"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. 

Double Clear Farm Jumping Show

The Souhegan Riders equestrian team competed today at the Double Clear Farm Jumping Show in Warner, NH.  All of the practice this year paid off with a lot of top finishers.  This was a challenging course with a lot of intentionally "scary" things.  Yet our horses with their great riders rose to the challenge.  Krista Albright gave us all a scare with her hard fall off of Waldo.  We are pleased to report that she is doing well with nothing broken and nothing damaged (except her helmet-- which is why you always should wear one).  And her smile is as big as ever.  

Congratulations ladies on a terrific day.  For pictures, 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. 

Souhegan Riders Fall Team

Congrats to the following ladies who will make up our fall team:

Emily Stone, Alicia Weismann,  Katie O'Connell, Allie Whithee, Krista Albright, Julia Kenney, and Mae Johnson.

This term, we will attend a pleasure show at Oak Rise farm on September 21st and then  jumper show in Warner on October the 19th.

Practices start this Thursday the 11th at 3:30.  Be sure you have your shirt tucked in, a belt on, and your hair neatly contained!

See you then,

Mercy

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!

Congratulations Souhegan Riders!

Coach Jess and Coach Theresa would like extend their congratulations to the summer Souhegan Riders Show team:

Jess Stepanack
Katie Brunelle
Lauren Weinstock
Emily Stone
Ally Martin
Erin Johnson
Hannah Gagnon
Erin Shields
Katie O'Connell
Amanda Geisinger

Girls, we look forward to a fantastic season and can't wait to get started working with you all! Remember...our first practice session is on Thursday July 10 at 4:30. We ask that you please show up about 15 minutes early for this practice. Congratulations girls!

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.

Souhegan Riders Equestrians Compete at Oakrise Show

Come cheer on the 13 member Souhegan Riders as they compete on Sunday June 15, 2008 at the Oakrise Equestrian Series in Goffstown. Classes begin at 8:00 am and will proceed all day. You Go Girls.....

Summer Riding Team

Calling all competitive riders.  The Souhegan Riders summer term is approaching.  This session will be coached by instructor-- and new mom-- Jess Ellia.  Both Hunt Seat and Western Pleasure Riders will be accepted on the team.The program will run for 8 weeks from July 10 to August 28, 2008.  Team practices will be on Thursdays from 4:30 to 6:30.  The team is open to riders between the ages of 11 to 17.  All riders, including those in the Spring Session, will need to try out for Coach Jess.  

The cost for this term will be $400.  This includes all of the practice/training sessions with Coach Jess as well as the trailering and use of a Mack Hill horse at two shows at which the team will compete.  Riders are responsible for the cost of their own registration and class fees for each show (generally around $60 per show).

Discount shopping at Stone Pony Tack Shop

A special opportunity for Mack Hillers to to their pre-season shopping with at least a 15% discount.  Linda, the owner, has offered the discount to us when we come and shop on Monday, May 12th. They close at 5pm.  If we get a good size crowd, the discount could be even greater!

Mercy will be on hand to help guide you in making the correct purchases for either practice or the show ring.

Even if it is not in your budget to do a bunch of shopping, at least come by to price out your future purchases and make wish lists!

You can contact Mercy with questions by emailing her at mercycarr@hotmail.com.

Congratulations to Allie Martin of Merrimack!

Who has just joined our competitive riding team. Welcome aboard!!

Details about the Souhegan Riders Equestrian Team can be found here.

Riders Ready...

Here are some pictures from the first team practice.  Click here to see Scott's pictures. Click here to see Mercy's pictures.

I am pumped!

Today will be the first practice for the Souhegan Riders Competetive Riding Team. I have been very busy getting things ready. Mollie and I have a game plan in place and we can't wait to give it a go. Thanks to Jess for having had this vision while we were at Fox Brook. With Scott and Sue's support and encouragement, we are making it happen! I will return to the blog to let everyone know how it went. Fingers crossed!

Congratulations to the New Souhegan Riders

Mack Hill is pleased to announce that the following riders have made the Souhegan Riders equestrian team for the Spring 2008 term:

Anna Foster, Amherst; Anna Garrison, Bedford; Mae Johnson, Amherst; Katie O'Connell, Amherst; Kelli Perryman, Merrimack; Emily Stone, Hollis; Jessica Sullivan, Milford; Alicia Weisman, Bedford; Becky Weldon, Amherst; Allie Withee, Bedford;Erin Johnson, Hollis; Julia Kenney, Amherst; Allie Martin, Merrimack; Coach Mercy Zaveri

We look forward to your first competition! Good luck.

Details about the team can be found here