Fall Show Was Fun For All

Congratulations to all riders who competed in the Mack Hill Fall Show. Your family, friends and instructors are pleased and excited to see such great competitive riding. You were all spectacular. Pictures from the day can be found at the following links:

For Jumping Classes Click Here

For All Other Classes Click Here

Thanks for making this such a special day. Our best, Sue and Scott

Furnace Brook shows

This summer, our students did really well at the Monadnock Show Series shows held at Furnace Brook Farm. One more to go the end of October, the finals. Then the awards banquet!!!
Those who didn't show and came to help were awesome and much needed. Everyone brought food for the "groaning board" and we had a lot of fun and got a lot of ribbons!

Oakrise Two Phase-- Dressage and Jumping

Congratulations to the five Mack Hill riders who competed on Sunday at the Oakrise Two Phase Competition.  All of our horses and riders performed beautifully.  It turns out that western pleasure training is a fantastic foundation for dressage. Participating riders included Kelli, Megan, Erin, Tori, and Mercy.  Special thanks to Molly who helped all day long.  Mercy and Megan won day-end Championship on Cash. Erin and Kelli won won day-end Reserve Championship on Blaze and Gilligan respectively.  Great job ladies.

"We Are Family.... I Got All My Sisters With Me..."

The Souhegan Riders had a terrific day at the Oakrise Pleasure Series yesterday.  Team members competed at all levels with terrific results.  The rain showers during the middle of the day did not dampen anyone's spirit.  When the day end awards where announced, it was full of Souhegan Riders.  Congratulations to Coach Mercy and all the riders for an outstanding day.  

Click here for links to pictures from the day. 

Mack Hill Takes on Oakrise Schooling Jumper Show

Riders from Mack Hill had a spectacular first day of competition at the Oakrise Schooling Jumper Show.  

Click here for pictures of the day

Mack Hill Fall Show 2008 is a Huge Hit

The Mack Hill students really put on a show for all of the spectators today. Through 20 classes, the students competed with their best efforts. And was it impressive. Pictured from left to right are the Champions (red and blue rosette) and Reserve Champions (red and yellow rosette) for the day (Krista, Anna, Lauren, Katie, Libby, Julia, Emme, Emma and Charlotte). Congratulations to all who competed. Many thanks to the parents who helped with critical activities all day long. We had fun and we hope you did too.

For pictures of the day click here

Souhegan Riders Compete at Oak Rise Pleasure Show

The Souhegan Riders Equestrian Team competed at the Oak Rise Pleasure Show.  Krista Albright and Katie O'Connell were awarded day end Champions in their divisions.   Everyone on the team performed exceptionally well.  A lot of hard work helped shape today's success.  Special thanks to all of the parents and siblings who came to cheer on the team.  I would call great "athletic supporters" but you might be wrong image.

Happy Birthday to Nora Zaveri (Coach Mercy's daughter) who celebrated her third birthday with the team today.  The girls are better riders than they are singers.

Click here for pictures of the day. 

Oak Rise Jumping Show-August 2008

Another great day for the Mack Hill Riders at the final Oak Rise jumping show for the season.  Click here for pictures of the day 

Here Jess S. takes Liam over the rails

Mack Hill Fall Student Show

Hey Mack Hillers-- We are trying to set the set the date for the fall Mack Hill student show.  Our current thinking is Columbus day which is a Monday.  Please tell your instructor or post a comment to this message as to whether you will participate if it is on that day.  We look forward to you feedback so that we can get this scheduled.  

Souhegan Riders Fall Term

Tryouts for the fall 2008 Souhegan Riders Competitive Equestrian team will be on Saturday September 6 at 4:00pm with Coach Mercy Zaveri. The fall team will be an 8 week Hunt/Jump term beginning on September 11 and ending October 30th.  Practices will be on Thursday afternoon from 4:30 to 6:30.  The team will compete in the following two shows:  Oak Rise Pleasure Show on September 21, 2008 and Schooling Jumper in Warner on October 19, 2008.  The team will consist of a maximum of 12 riders. The cost for this term will be $425 which includes the 8 training sessions and horse uses and trailering to the two shows.  Not included are the registration and class fees for each show. New members are welcome to try out. Release forms and other information can be found on the Mack Hill web site by clicking here.

