excitement! We were very proud of our Sundance riders - both Gigi and Ella moved up on their rides during the show and are looking forward to continuing their win streak in 2014 this summer. Team Sundance is currently getting ready to spend a week out at Monroe for the Jumper Show next week and then heading off to Thunderbird in May. Hopefully everyone has had a chance to look at their schedules for the summer and has made sure to pencil in time for a few weeks of showing! We have some great shows on our list this year, so make sure you check it out!

At home, we welcomed Avi and Sophie back to the barn, along with a bunch of new riders and a new girl for Harry as well! Tessa will be leasing Harry this year and she and Sophie will be joining the ranks of the Working Students with Aidan and Joanne. We just finished up "Working Student Week" on Facebook and really enjoyed getting the chance to brag about all our Working Students - past and present - hopefully you've all had a chance to thank them for all their hard work out at the barn - we couldn't do it without them!

Horses spent the end of the winter getting updated on shots, teeth and wormer, as well as a visit from Sam to make sure all the bodies were in line and feeling great! We are excited for some warm weather and more shows, as well as our traditional "Dinner and a Horse Show" event coming up next weekend! Mark your calendars for Saturday, April 19th at 4:30pm and meet us at the Red Robin in Monroe before heading over to the Evergreen Equestrian Park to watch the Child/Adult Jumper class followed by the Grand Prix. This is a great chance to get to hang out and watch some exciting show jumping, all in your very own backyard, so make sure you join us next weekend - family is welcome!!

At home, the tack room continues to be the "place to be" as a new coffee maker and water cooler have joined the team! We hope everyone has enjoyed being able to get a hot (or cold!) drink and appreciate all the donations to the cause down at the barn! Please remember to continue to save your cups or bring water bottles to refill and help us keep costs down and the environment pretty, all in one step!

The Sales Horses have been busy with lots of trails and we are excited for them to find new homes! If you know of someone shopping, you know how great our Sundance Horses are, so put in a good word so we can find great homes for our 4 legged friends!

We just finished a blanket rotation out at the barn and horses are enjoying some lighter weight clothes for the Spring. As always, this is a great time to take your pads and other horse clothing home for a good washing. Nothing is ickier than those sweaty saddle pads, so make sure you grab them the next time you are out at the barn and get them all cleaned up - your horse - and your Trainers! - thank you!!

Now, head back out into the beautiful sunshine and enjoy this Spring day while it lasts!

We will see you at the barn!!

Well..... Howdy!

Boy, has it been awhile! We have been caught up in a whirlwind of busy around the barn in the last year, so it is now time to catch up online as well - welcome back to the Sundance Blog!

2013 was a fun and busy year. After 5 years working for Sundance, Danika was officially promoted to the ranks of Assistant Trainer, while Chelsea took over as Trainer/Sales & Barn Manager. Both Ladies continue to work hard and are incredible assets to Team Sundance. We also had fun training a bunch of new working students over the year - and have started 2014 with Ella, Joanne & Aidan helping out at home and on the road. We love our Working Students and couldn't do it without them - truly a Team Environment and we love it!

We brought in a bunch of new horses and portable stalls to house them all. We had a flurry of activity as we found new homes for all the horses - meeting new people and making some great connections in the Horse World. We were also lucky enough to get to go on some shopping sprees as well, and we brought home a new horse for Ella (Miss Lucy) and happily transferred our own Toby 2 from Emily's loving care to Aliyah's, as Larry found himself a new home. Sales kept us busy, along with another exciting show season, throughout most of the summer and the fall, but not so busy that we weren't able to continue to work on all sorts of projects at the home front.

2013 saw the completion of the upper fields - giving our horses 2 more turn outs and grass paddocks, as well as improvements to the parking area and the repairs to the drainage system - no more cars stuck in the parking lot or mysterious wet spots in the arena! Once the drainage repairs were all fixed, Sundance Trainers, working students and even a client or two, stepped up and completely re-hauled the arena. We took out several tons of old sand and rock, re-leveled and compacted the base, and brought in some beautiful new footing. Horses, Riders and Trainers alike all love the new surface! No dust, quiet and supportive for our favorite equines. It was a fantastic investment and well worth the time, energy and cost to do it right. We sincerely appreciate the folks over at Arena Rehab for all their amazing work! We had our feelings for our footing confirmed this Fall, when a visitor who had been to several barns looking at horses declared our's "our favorite footing by far" - and so it should be! We continue to enjoy it, with the only downside being no breaks or days off for the chilly weather. While other arenas are freezing, getting hard and clumping under the horses' hooves, our footing stays exactly the same. No excuse not to ride in some of those arctic days - brrrr!

