Jaques Poppen, Gold Medal winning Para Driver from The Netherlands, was here for five days, Thursday 20th through Monday 24th April, at the beautiful Sargent Equestrian Center in Lodi, CA. Fifteen people attended this year’s clinic. Lessons were available every day; participants could choose to work in the dressage arena, out in the obstacles, two of which were gated A through E, or in the full sized cones course, designed by Madeleine Augustsson. On Saturday morning there was an informal dressage show, which gave the opportunity to drive your test of choice in front of Jacques, who is a registered dressage judge. On Sunday afternoon there was a fun and fast derby competition in the indoor arena. On the social side there was a BBQ pot luck Friday evening outside the show barn, and those who still had the energy took Jacques out to dinner at the wonderful Coyotes Mexican restaurant in nearby Lockeford on Saturday evening. Cecilia Kirks chauffeured Jacques, including fetching and returning him to San Francisco Airport — a huge thank you to Cece!

Prizes of goody-filled gift bags were awarded to:
Best Overall Dressage Score: Tie between Moire Creek and Lucy Huckins, both with a score of 37.
Winner Derby Novice Class: Lucy Huckins
Winner Derby Open Class: Jules Stewart

Thank you to US Driving for the Disabled for financially supporting this clinic, as well as Jeanne Willliams/Sargent Equestrian Center/Madeleine Augustsson, without whose help and generosity this clinic would not have been possible. Thank you also to all those who supported this clinic financially and with their talents and time: Cecilia Kirks, Ginny Leal (Organizer), Jan Rey, Terri Riley, Sharon Silva, Caroline Strongman, and Peggy Wagner.

JOIN US FORA FUN AND EDUCATIONALWEEK OF DRIVING AT SARGENT EQUESTRIAN CENTER, APRIL 20TH TO 24TH, 2023, SPONSORED BY U.S. DRIVING FOR DISABLED, SEC, AND NOR. CAL. DRIVING CLUB.

PLEASE SEE USDFD’S FACEBOOK PAGE FOR MORE DETAILS AND THE FORMS FOR LESSONS AND EVENTS, OR TEXT GINNY LEAL AT (530) 863-8309

APRIL 20TH – 24TH: DRIVING AND RIDING LESSONS WITH INTERNATIONAL TRAINER JACQUES POPPEN; YOUR CHOICE OF DRESSAGE, CONES OR MARATHON

APRIL 21ST: EVENING POTLUCK

APRIL 22ND: DRIVEN DRESSAGE SCHOOLING SHOW JUDGED BY JACQUES, WITH FEEDBACK

APRIL 23RD: DRIVING DERBY

~ A CONES COURSE AND SEC’S EXTENSIVE TRAILS WILL ALSO BE AVAILABLE FOR USE ~

SARGENT EQUESTRIAN CENTER
15757 SARGENT ROAD, LODI CA 95240

STALLS, CAMPING, AND OTHER OVERNIGHT ACCOMMODATIONS MAY BE AVAILABLE ONSITE; PLEASE SEE SEC’S WEBSITE OR CONTACT MADDIE AUGUSTSSON AT (209) 452-6488 OR MADDIE@SARGENTEQUEST.COM

 

Demo-Only Driving Workshop At Dreams On Horseback 1841 Unbridled Way Blacklick, Ohio 43004 614-864-9500 www.dreamsonhorseback.org March 9 &10, 2020 – (Mon./Tues.) Register Now! Grand Oaks CDE with our esteemed USDFD Board Member and Judge, Hardy Zantke Florida Circuit Para-Drivers Dazzle in Multiple DAP clinics and CDE’s! Photographs of Chris Carswell, Bob Giles, and Stefanie Putnam Bob Giles and Chris Carswell with Sterling Graburn (Pics of You)  Above Stefanie Putnam with Leslie Berndl and Hardy.

 

Competitive Focus:

Come improve your driving skills, learn about local, regional and international competition opportunities for the Para-Equestrian.  Driving is a great equalizing sport.  Come see and feel the freedom of being behind the reins in a carriage.  Everyone is welcome to attend and audit.    Lessons will be adapted to the skill level of each driver.  Bring your own horse and carriage or let us know if you need to borrow a horse and equipment.  Clinician: Sara Schmitt

Contact Marcie Quist quistlaw@gmail.com

February 25-26 (CT competition on 26th): Southern Pines, NC

April 1-2: Wilton, CA at Claystation Horse Park

August 19-20: Fitchburg, WI at Hickory Knoll Farm

Introductory/Beginner Focus:

• Clinic for Spinal Cord Injuries in conjunction with Triumph Foundation. Open to all who are interested regardless of type of disability. Basic instruction on driving with accessible carriages available. Multiple Clinicians.

