The Porcupine Hill Chronicle

 February - December 2004 Archive

• It has been very difficult for me to write this update to the website, as the fall has been full of bad news and sad happenings.  Things seem to have turned around now, so I will give you all the news and bring this blog up to date.
• On September 5th, my Dad, Bob Rothgeb, passed away very suddenly.  My Dad was 71 years old, and had accomplished more in his life than many people. He was a successful horse breeder and rider.  He was a pioneer in the data processing industry.  He was an actor.  He was a writer.  He was a naturalist and tree hugger long before it was popular.  He was funny and could entertain people with a gazillion stories and anecdotes (some true, some perhaps exaggerated :-) ).  He loved books and owned a used bookstore for the last few years.  But most of all, from my perspective, he was my dad.  He helped me, he taught me, he supported my choices in life, and, I hope he was proud of me.  He was always there for me, regardless.  And now suddenly, he isn't.  I shall miss him more than I thought possible.  My thanks to all the people who wrote, sent cards and phoned - your stories about Dad and your memories of him reminded me of who he was and why we all loved him so. 
• Later that week, my old Corgi Whimsey also died.  She was my first dog, and I loved her dearly.  Her funny little face looks out at me from so many pictures, and she was the best companion ever, a veteran of so many horse shows and the queen of the farm.  I will miss her also.
• To make the bad news new complete, I had a sad email from Kim and Kat Matthieu, to tell me that my old horse Daneel had been put down that week also, after battling colic and gastroenteritis for several weeks.  Kat and Bear had become a real team in their short while together, winning some very tough classes at FEI Junior, and were preparing to make the jump into the FEI Young Rider division.  My heartfelt condolences go out to Kat and Kim - I know that Bear will be missed as well.
• We were also saddened to learn of David Whitham's death early in September.  David was a cool guy, and I know that he will also be missed by all the people who loved him.
• I'd like to think that my Dad went to the hereafter (if there is such a place) with a good horse, a good dog, and a good friend.   May they all rest in peace.
• So, on to the happier news. 
• I have a new horse!  I purchased a lovely three year old filly just a couple of weeks ago.  She is 3/4 Trakehner, by Herzzauber out of an I-line mare.  She is a pretty copper chestnut, about 16.1hh now, and learning her job very fast.  She came out of the field in early October, and is now working lightly under saddle.  She was bred locally, and her breeder, Heather Byers Coote, and I have great hopes for her future.  Here are a couple of pictures - the pics aren't great, and I'll have more later, but these will give you an idea about her.  I will look forward to working with her over the winter, and hopefully showing her in 2005.

• Our new paddocks were completed in the summer - thanks to everyone who came out to help paint!

• We have a very cool new horse in the barn now, a Florestan grandson that Aliy will be working with over the winter and developing as a sales prospect.  He is a sweet big guy, and shows alot of promise for the big ring.  More about him in a few weeks, when I have some pictures!
• My clinic schedule has been very busy, as I am now teaching at several stables near Montreal, as well as my regular dates here in Ontario and in Virginia.  I have a few dates still available for the Spring of 2005, so if you are interested in having a clinic, please let me know asap!  We also have room right now for a horse or two in training.
• Best wishes to our long time client and good friend Beth McKibbin, who moved her horse to a stable closer to home for the winter.  Beth will be working with Ron King at his new facility "Blueprint Farm"  near North Gower - of course, I shall see her on a regular basis as I am there frequently for clinics.
• Congratulations to Joanne Brooks on her purchase of a lovely four year old Oldenburg gelding.  I am looking forward to working with Joanne and her new guy this winter at Wynbrook Farm.
• Big time kudos to Joe and Louise Palmer, at South Lane Farm, on their very successful hosting of the Hannoverian mare and foal inspection in September.  Joe and Louise have some super babies on the ground, and if you are looking for a well bred, well raised young horse, I can't recommend them highly enough.
• Adam and I have just returned from a delightful week in Cuba - all sun, rest, relaxation and a chance to spend some time together.  The weather was lovely, the beach divine, I went swimming with dolphins, which was the coolest thing!, and we are both now quite refreshed and ready to face the winter and lots of useful work.  Here is a small picture collage from Cuba:

• And lastly, I have to say that the big kitty has been a joy to own all fall.  What a fantastic car :-).  Its safely put away now for the winter, but I am so looking forward to getting it out in the spring.  
• Have a great week, and start your Christmas shopping NOW!