Speaking of arctic, we, once again, made the trek down for the George Morris clinic at Whip n' Spur. Katherine had the opportunity to ride Toby in the 4'3"+ division with Rich and Shelly Fellers. It was another fun year, but incredibly cold. But no way would George Morris cancel for weather! So we bundled up - both on and off the horse - and, as always, learned lots! Kudos and extra credit to those Sundancers who made the trek down to watch - and shiver! You showed a great commitment to your sport!
The show season was, once again, a great ride. We had riders show in everything from the 2' Hunters to the 1.40 Jumpers and were delighted with the results. Our riders wound up with great year end placings in the WSHJA, and, even more importantly, continued to grow and learn. We are very proud of how seriously everyone takes the learning process out here - and has fun at the same time!

Chelsea & Toby enjoy some downtime between classes at Thunderbird

2014 has started off in a rush. We have 4 more horses for sale and are currently shopping for some new projects as well. We are heading down to Thermal to start our show season off - hopefully with some sun and fun! After that, we will head to the WSHJA Hunter show and possibly the Jumper show as well - hopefully everyone has had a chance to look at the upcoming show calendar and make their plans.
We are excited about new faces - both equine and human - at the barn, and are looking forward to another great year! Hold on tight, it's gunna be great!
See you at the barn!

Welcome to 2013!

New Year is here and we are off and running at the barn!

Horses and riders enjoyed some extra lessons over the holidays and some down time as well to rest and recover from a very busy 2012 - we are now back in full swing and looking forward to another fun and successful 2013.

For those of you who are showing - believe it or not - the time is now! Forms for Gold Creek and Monroe shows will be due in March, but we will be out of town during that time and need to have your RSVP by February 1st so we can get everything prepared for those shows. If you are interested, or not sure if you SHOULD be interested, please touch base with Staff ASAP so we can help you get organized. You will also need to be signing up for yearly memberships - check out the WSHJA, USHJA and USEF sites for membership information and feel free to check in with Staff if you have any questions. You want to be signed up before you go to the shows in order to avoid fees and track your Year-End Points.

Speaking of Year-End Points, Team Sundance is getting ready to head to the WSHJA Banquet next Saturday. We had some great accomplishments this last show season and are excited to get to spend the evening celebrating with one another and our other friends in the showing community.

Sundance Wear - Get Some!

We just got a whole bunch of new Sundance merchandise in the barn - from boot bags, to helmet covers and some fancy new vests! The barn is awash in blue coats as well! It is always fun to look out into a lesson a see a whole bunch of blue coats - if you don't have your coat yet and would like to order one, just let us know! Start the show season off all dressed up and ready to go!

In February we will be heading down to Thermal for the HITS show - look for updates on Facebook and follow us along on our trip down South. We are excited to test the horses at what is our largest show in the Northwest and a great learning opportunity for horses and riders. As always, if you have any vacation time saved up, head on down and join us for a visit. The venue is amazing and the competition is fierce!

For those of you staying home this winter, Danika and Alex will be managing the lessons and schedules while we are away, so things should run without much change - as always, make sure you email us your monthly schedule ahead of time so we can make sure we save your spot for the day!

We hope you are all enjoying this beautiful weather and we look forward to seeing you all out at the barn!

Happiest of Holidays to you ALL!

Well, it hasn't been months and months, but we've still managed to be busy and then even busier since our last post!

We headed off to the Jeff Cook clinic in November with Ella and Pink and Katherine and Phalcon. Both of the horses were great and Ella was complimented by Jeff when he said she was "a good concentrater" . We came home with some great notes to work on and have been brushing up on some old notes as well. It is fun to see who remembers what from last winter.

After Jeff Cook, we headed down to Rich Feller's place to ride in the George Morris clinic. Toby was his usual great self - handling all of the large, scopey jumps that George put out, as well as the "circle of death". We were very proud to see a large group of Sundancers in the stands during the weekend clinic - all of whom took notes, stayed very quiet and even managed to get autographs from both George and Rich before heading home. It was a fun and educational weekend for everyone and we will be working on those notes as well this winter.

Lizzie and Nipper joined the barn as well and Cash found a new home this month and we are now eagerly awaiting Oz's return, so things have stayed busy out at the barn! The portable stalls are up and housing the lesson horses and Chelsea's kids, so everyone is getting a chance to stay out of the wet and chilly weather that has shown up this winter. We are delighted to get everyone under cover and appreciate all the hard work that went into making that happen in a timely manner!

Chelsea is back to body clipping as well, so the fur is truly flying - if anyone has any project for extra horse hair, just let us know!