Contact Diane Kastama, dkastama@verizon.net  805-343-6026

February 4-5: Moorpark, CA

• Beginning Carriage Driving Clinic: Learn about carriages and harnesses, how to ground drive, harness and hitch, experience driving a horse, and safety. Open to everyone ages 10 years and older with or without a disability.  11 am to 3 pm.  $150.00  Clinician: Melissa Yarbrough

Contact Melissa K Yarbrough, at inspireequinetherapy@gmail.com

February 18: Clearwater, Florida

All Levels Driving/Instructor Focus:

• Four day instructor clinic geared toward PATH Therapeutic Driving Instructor Certification or any driving instructor who would like to learn more about teaching drivers with disabilities. Dinner and presentation on driving safety will take place on Monday evening. Drivers will then attend a clinic with both mounted and unmounted lectures and lessons beginning on Tuesday morning May 9th through Thursday May 11^th (4PM).  Variety of practice turnouts – ponies, horses, carriages – 2 and 4 wheeled.  May stay to attend 12^th – 13^th  clinic below.

Contact Boo Martin bmartin@touchstone-farm.org, 603-654-6308

May 8-11: Temple, NH -Touchstone Farm

• Driving Clinic and ADT competition coaching all levels. Individual lessons with your own turnout or accessible turnouts available to use (horse and carriage).  Arena Driving Trial to be held on May 13 with special division for first timers.  Accessible lodging available on site.  Clinicians: Boo Martin, Scott Monroe

Contact Boo Martin bmartin@touchstone-farm.org, 603-654-6308

May 12-13 (ADT Competition on 13th): Temple, NH -Touchstone Farm

READ MORE

On January 23rd and 24th USDFD and the Triumph Foundation (http://www.triumph-foundation.org) introduced twenty two individuals with spinal cord injuries to the exciting sport of carriage driving at the Cutler’s Oak Run Farm in Moorpark, CA. Hardy Zantke and Diane Kastama kicked off the clinic with explanations of the sport, adaptive equipment, and Q&A sessions.

The highlight for everyone attending was the opportunity to actually drive a horse, pony, or mule by themselves using one of the various types of adaptive carriages (accompanied by an experienced able bodied driver equipped with a second set of reins for safety). The clinic was a huge success and opened new vistas to many individuals some of whom had limited experience with horses previously.

Thanks go to all our horse and carriage owners, volunteers, the Brass Oak Driving Society, Whip r Snappers Driving Club, and the Triumph Foundation for helping to organize and sponsor the clinic which was free to all participants.

In particular we would like to thank Diane Kastama, Hardy Zantke, Gregg and Jody Cutler, Ronda and John McPherson, Lee Worsham, Melanie Brooker, Blythe and Fianna Wilde, Sharon and Geoff Gee, Lilla and Aleks Hewitt, Katie Twohy and Johanna for making this such a memorable event!!

Lodi, CA – October 16, 2015 – Para-Equestrian Driver Stefanie Putnam and her horse Bethesda After Dark (Shadow), brought home a big win from Shady Oaks Combined Driving Event (CDE) in Lodi, California. This prestigious three day CDE took place September 18- 20, 2015. Putnam drove over three days competing in the driven dressage test, a marathon, and the cones course On the final day Putnam drove an almost flawless cones round with preeminent grace and style to finish an epic and consistent summer with supreme honors. Putnam earned accolades including: Charles Kellogg ADS North American Preliminary Horse Champion; West Coast Triple Crown Preliminary Single Horse co-Champion; Shady Oaks Preliminary Single Horse Champion; and Shady Oaks Preliminary Single Horse Cones Winner.

Putnam acknowledged, “I feel very grateful and honored to be in the company of some pretty fantastic co-competitors. They have all been an incredible inspiration and ongoing, steadfast source of encouragement and sustenance to me and my very soul. I am truly blessed.”

CDE’s are the carriage driving equivalent of Three Day Eventing in the riding world. They are tremendous tests of horsemanship and performance over three days which include a driven dressage test, a marathon over miles of countryside with complicated obstacles to negotiate at high velocity, and a cones course where speed, stamina, and accuracy are paramount. In the United States all drivers compete equally whether amateur, professional, male, female, youth, or disabled. With no concessions made on the playing field, Putnam, with a Grade 1 disability took everyone’s breath away with her phenomenal and consistent achievements this summer culminating in one big moment at Shady Oaks.