• Long overdue update!
• We had good trips to the York Equestrian Centre CDI***, Blainville CDI*** and the NEP "Friends of the Park" shows.  
• At York and Blainville, Miki was the queen of fourth level, winning the Championship at both shows, with scores in the high 60s.  I can't say enough about this wonderful mare - just seven years old, she is so capable and willing.  I am looking forward to a great year at the advanced level in 2005.
• Tali had a few problems at York (there were apparently panthers in the grass beside the dressage ring during the PSG), but we recouped and had a decent Intermediare 1 test.  At Blainville, no distractions interfered and the big guy finished up his season as Reserve Champion in the Advanced division (in the National show), with some nice marks in the high sixties from FEI judges.
• Ruth and Sambuka also finished up their season in great style, with nice placings in the YR Freestyle at both York and Blainville (in the CDI division), and then went on to ride the PSG and Intermediaire 1 at the NEP show, with great results.  Ruth and Spot very narrowly missed a spot on the Young Rider team, in their first year at this level, and will be back in 2005 to contend. 
• Judi Carter made her show ring debut at the Park show, riding her wonderful mare White Socks to a 68% in Training Level.  Since this was Judi's first show ever, that was an excellent result, and the basis for moving forward.  Judi's young horse "Fanfare" (aka Felix) is coming along very well indeed, and I think they will be ready to challenge in 1st level in 2005.
• Congratulations to all my students on a great show season ... lots of schievements, championships and personal bests!  Let's keep up the good work and look forward to 2005.
• Also, congratulations to Canada's Olympic Team on a very good showing in Athens.  I was very proud to be represented by Leslie, Ashley, Belinda and Cindy with their awesome horses Mark, Imperioso, Royan II and Proton.  
• And, congratulations also to the Canadian Young Riders, who did a great job at Young Riders and brought home the silver medal - a great achievement.
• And, finally, I have finally achieved a lifetime dream - read all about it here.