We had the barn Holiday Party as well with Lizzie getting the bonus gift (it was a dust pan this year - how fun is that?). Zoe made sure to return the coin bank (Chelsea came home with that one) as well, but there were several very nice gifts as well - always a fun game! We appreciate all those nice gifts to offset the, er, quirkier ones! Emily and Ella were gifted with the Sportsmanship and Most Improved perpetual trophies (& movie tickets!) and Zoe, Ella, Danika and Chelsea all received some new Sundance Gear for all their hard work this year. Chelsea and Katherine were also gifted with some amazing holiday gifts from the clients. Both felt very touched to have been thought of so kindly. Chelsea is putting away all of her new horse goodies (and already wearing those new gloves!) and Katherine has already gone to Olson's to get fitted for her new boots! It will be a very fancy show season for them both - thank you again to everyone who participated - it means more than you know. And, for anyone that missed it, make sure you check out the year-end video - Rory has done another amazing job!

Chelsea and Toby - in the sun, earning their Championship!!

We are in full swing for "extra lesson December" as several of you are taking advantage of getting some extra lessons in during the Holiday Break. Ponies are also enjoying light days as we end the year (when not in those extra lessons!) and are getting prepared to head back to heavier work after the first of the year.

Thermal forms have been sent in and we are all signed up for the WSHJA awards banquet in January as well (hope you all have your tickets!). We are very pleased with how well the barn did this year, with a special nod to Chelsea and her kids. Chelsea and Toby are Champions in the Open 1.20 jumpers this year and she and Maia (who is currently for sale!!) are the Champions of the Open 1.10 division. Both of these divisions are quite large and difficult divisions to ride in so that makes her accomplishment even more exciting. We couldn't be happier and are looking forward to seeing her get her trophies this year - especially as they are being sponsored by Sundance! We are also proud of our little Finesse who placed in the 1.0 Open division as well as the Children's Jumpers 1.0 and 1.10 divisions  Both Danika and Chelsea rode her this year and did a fantastic job. Ella and Aidan are also joining us at the awards table with ribbons in the .90 Jumpers and the WSHJA Good Hands & Seat as well as the Pre-Greens - over all, a very nice year for everyone.

Sam will be coming out to adjust the horses this Sunday, so make sure you text us before heading out to the barn as your horse needs 24 hours before they are ridden after an adjustment. We also want to remind everyone that, in honor of the holidays, we will not be teaching or riding on 12/24,25,31 or 1/1 so Staff can spend time with their families as well. Please feel free to come out and play with your ponies on that day if you have the time.

We wish you all the best this season - we thank you for a wonderful 2012 and look forward to another great year in 2013!

See you at the barn!

Baby, it's COLD outside!

As we get ready to do another update, we look back on our past one and realize we were just entering the summer - getting ready for some nice rides in the sun and some great horse shows - well, it has been awhile as now, outside the window, it is a beautiful evening, but boy, is it chilly! Hopefully you all are staying bundled up at home and the barn!

Toby strutting his stuff at Thunderbird!

Sundance Horses and Riders continued to have a wonderful show season! Chelsea's Toby entered his first two Grand Prixs - placing 3rd at the Emerald horse show and going clean in the NW Autumn Finals with only a few time faults keeping him out of the ribbons. Baby Maia moved into the 1.15 division and participated in the Octoberfest Mini Prix with big brother - coming home, just behind Toby, in the ribbons and in the money! Both horses had a fantastic show season and are now spending the winter getting ready to head to Thermal, CA in February to start it all over again! Toby will head down South to Wilsonville, OR for a brief visit with George Morris this winter, so, if you haven't already made plans, now's the time to plan on coming down to see George in action. He is always educational (& funny - if you aren't riding!) to watch!

Avie and Ella went down to Emerald as well - Avie showing in his first show and both he and Ella moving into the 2'3" division. They were Champion (Ella) and Reserve (Avie) in the Young Hunter Series, and we couldn't have been happier with them. Ella continued to show at Evergreen and Monroe, and both horses went back to Donida for Octoberfest, where they continued to be wonderful! So wonderful, in fact, that Ella found a new home this Fall with Shelby and her parents. Shelby and Ella will continue to ride at Sundance during the winter while she figures out all the pony "buttons" and they find a barn closer to home - we are very excited that Ella has found such a nice new family! Now it's Avie's turn! If you know of anyone who is looking, please help us spread the word! Avie has come so far and is so easy to ride that he is a great candidate for someone looking for a big, beautiful gelding!

Phalcon and Aidan had the chance to get back to the shows at Emerald and Evergreen where they continued to work in the 3' and 3'3" ring. Phalcon will be heading to the Jeff Cook clinic (with Ella and Pink!) in November, so, if you can't make the George Morris clinic, this would be another great one to visit! It will be held at Woodside Stables November 17th & 18th and is a fun clinic to attend. Phalcon will also start looking for a new home next year, as Aidan prepares to go off to college. He is a brilliant hunter with a fantastic jump and we want to find him the very best in a new home, so please keep your ears open in case you hear of a good match. Phalcon has come from so far in his life with us and we all want him to be able to continue to shine in the show ring!