Look Here: Souhegan Riders' Show Girls Show Their Stuff...

Saturday was the Souhegan Riders first show of the summer term and I must say that Coach Jess and I were very impressed with the girls performances both in and out of the show ring.

Friday night was a late one for all of the girls. The tunes were on as the horses were bathed, clipped, braided, and dressed in their glittery retro slinkies. No one left until it was dark and then managed to drag themselves out of bed and back to the barn before the sun was up the next morning.

All of the prep time and elbow grease truly paid off first thing Saturday morning when the girls walked into the ring (a first time experience for many) to be judged on their showmanship. Hannah Gagnon walked out of the ring with a third place after her English Walk-Trot division showmanship pattern. Amazingly, the girls were able to keep Princess looking as Fancy Schmancy as a white horse should. Jess Stepaneck also showed Princess for the day and tied with Amanda Giesinger and Just Call Me QT (QT) for a first place in showmanship in their Western Walk-Trot division. Lauren Weinstock and Blazing Into 2000 (Blaze) impressed, and shocked, us all by taking a second place in showmanship in their Junior English division. Go figure, a jumper turning into a calm and cool pattern horse almost overnight!

As if the girls' showmanship did not make Coach Jess and me proud enough, the girls hustled to get the horses ready for their riding classes. Hannah walked and trotted around that arena and you never would have known it was her first horse show; she placed in both her equitation and pleasure classes which had around ten exhibitors in each class. After a super quick tack change, Jess was able to take Princess into her western equitation and pleasure classes alongside Amanda and QT. Jess came out of the ring with a first place ribbon and Amanda was right up there, exiting with a second place ribbon. Again, you would never know that it was Amanda's first horse show! Lauren kept Blaze collected and in control and placed in her large equitation class.

The girls also had to compete in a trail class in order to qualify for day end awards. Again, Hannah and Princess came out on top placing fourth in their division. Lauren and Blaze placed second in their crowded canter division. To top off all of the trail excitement, Amanda and QT won the Western Walk-Trot trail class!

Lauren then took Blaze in two jumping classes where he was able to really shine. Lauren stepped on the gas and won her Junior Gambler's Choice class! Although they did impressed the heck out of us in their other classes throughout the day, we all concurred that Blaze should keep his day job as a hunter jumper! Hannah was also very determined in her Walk-Trot Hunter over Fences class and placed in it as well.

We anxiously awaited the announcement of the day end champions while the girls competed in a few gymkhana classes for fun after all of the main ring classes were over. QT was a crazy man when he saw the cloverleaf barrel pattern and speed paid off again for Blaze when he won the stake race.

The time came that we all had been waiting for and the day end champions were announced. Amanda and QT were day end Reserve Champions alongside of Jess and Princess who won the title of day end Champions.

Girls, we are so incredibly proud of you all. You made the day fun and exciting for everyone who watched you. If you were nervous at all, you definitely didn't show it. You all worked hard and competed at your very best. Again we are so very, very, extremely proud of all four of you that competed and worked together, helping each other throughout the day and night before. We can't wait for our show next Sunday!

Great job girls!

Mack Hill Jumpers Tops Again at Oakrise

Mack Hill had another terrific showing at Oakrise Jumping Show today. The day was full of thrills and spills.  This challenging course caused many problems for many horses and riders. Thankfully all of our riders and horses are doing well.  

Congratulations to Anna Garrison who was Day End Champion.  Alley Martin was Day End Reserve Champion.  

Click here for more pictures of the show.  

Jumping to the Moon at Oakrise

Well the Oakrise Jumping Schooling Show was a huge hit. Everyone stepped up and did something new and different.  Krista got Waldo to confront the evil green jump.  Katie-- a day end Champion and Reserve Champion-- got Chexy to jump two feet (who knew?) Anna-- our day end Champion--showed us that she is now ready to be a jockey at the Kentucky Derby.  Shanna-- a day end Reserve Champion-- had Cannoli soaring like never before.  And Coach Mercy put on a clinic of her own jumping Cash and Treyburn and won a day end Champion and Reserve Champion for her efforts.  Lauren was one gigantic cheering section.  Molly gave us all a scare with her fall off of big Trey.  They are picture perfect pair so we look forward to you next outing on him.  And don't scare us like that again......