• I know that it has been a while since the site was updated, but the upside is that I have heard from so many people!  Thanks for all your nice notes, its great to hear from people who read the website.
• Our show season has been pretty relentless so far, and it isn't over yet!  So you will have to bear with me for a long report on where we've been so far, and what is still to come.
• Our first recognized show of the season was the spring show at York.  This year, the weather co-operated, and we stayed dry!  Ruth and Sambuka made their debut in the Young Rider division, with entirely satisfactory results - third place in all three tests and scores over 60%, in a large and competitive division.  Tali placed fourth in the Prix St. Georges and had reasonable performances in the Freestyle and Intermediaire 1.  Students along for the show included Ariane Gauthier and Demios, who were Reserve Champion in the Third Level Open Division, Cheryl Roberts and Sergeant, who rode Fourth Level and Prix St. Georges with nice scores, and Louise Palmer and Risky Business, who were Champions in the Second Level AA division.  Ruth also rode South Lane Farm's McKinley to two wins in the Junior Training Level.  This stunning four year old was at his first show, and behaved admirably, impressing all of us with his calm attitude and superior performances.
• The following weekend, we made the short trip to Ottawa for the Dressage Festival at the Park.  We took all the horses :-), and many students were also in attendance.  It's our biggest show of the season, since it is so close.  Here are some of our results:  Mikayla, in her season opener, was Fourth Level Champion, scoring 68%+ in 4-1.  Miki also did her first Prix St. Georges, and finished sixth in a large class.  Tali was very nervous, but still managed some nice scores in the Advanced Division.  Sambuka and Ruth continued to be competitive in the Young Rider Division, with a second place in the Team test and a big win in the Freestyle. Ruth again rode McKinley to very high scores in the Junior Training Level.  Aliy and Riz made their first attempt at First Level Open, and came home with very nice percentages and 2 fourth place ribbons.  Aliy also rode Judi Carter's White Socks to nice scores and placings in the Open Third Level.  Beth McKibbin and Oksana rode their first First Level test and did quite well.  Dany Decarie and Taiga placed well in the First Level AA, and Louise Palmer and Risky again were Reserve Champions in Second Level AA.  Fran Sirsly and Dancing Queen made their debut at Prix St. George with a very decent showing.  Lyne Jolie and Flower King were 4th in a large and tough Prix St. Georges class.  Jenny Hrobelsky rode three of her horses - placing well in Training Level with the four year olds Rock the Show and Wachovia, and in Open Second Level with What About Bob.  Karen Capron and Elvis placed very well in the FEI Test for 5 year olds.  
• After two weeks at home, we travelled to Palgrave for the Cornerstone Farms show with Miki, Tali,  Sambuka and McKinley.  Cheryl and Sergeant, Karen and Elvis, Ariane and Demios, Louise and Risky, and Jenny and Bobby also showed.  We had great success, with Miki once again claiming the Fourth Level Open Championship, closely followed by Cheryl and Sergeant with the Reserve Championship.  Tali was less nervous in his tests, and came away with decent scores in the PSG and Intermediaire tests.  Ruth and Sambuka continued to put in good rides in the Young Riders, and placed very well in her FEI Test of Choice classes, showing against senior riders on seasoned FEI horses.  McKinley showed very well also, with scores up to 70%.  Jenny and Bobby were Reserve Champions in the tough Second Level Open division and Louise and Risky were also Reserve Champions in the Second Level AA Division.  Karen and Elvis were quite competitive in the Open First Level and Ariane and Demios had two good rides in the Open Third Level.
• We are getting ready to leave tomorrow for York again, for the CDI and National level show.  Tali, Miki and Sambuka are ready to go!  This will be the first CDI for Tali and Sambuka!  Karen and Elvis and Ariane and Demios will go with us this time.
• At home, things are very busy, with a full barn and lots of lessons and clinics.  We are having fun working with two recent imports;  Judi Carter is delighted with her new four year old, called Felix.  This young horse is everything we hoped he would be, with great movement, a wonderful character and super potential.  Joanne Brooks, our long time client and friend from Wynbrook Farm, has also acquired a new horse - a four year old Hannoverian gelding by Bergamon, imported via Hannover Imports.  This stunning youngster is a super mover and exciting prospect for Joanne.  Bravado will stay here for a little while before he goes home to Joanne's.
• Congratulations to our student Zach Ball, who has purchased Ruth's pony "Rudy".  Zach, along with Jill, Julian and Kylie are frequently seen at the farm these days.  Zach began riding only a short time ago, and progressed very quickly - I think we will see this young man in Young Riders as soon as he is old enough!  Rudy will join Jill's mare Lily at Pinecrest Farm shortly to continue Zach's training there with Aliy, who is one of Pinecrest's instructors.
• For those of you horse shopping, McKinley is for sale: this fantastic young horse has super mind, great rideability and outstanding potential for dressage.  For more information, click here.
• Our son Aaron graduated from Queen's University on June 4th, with an Honours BA in Philosophy, having made the Dean's List.  We are so proud of Aaron - a grand achievement!  Aaron will enter a Master's Program in September, and continues to live in Kingston.
• We are pleased to welcome niece Charlotte to the weekend staff at the barn.  Charlotte is proving to be a great help in keeping the grass cut, gardens weeded and just generally helping out with whatever needs doing.
• And lastly, with Father's Day just around the corner, I'd like to pay tribute to my Dad, Bob Rothgeb.  My dad has always been a major influence in my life.  He taught me so many of the values that I hold dear, and has always been a mentor as well as a teacher.  He not only taught me to ride to the big jumps and care for horses, he also got me started on my career in Information Technology.  He's always been there for me.  Thanks, Dad, I love you! 