Toby 2 and Emily had the chance to show at Emerald as well - getting some 3' miles as well as Toby's first time in the 3'3" division - we enjoyed getting to work with them - minus the huge rain downpour we were all stuck in while riding! Yuck! Unfortunately, Toby was sidelined for Evergreen with a lameness issue, but seems to be back and ready to go, so we are excited to see them hit the show circuit again next year!

Simon continued to help with lessons as well as being "the one" for Christina and Emma. The 3 went to Octoberfest this year where they had a great time getting around over those hunter jumps and learning all about Equitation courses with tricky turns. It was fun to see them all get a chance to shine at the show - especially to see how pretty that big white horse can clean up - he's a looker when not covered in dirt! Unfortunately, Christina and Emma will be leaving us to move to OH in December, so Simon has found himself without a lease - if you know of anyone who is interested, please let us know as we would love to keep him around at the barn!

Ella and Zoe had the chance to do some showing this year on Pink and Finesse. Ella had the chance to move up into the .90's before the year was out and showed off her amazing bond with that fiery pony! We are excited for them to get the chance to ride in the Pony Jumpers next year - good luck to their competitors keeping up with that pair! Zoe had the chance to tackle her first "A" show starting up at Thunderbird this year and, along with Ella, came home Champion and Reserve for the week - pretty good start to their year! Zoe has also taken the reins of "Working Student" this year and worked long hours at the barn over the summer when not showing. She's been a great help and we have certainly appreciated her long hours this Fall as well.

We have also been lucky enough to have some more horses join the barn this Fall! We are excited to get to work with Kenzie and her horses Oz and Cash, Fiona and Jazz, Aliyah and Larry and Lizze and Nipper who will be joining us this week. We've also had a bunch of new lesson students join us as well, so we are working long, but fun, hours at the barn. We will be bringing in some portable stalls for behind the barn for the lesson horses to make sure everyone gets a chance to get in out of the rain. We have also started construction on two new paddocks up top by the parking lot. It is fun to watch all the new projects come together and we truly appreciate everyone who has worked so hard to make them happen.

In terms of Staff - Katherine and Chelsea are preparing for the Fall/Winter clinics, as well as getting some extra rides in with Jill during the week - keeping them sharp and those lessons tough during the winter! Don't worry, there will probably be lots of notes from the clinics as well! Both are looking forward to getting back to the show ring next year, but are enjoying some "down time" during the off season. Danika and Alex are working hard at home to keep ponies fit, happy and healthy. We are very excited to offer such a large staff to our clients to keep our lesson and ride schedule up and running without a hitch while we are away for anyone who isn't able to show or attend clinics - truly something for everyone!

We are coming up on the Year-End Award banquet for the WSHJA. Hopefully everyone has had the chance to double check their points for the year and send in any updates. We are excited to get the chance to dress up (ie: not wear barn clothes!) and pick up some pretty fun prizes. 2012 was another great year and we are proud and delighted to work with ALL of you!

We are also coming up on our year end Sundance Party! Make sure you bring out your perpetual award so we can get it engraved for the NEXT winner and if you have any video or photos you would like in the slideshow, make sure you get it to us ASAP. We would love to have photos of everyone, so make sure you get them in now!

We hope you were all able to participate in our Year-End Conferences. We really enjoyed the feedback and the chance to talk to everyone one on one - thank you for your time!! We are looking forward to another fantastic year in 2013 and are excited to have you all with us for the journey!

Stay warm and we will see you at the barn!

Back to Writing About Riding

Wow! Has it been awhile! Well, things have been busy around the barn - let's get everyone caught up on the latest barn news!;

In February, we added another new horse to the barn - Emily and her very own Toby (known as Toby 2!) joined the team and added another horse to Hunter Row - those hunters are making a run for the jumpers in terms of attendance all of sudden! We are very excited to have them join us and can't wait until we get to see them in the show ring - but wait, not yet....

Riding in the beautiful weather during the Thermal show

February saw Sundance riders and trainers heading South to Thermal, CA for the HITS horse show. Minus one (very major) truck breakdown, horses and riders arrived healthy and happy and enjoyed 3 beautiful weeks of showing in the CA sun - and one wicked wind storm! The horses were great (& the riders too!) as Toby worked on his 1.20m skills with Katherine and Chelsea honed her 1.15 rides. Maia headed out into the 1.0m ring and added some more show miles to her resume' as well. Both horses had great, clean and fast rounds - even earning a few ribbons in some pretty big and intense classes. Finesse had a big highlight with Chelsea, as she competed in her first 1.10m jumper class! She was amazing (clean & in the ribbons!) and we were all just delighted with her! Danika followed suit and had the chance to ride in HER first 1.10m round as well - both pony and rider were great and we were delighted to get to watch them show off in front of the CA crowds! Laura and Wally ended the show in style with a win in her Hunter Classic - what a fun few weeks! 