Putnam competed in the preliminary division and earned the Charles Kellogg ADS North American Preliminary Horse Champion; Shady Oaks Preliminary Single Horse Champion; and Shady Oaks Preliminary Single Horse Cone. The preliminary division is the most hotly contested and competitive division with a field of around fifteen entries in Single Horse and over thirty entries in the overall division. To add fuel to the fire, the West Coast sponsored a highly sought after Triple Crown award combining scores at the Summer Festival CDE (Clay Station) in June, the Sargent Equestrian Center CDE in August, and Shady Oaks CDE in September. A few points separated each competitor coming into the final event. Putnam took home the West Coast Triple Crown Preliminary Single Horse co-Champion as well topping off one successful summer.

By: Lindsay Y. McCall

For Actively Competing Para-Equestrian Drivers

Newcastle, CA – August 31, 2015- The United States Equestrian Federation, Inc. (USEF) is pleased to present a one day Para Equestrian Driving Clinic featuring clinician Olof Larsson at Whispering Oaks Performance Horses in Newcastle, California.

The high performance clinic is geared to currently competing para-equestrian drivers who are members of U. S. Driving for the Disabled (USDFD) and USEF. Breakfast, drinks, and lunch will be available and stabling for the prior evening is offered as well. USEF has arranged this wonderful opportunity for our drivers and has provided full sponsorship for the clinic. Leslie Berndl, owner of WOPH, has generously donated her facility to USEF and USDFD for this special event, as well as handling all of the food preparations and coordinating the logistics with Olof. Many thanks to USEF and to Leslie.

If you are interested, please contact Marcia Putnam at ashdownf@comcast.net for application forms.

Location Information:
Whispering Oaks Performance Horses
1571 Oak Knoll Lane
Newcastle, CA 95658
Owner: Leslie Berndl

Contact Information:
Marcia Putnam
925-284-1857 (Home/FAX)
925-708-3387 (Cell)
15 Southampton Place
Lafayette, CA 94549

Clinician Biography:
Olof Larsson was born in Ystad, southern Sweden. Growing up he competed in jumping, dressage and three day events and ultimately converted one of his smaller ponies to driving, winning the Swedish National Championship in 1994 and 1995.

Totally hooked on driving, Olof went to work for the renowned international level Swedish four-in-hand driver, Tomas Eriksson, from 1995 to 1996. In 1996 Olof was accepted at the University of Equine Studies at Flyinge, the National Stud of Sweden. The education he received there over the next two years with a focus on driving and stable management was a highlight of his life.

In the late fall of 1998 Olof was offered the opportunity to show horses for Hilltop Farm, Maryland in the United States. This led to a position as manager of Chester Weber’s Ocala facility where he became an integral part of Live Oak and Team Weber’s outstanding successes for the following thirteen years. During this time Olof participated in a support capacity at nine World Championships.

Currently Olof and his wife Stacy own and operate Hidden Acres Dressage in Ocala where they develop and show all levels of dressage show horses. Olof continues to work as a driving clinician and trainer on a free lance basis. He attended the 2013 and 2014 World Championships as the manager of the Hillcroft Driving Team for Misdee Wrigley Miller. Misdee calls him “MacGyver” because he can fix anything! The urban dictionary for “MacGyver” is: “the ability to use a dorito, some duct tape, and a paper clip to create a time machine” or “someone who can jump-start a truck with a cactus!”

We greatly look forward to meeting and working with him in California!
Olof Para High Perfomance Clinic Announcement

Para-Equestrian drivers, as well as riders, attended the clinic hosted by USEF at the Rancho Murieta Equestrian Center in California. In attendance were six of our drivers working with cllnicians Hardy Zantke and Diane Kastama to whom we owe a heartfelt thank you. There were joint sessions and lunches with the para dressage riders, coaches, USDFD Board members, US Para Equestrian Association representatives and USEF Para Discipline Director, Laureen Johnson.

Break out sessions for the drivers included dressage on day one, cones instruction on day two, and wonderful opportunities to share ideas and collaborate with other para-equestrians and program directors. In the afternoon on day two the para riders were game enough to even give driving a try!! See photos below.

Many thanks to USEF for hosting such a memorable event!!
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