• So, a busy few weeks since I last updated this website!
• We travelled to York Equestrian Centre on March 26th to participate in the schooling show on March 28th - and had a great time, and finished up with super experiences for all our horses.  Tali was wonderful and ended up scoring 70% in his first Intermediaire 1 test.  Cheryl and Seargent had a nice ride in the Prix St. George, finishing with a 63%.  Ruth and Sambuka rode their first young rider test and scored 58%, in spite of the fact that "Spotte" thought that the judge's stand just might have horse eating monsters on it.  The crew at York did a great job of scheduling and managing a busy indoor show.  Thanks to everyone, especially Anne for all the help and great welcome.
• I have just returned from a quick trip to Europe, where Judi, Christel and I attended the Elite Hannoverian Auction in Verden.  We saw many interesting things, lots of beautiful horses, and enjoyed lovely spring weather.  Judi acquired a wonderful 4 year old gelding by Fabriano, who should arrive in Canada shortly.  I wasn't horse shopping for myself, but I sure wore out my credit card at the trade fair!
• I had a great trip to Virginia, to the farm of Judy and Mark Gustafson, where I taught for three days.  I was lucky to work with some lovely horses and met some terrific people.  It was very nice to meet up with so many people I have know over the years from the SWVADA adult camps.  Judy and Mark have invited me back in October, and I am looking forward to returning.
• I am very pleased to announce that Aliy Brebner, who has been a working student at the farm since September of 2002, has accepted the role of Assistant Trainer here, and will be with us for a while longer.  Aliy will be working with some of the horses and riders, and developing her skills as an instructor as well, as she progresses towards her Coaching Level II.  Aliy and her young Hannoverian "Riz" will show at First Level this year, and Aliy may show some of the other horses from here as well.
• Our show season is starting to fill up, although there don't seem to be as many shows this year. We will be going to the first York Equestrian Centre national show in May, and then out in full force for the Festival in Ottawa, May 20-22.  
• We are looking forward to welcoming Kaitie Holman, from Nova Scotia, back to the farm the end of this month for a three week visit.  Kaitie was a working student here during the summer of 2002, and has become a real friend.  It will be very good to see her!
• So, the summer is starting to shape up nice and busy.  Now, if only it would get warm!  Enjoy the next few weeks, and hopefully we'll see you at the shows!

• Spring appears to be just around the corner - the horses are shedding, there is MUD, everyone is a little stir crazy, and our cycle of repairs and minor maintenance at the farm has increased!  We are looking to replace two paddocks this spring, as well as spruce up the indoor arena with new kickboards and more mirrors.  
• As always, this time of year we are planning our show season, and eagerly anticipating the early competitions.  In fact, we are starting a little earlier than normal this year - we will be at the York Equestrian Centre primary show the end of this month.  Three of our horses are stepping up to new levels this year and we all though it would be a good idea to have a trial run first!  So I will ride Taliesan in the Intermediaire I, Ruth and Sambuka will have a go at the Young Rider Team test and Cheryl and her horse Sergeant will ride the Prix St. Georges.  Should be interesting, and hopefully a validation of all our hard work this winter.  Joining us for our trip will be student Karen Capron and her young horse Elvis, who will try the FEI five year old test.
• Congratulations to Sandy Mosher of Ottawa on her purchase of Wynbrook Farm's "Novelty" - a lovely grey Oldenburg mare.  I hope Sandy and "Nova" develop a great partnership, and we will look forward to seeing them at the shows.
• I am very busy for the upcoming months - clinics, shows and lots of horses in for training.  It's good to be busy, though, and I am certainly grateful for all the interest and support.  I may be making a short trip to Europe to shop for horses as well, so if you are looking and would like me to keep my eyes open for you, please email me.
• I leave today for Virginia, where it is much warmer :-).  I'll be teaching a clinic there for the next three days.  Some of my students will be riders I have worked with at the SWAVDA adult camps, so I am looking forward to seeing a few old friends.  
• The Book of the Last Few Months is Neal Stevenson's latest tome "Quicksilver".  As usual, he delivers the goods in a massive exploration of Restoration England.  Lots of science, speculation and superb character development.  Another fascinating book, in a similar genre, is China Meville's "Perdido Street Station".  Both books are brain teasers, as opposed to light reading, but wonderfully crafted and innovative.  You will end up thinking about them even when you are not reading them!
• I hope you have a mild spring, wherever you are, and take a few moments occasionally to stare in wonder as Nature revives the winter landscape.  It never ceases to amaze me, each year when life returns to the land.  Have a good one!

• The For Sale page has been updated.  

• Happy New Year!  I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas holiday.  We certainly did here on the Hill, with lots of chances to visit with friends and enjoy family.  
• We are back working hard now, preparing the horses for the upcoming competition season.  All the horses are going quite nicely, progressing as expected towards our competitive objectives for 2004.
• We have two new horses in for sale just now - I'll have pictures up on the Horses For Sale page shortly.  One is a lovely 9 nine year old Thoroughbred mare who is very nicely schooling 2nd level and would make a super horse for an ambitious amateur rider to show 1st level in 2004.  The other is a very nice, small registered Oldenburg mare of Holsteiner breeding who is a great mover with lots of potential, just right for a small adult or junior.  Both these horses are VERY attractively priced and represent real value in today's market.
• Hope you have been keeping warm lately (or that you live in a warmer climate!), and that you are getting through the winter - spring is surely just around the corner (What do groundhogs know about winter, right?).