Heading home from sunny CA, horses and riders were greeted by the WA snow - but we stuck around anyway... Lots of work at home followed as riders worked on more of the notes from the George Morris clinic. Flat lessons, gymnastics, jumping and even a sunny day or two (but that was it!) made up March and April, until we had the chance to head to Monroe for the Spring National shows. Phalcon and Aidan headed out, and Phalcon had the chance to show off all of his winter learning by moving up into the 3'3" hunter division. He was very good, but, unfortunately felt a little off just before Aidan had the chance to show, so she made the choice to send him home for a little R&R. He recovered quickly, but we were very proud of Aidan for making the right choice for her horse - we have all our fingers (and hooves!) crossed for a better show for the two of them this summer. Chelsea finally got the chance to move into the 1.20m & did so in style! She and Toby came home Champions in the 1.20m division - winning her classes and earning the Championship without even entering all the classes - what a debut! They added to their "cool" factor by riding in the 1.20m Mini Prix at the same show where they were the fastest of the 4 faulters and came in 10th out of 30 horses - pretty great start to their 1.20m career!

Back at home, horses and riders continued to work hard on their George Morris homework and, we had some more changes in the barn as Farley found a new home and Simon came to live with us. Farley had the great fortune to get a new home with Alex and Aubrey as their very own "first horse"! They girls will be doing all sorts of things with Farley and we are excited to see some photos if they ever get him in one of their drills! So far, he has made friends with a donkey whom he seems to adore - figures..... Simon came to us from Woodside Stables as a new lease for Christina and Emma. A beautiful gelding, Simon wooed the barn with his good looks - but, not to be fooled, he has kept everyone on their toes with his - er - slightly naughty behavior. Fortunately we seem to have those buttons figured out and Christina and Emma are enjoying "their" horse as well as some of our other lesson students who have the chance to ride the "Big Guy". He is a great work out for the leg and everyone gets off of him appreciating how easy Cookie has made their lives! 

The end of May sent us up to Thunderbird for the first time for the 2012 season and Toby and Katherine had the chance to move up into the 1.30m ring! They were great - including getting to ride in the 1.30 Classic the first week - Toby said it was pretty darn easy...... Not to be out done, little sister, Maia, stepped up her game and entered her first 1.10m round - where else but the Grand Prix field! Quite the start! Maia participated in the Maplewood Farm Young Horse class and came home in the money! She continued her 1.10m dominance the following week by riding in, and winning, 2 of the 1.10m classes and capturing the Championship! Once again, showing off like big brother, she didn't even compete in all the classes! It was a fantastic start to her 1.10m career. Toby, starting to feel a little overshadowed by that annoying little sister, headed out to the Grand Prix field for the 1.20 Classic and, out of 40 horses and riders, came home Reserve Champion - in the ribbons and the money! A pretty impressive showing for both horses and their rider, Chelsea! Wow! 

For June, Ella had her birthday wish come true, and Pink officially became HER pony! Ella and Pink are excited about their show season and we can't imagine a nicer present - or a nicer match! Congratulations to both Ella AND Pink!

We are officially putting Avie and Ella (the horse!) on the market as of the 1st of July. We're very excited about both of these horses, so if you know of anyone looking, now's the time to send them our way! You all know what great horses we have out here, and this is the chance for you and your friends to get a Sundance Horse of your own! Help us put the word out there and let's find those two horses a wonderful new home!

Lastly, we've been hard at work keeping everyone fit and ready for show season. Sam came out at the end of May and did adjustments, and horses are getting ready to get back into the trailer for some more shows, with Thunderbird, Emerald and Evergreen all on the list in the next few weeks. Trainers have also been offering extra lessons on their days off to make sure everyone gets some rides in while we are home and Danika - outside of graduating from High School - is keeping everyone else in tip top shape while we are away. 

We hope you've had the chance to sign up for a show, and if not, had the chance to come out and watch! We're looking forward to a couple of busy months and maybe, if we are very very lucky, some sun as well! Make sure to chat with Staff about fitting in some extra rides as part of your summer vacation!

We'll see you out at the barn!

Bring on 2012!

Happy New Year, Everyone! Hopefully this writing finds you all happy, healthy and well on your way to a wonderful 2012! We are excited about the upcoming year!