Click here for pictures of the show.

Oak Rise Provides a Rainbow of Colors for the Souhegan Riders

The Souhegan Riders had tremendous success today at the Oak Rise Equestrian Show in Goffstown, New Hampshire. Every member of the team gave 110% percent for a terrific team showing.  Individually, most of the ribbons earned were in First, Second or Third place.  All of the practice and primping of the horses paid off!

While we are proud of everyone who competed today, we are especially pleased that many of our riders won Champion or Reserve Champion for their overall performance.  

• Champion Becky Weldon riding Fancy Shmancy ("Princess")
  
• Champion Emily Stone riding Jet Bars Champagne ("Champagne")
• Champion Susan O'Connell riding  Ima French Chocolate ("Toby")
• Champion Katie O'Connell riding Chex Away ("Chexy") and
• Reserve Champion Allie Withee riding Jet Bars Champagne ("Champagne")(not pictured)

Congratulations to Head Coach Mercy Zaveri (second from left") and Assistant Coach Molly Startop (not pictured) for their great success.  

Pictures of all of the riders can be found here.

Mack HIll brings home the blues again!

Three Mack Hill Riders participated in the Apple Valley show in Fremont, New Hampshire this past Sunday and all three brought home blue ribbons. Congratulations to Jess Stepanack on getting her first blue ribbon on Tucker in Western Pleasure and several red ribbons as well!! Tucker performed well in both his English and Western classes under Jess' careful guidance. Katie O'Connell also took home a blue on Chex Away and several red ribbons as well. Chexy just can't be beaten in the trail class!! Toby was a complete gentleman for barn owner, Sue O'Connell, who brought home several blue ribbons for the day. Next show -- June 15 at Oak Rise in Goffstown where the Souhegan Riders 13 team members will compete for the day!! Go Souhegan Riders!! Come watch and support the team for the day!

Cash has a lot to smile about....

Today, the Mack Hill Riders had great success at the Oakrise Farm Pleasure Show series in Goffstown, NH. The Souhegan Riders will be competing at this venue later in June and we wanted to get some real-time experience at the farm.  Congratulations to Coach Mercy Zaveri who won Champion on Cash in the Green Horse division.  This was only young Cash's second show and he really showed that he is ready to compete.  Katie O'Connell was Reserve Champion on Chex Away ("Chexy") in the walk trot division which had 22 competitors.  Shanna Barrow rode Blue Suede Shoes ("Elvis") in his first show and placed second in the hunter hack class.  Special thanks to Liz Rose, Neelan Zaveri, Nora Zaveri and Prenav Zaveri for helping all of the riders all day long. Congratulations to all of you.  On to the Apple Valley Show next week.

Pictures of the Oakrise show can be found here.

"We are the Champions...."

Congratulations to the Mack Hill Riders who competed in the NHQHA May 2008 Novice Show in Dover, NH. Sue O'Connell earned High Point Champion in the AQHA Division. She earned High Point Reserve Champion in the Open Division. Katie O'Connell earned High Point Reserve Champion in the Open Division. Shanna Barrow and Anna Foster earned first places in their jumping class. Jess Stepenak got the thrill of the day flying through the barrels and poles on Tucker. Lauren Smith made Chip look like a Champion even though the judge did not agree. Special Thanks to Coach Mercy for her support. And a huge thank you to Lauren's boyfirend Ian and her dad Brian for tireless help all day long.

Check out pictures from the day here.

Hey Kids... Let's Do a Show....

Tucker, Toby, Chexy, Blaze, Maverick, and Chip are headed to the AQHA show on May 18! Barn Manager and Instructor, Gabe will be coaching the riders. If you are interested in showing....let your instructor know so we can get you in on the future shows. If you ride one of these horses, and may want to join us at the show -- let your instructor know!  Wish us well as Mack Hill hopes to bring home the blues!!