We ended last year with our favorite Holiday Party - the highlights included the wonderful year-end video put together by Rory (thank you! thank you!) and our annual in-barn year end awards. The video included tons of highlights from the year at shows as well as at home, and some great photos of everyone enjoying their horses. If you haven't seen the video, make sure to check it out! And if you have seen it, watch it again and share it with your friends! What a great way to show everyone how much fun we have - and all the work too! As for our barn awards, every year we have a tough time picking out our barn winners - and this year was no exception - but we were excited to give Aidan and Ella their awards in Most Improved and Sportsmanship, respectively. Aidan and Phalcon have had a long road since coming to the barn and we were delighted with their accomplishments this year. Not only did they do well at the shows, but Aidan was able to reach her own personal goals of showing in the Children's Hunter Division this year - which not only did she do, but she did well, and earned the Reserve Championship in the WSHJA National Awards Program - a pretty big deal for their first time over the bigger jumps! Aidan's commitment over the years truly paid off and we were very proud to be able to help her achieve her goals! As for Ella, anyone who has been around the barn at all, knows that we have a big fan in Ella! Ella is always happy to be at the barn, tries her best (no matter how hard Katherine pushes her) and is always at the back gate when she isn't riding, taking great pictures and videos. Ella is always the first to ask questions about what is coming up in the future and is more than willing to catch a ride with anyone who is driving to the show even if it is to just "hang out". We love her enthusiasm and can't wait to see her get a chance to ride in more shows this year with her favorite pony, Pink.

December was also Christmas time and, of course, all of our ponies were good - enjoying some nice treats and special magnets in their holiday stockings. Jasmine had an extra special present this year - a new home! Although we miss her terribly at the barn, we were very excited about her new owner, Emma, who received Jasmine as a Christmas present - we can't think of a fancier Christmas present for a little girl! Emma and Jasmine will live in Ellensburg where they will continue to pursue Emma's dreams of eventing. Look for photos of Jasmine and Emma on Facebook soon.

January brought the WSHJA banquet and the snow. More and more snow.... Chelsea, Katherine and Nicholas held down the fort as everyone else was stuck (or sick!), and ponies stayed warm, cozy and ridden during the time off from lessons. We're not sure if anyone was happier to see all that white stuff go then this small group of workers, but it was sure pretty while it was here - let's hope it is gone for awhile!

The banquet was a lot of fun - it's a rare chance for us horse people to get all dressed up, so it was great to see everyone looking so lovely! Hopefully you all had a chance to see some of the photos online - it was a fun evening, the food was great and the company even better! Congratulations again to all of our SE winners!

The beginning of the year also brought a new horse to the barn. We are excited to have Heidi and her horse Avram at the barn. Avie is off the track and very green. We have enjoyed getting him started in some of the lessons and watching him try and learn some very new skills! He seems to be learning fast and has a kind, calm disposition. Anyone knowing of a potential new home for Avie should let us know as he is going to turn into a pretty nice ride with some training.

Sam came out and adjusted all the horses - everyone needed an adjustment this time around and several of the horses felt pretty amazing the next day - ahhhhhhh - thanks to Sam for coming out and keeping our ponies in tip top shape! Next on the list for February is more worming as we get the horses ready for the warming weather.

Speaking of warming weather, be prepared for some blanket changes at the barn in the near future! Now is also a great time to wash those saddle pads if you haven't done so recently - not too mention a nice bath for your four footed friend! They can get a pretty solid layer of grunge built up after all the cold, and a nice bath can help make them feel a whole lot less itchy.

We have really enjoyed working so hard on some complicated flat work over the last couple of months and hope you have all noticed a change in your riding. We're excited to start getting back into more jumping as we prepare for the upcoming show season! Hopefully you are all prepared for the show season as well! Remember to talk with Staff about what shows you would like to aim for this year and find out which memberships you should be signing up for for the year.

Lastly, trainers and riders are getting ready to head to Thermal later this month for the first show of the year! Horses and riders are working on getting prepared for some big, tough classes, but are excited to see some warm weather as well! Make sure that you have touched base on the schedule as we are doing extra rides/lessons before we leave/after we get back so that everyone stays current - AND, make sure you keep up with our days in CA while we are gone by checking out the SE page on Facebook! Better yet, book your tickets now and join us for some fun in the sun!!

What they use for "flowers" in Thermal, CA.!

Hope you all have had a chance to take advantage of some WA sun while it was out this week! Enjoy it while it is here and we will see you all out at the barn!

'Tis the Season!

The holidays are officially upon us & 'tis the season to celebrate! We are very excited as our WSHJA Year-End awards have been finalized and we have lots of fun prizes to go pick up from the banquet next month! An extra BIG congratulations to Aidan & Phalcon for their Reserve Championship in the Children's Hunter division this year! Aidan has been working very hard to move up into this division and it is a tough group of horses and riders - to do so well in her first year is amazing!! We are very excited and very proud of both of them! All that hard work pays off! We are also excited about our own Super Pony, Finesse, and her two riders Chelsea and Nicholas on their Reserve Championship in the .90M Open Jumper division. This was also Nicholas's first year moving up into the .90's and another large group of competitors. Of course, WE all know Finesse is amazing, but someone has to do all the riding too, so it's a great award for them both. Look for the Sundance ad in the Flying Changes next month showing off our star performers and, of course, our ad at the WSHJA banquet in January where we get to brag about all of our year-end success! As a side note, all of our riders participated in the National division of the WSHJA which is a larger and more competitive group - so give yourselves another "high five" for sticking it out against some tough competition!

Nicholas & Finesse strut their stuff at the Finals in Monroe. Thanks to  Pink's Pride Photography for this shot!

In barn news, all of the horses are up to date on their shots and we will start having their teeth done next week. Several horses made the list this time but we should have them all done by the end of the month. A happy horse is a healthy horse! Thanks to all of our vet and shoeing support teams out there that keep the ponies in tip top shape! We are planning on getting Sam back out to see the horses after the holidays to start the year off with a nice adjustment as well - 2012 getting off on the right foot - or hoof!

In other news, the yearly barn holiday party is NEXT Saturday the 17th! Make sure you put this one on your calendar! We have a lot of fun every year and it is always exciting to get to have a horse party INSIDE during the chilly weather. Bring a gift for the gift exchange if you think you are up to the cut throat, "happy holidays, no I want that sweater", competitive gift giving! It is always exciting to see what you may go home with at the end of the evening!

The last two weeks of this month are horse "down time" and a great opportunity for you to come out & spend some extra time with your favorite equine! Let us know if you want to get some extra practice rides in on your pony (or our's!) during the holiday season. Now is a great time to practice all of the skills you've been working on AND stay in shape for that pending no stirrups lesson!

Speaking of no stirrups; Toby and Katherine just came back from the George Morris clinic in Wilsonville, OR. They had a great time and George loved Toby calling him "A GREAT horse" "Smart" "Catty" "Careful and Brave". All pretty high praise for a horse that started the year in the .90M division. We are very excited for Toby and are looking forward to share all the challenges George put them through with all of our riders at home! We are very excited to see how our riders have stepped it up this winter by attending clinics and working hard at home - your dedication to your sport is what makes it fun for us!

As we get to the end of the year, start thinking about your goals for the 2012 season and make sure you take the time to chat with your trainers about them! We want to help you get where you want to go in 2012!
Stay bundled up this month and we will see you all out at the barn!!

Well, Howdy!

Boy, it sure has been awhile! It's time to get your barn updated after a very busy show and Fall season!

September had us showing down at Donida for Octoberfest as well as up in Monroe for the Northwest Autumn Finals. Both shows were a hit, with Ella and Pink bringing home the ribbons at Octoberfest, as well as moving up a division and Toby and Chelsea making their debut ride in a Mini Prix against some tough competitors and bringing home a 6th place finish! It was a great show, and for anyone not sure how to break into the show ring in 2012, a good show to put on your list!

Horses aren't the only things we ride!

The Finals show was fun as well, with all of the horses bring home ribbons - including a Championship for Toby in the 1.15M division as well as a win in the 1.20 age group class, and another Championship for Farley in the .90's, just edging out Finesse who brought home a very nice Reserve Champion ribbon as well. Both Toby and Phalcon participated in the big USHJA hunter class - Phalcon had an amazing round, but a couple of rails kept him out of the ribbons, so Toby represented the barn in the 2nd half of the competition, showing those hunters how to make the turns, and coming in 10th out of 27 rides - pretty good for a jumper! All of the horses and riders earned points toward their year-end awards, so, if you haven't looked them up yet, take the time to check them out now! Points for the WSHJA are FINAL as of 11/30/11, so make sure they have all your ribbons accounted for before they are set in stone. We have some horses and riders looking to get some neat ribbons in the National division, which is great! Look for an update on their final placings soon!

At home we had our annual barn work party. Thanks to everyone who attended - this was an incredibly productive day with jumps being painted, the hill getting weeded, pasture wires restrung and just an all over good time. We always appreciate everyone coming out to help keep the barn looking great!

The weather has turned chilly now and horses (and riders!) are bundled up against the chill. We've started body clipping, so if your horse hasn't lost their puffy fur coat yet, don't be surprised if you show up to a pretty fancy looking horse in the next week or two! All of the horses made the list this year, so your horse may be next! We'll be changing blankets again at the end of the month, so keep an eye out for updates on the SE Facebook page!

We have several horses and riders participating in the Jeff Cook clinic next weekend. We are very proud of all of our riders who signed up for this opportunity as well as those of you who will be auditing. This is an incredible learning experience for both horse and rider, as well as the chance to show your trainers how committed you are to your sport! Kudos to you all in advance!

We were also invited to participate in the George Morris clinic in Wilsonville, OR this year. Katherine and Toby will be riding in the 1.20M division with George which is a great chance to get input from one of "the greats", as well as getting the chance to see other, top of the line riders, in a very intense, learning weekend. Make sure to check your calendar and head down for the weekend or the day.

With the holidays approaching we are making plans for our annual Holiday Party! This is a great - indoor! - event with your fellow riders, food, and one ridiculous present swapping game. Come on out and see what mystery may hide beneath the SE Christmas tree! We will also be handing out our yearly "Most Improved" and "Sportsmanship" awards - fortunately for us, you have all made it very hard to choose this year's winners!

We had a fun new addition to the barn this last week - Chelsea (and Danika) are the proud owners of a brand new SE trunk! Check it out - but don't touch (kidding!)!! We're excited to see another beautiful trunk in our midst. If you are interested in ordering one, let Katherine know and we'll set you up through Olson's. Sometimes we are able to get used trunks as well, so if budget is a concern, let us know and we'll see if we can dig one up for you. If you don't have a trunk cover, make sure you put that on your Christmas list as well - outside of looking great, they protect your trunk both at home and the shows.

Lastly we just did a big coat order for the barn and are excited to see a bunch of new SE jackets in our midst! Go Team Sundance!

We want to thank you all for your support and enthusiasm throughout the show season this last year - we hope you all had a great time and enjoyed all the learning and improving you did as much as we enjoyed helping you get there! Don't forget, now's the time to start thinking about your goals for 2012! Make sure you take the time to sit down with Katherine or Chelsea and chat with them about where you want you and your horse to be next year!

See you out at the barn!

Welcome Back!

Well, it's been busy! The last two months have found us showing, playing & doing lots of riding. Hopefully everyone is having a chance to enjoy the sun this month - while it's here! This summer has not been the sunniest!

June found us showing up at Thunderbird again, with Maia continuing to get her miles in the .90's and Toby moving up to the 1.20 classes for the first time as he and Katherine participated in the Ride & Rally - a fun class over jumps and driving a golf cart through cones. They turned in a very exciting round over fences (Chelsea says Katherine needs to learn to speed up in her driving!) and wound up 4th overall in a very competitive and fun class. Maia also enjoyed a chance in the Grand Prix field in a Young Horse Class over 1.00 jumps and was great at handling all the excitement of the Thunderbird Grand Prix field. If you haven't had a chance to see the grounds at Thunderbird in person, put a drive up North on your agenda and check out their show grounds - we are lucky to have something so great so close to home!

July was the month of the Emerald Classic and a large group head down South to Auburn to play in the sun (minus one very wet hour!). All the horses were great  - including a 1st place for Mexico and Amelia, a Championship for Aidan and Phalcon and Nicholas and Finesse. Phalcon also participated in the Hunter Derby and earned a Reserve in the class after negotiating some very scary rocks. Toby and Maia continued in the jumper ring and Chelsea got to ride Toby in the 1.15's for the first time - having one rail and the fastest time for the class - pretty fun day! Sundancers enjoyed dinner under the tents together and enjoyed a fun week of showing.

July also meant our yearly trip to Wild Waves! We had some really nice warm weather which meant time in the water without the normal freeze. Sundancers enjoyed the play day and came home charged up and ready to head to the Evergreen Classic in August.

Farley & Katherine at a previous Evergreen Classic

Evergreen was a lot of fun this year. Farley showed everyone how the old pros do it and came home with a Reserve Champion in the .90's ring out of a large group of competitors. Aidan and Phalcon made their official debut into the Children's Hunter ring, a goal Aidan has been excited to reach for a long time and we were all delighted by her wonderful rounds. They've both worked super hard to get there and it was great to see all that time and energy pay off for them! Phalcon also had the chance to show in the Grand Hunter Ring in the Bunny Coffin Memorial Hunter Derby. The class was as big as the name with over 30 riders and large jumps. Phalcon was amazing and wound up getting a 7th for the class - we couldn't have been prouder! Toby finished up the show going into his first Mini Prix (his 3rd official 1.20 class!) and turning in a very nice round.

At home, Alex took over the barn job for Thomas and has been putting in long hours cleaning the place up and making everything nice for horses and riders. As the show season settles down, we are looking ahead at some more barn projects coming up for this fall and are excited to get to work at home polishing up our favorite place!

We have two more shows coming up in September with Octoberfest at Donida and then the NW Autumn Classic in Monroe. If you aren't showing, make sure you stop by to cheer on your Sundance Team! After that we have our annual barn work party, so make sure you put that on your calendars so you can come out and help with jump painting and (as always!) weeding the hill so we can make things pretty for winter (yes, winter... sigh...).

Hope you are all enjoying the sun - the horses are getting some great, blanket free days before the rain returns!

See you at the barn!!