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Lendon Youth Dressage Festival Returns to Michigan at Hampton Green Farm, June 28-30, 2019
The annual summer Youth Dressage Festival at Hampton Green Farm in Fruitport, Michigan, will again feature the direction and teaching of founder Lendon Gray, in addition to some very special guests. Now in its ninth year, the Lendon Youth Dressage Festival Midwest has maintained the three day format, featuring a two-day intense clinic for more advanced riders, kown as the TEAM clinic, followed by a one-day three-part competition open to all riders, regardless of level or dressage experience. Sunday's all-youth horse show is open to any rider under 21, and consists of 3 divisions: Written Test, Dressage Test, and Equitation Test. Modeled after the highly successful LYDF held every summer in New York, the Midwest version is a one-day event, preceded by a Saturday night Exhibitor's Dinner featuring United States Developing Grand Prix Trainer Charlotte Bredahl (more about Charlotte below...)! Dates are: Friday and Saturday, June 28-29: TEAM Clinic with Lendon Gray and others Saturday night, June 29: Exhibitors Party—Friends and Parents Invited, Featuring Charlotte Bredahl Sunday, June 30: Lendon Youth Dressage Festival Midwest, 3-Part Competition Where: Hampton Green Farm, Fruitport, MI www.hamptongreenfarm.com The following speakers and commentators will be involved with this year’s event: Lendon Gray, Founder and President of Dressage4Kids: Two-time Olympian Lendon Gray believes dressage is for every horse and rider. Generous, outspoken, and pragmatic, Lendon has devoted her energies to the improvement of all riders (not just the privileged ones) and all horses (even the littlest ones). With the goal that all youths might learn how to become not just better riders, but all-around horsemen, Lendon established Lendon’s Youth Dressage Festival (formerly known as the Northeast Junior/Young Rider Championships) in 1999. Lendon will be training and lecturing to the riders throughout the weekend, as well as overseeing all of the Divisions. Saturday Night Speaker and Dressage Commentator: Charlotte Bredahl is a 1992 Bronze Medalist on the US Olympic Dressage Team, FEI 4* Judge, and new USEF Grand Prix Developing Team Coach. Charlotte works closely with US Senior Dressage Team Trainer Debbie McDonald to produce quality pairs for future United States Team potential. Formerly part of the team of Youth Trainers for USEF, Charlotte has a special passion for young riders and their educational progress. Sunday afternoon Lecturer: Since her childhood riding horses in Spain and following her university studies in communications,Lily Foradohas quickly established herself as an international photojournalist of dressage, becoming an integral player in the promotion of the sport through outstanding photography of the most briliant competition and behind-the scenes-moments between horse and rider. She attends all of the Dressage Championships in Europe and around the world and has received her press credentials for the Tokyo Olympics. We look forward to having Lily Forado with us and having her share her unique experiences, relationships, and lessons learned. Dressage Judge:Merrilyn Griffin, USEF “r” Dressage Judge Equitation Judge: Barbara Crossmyer Reis LYDF Midwest Prizelist and Entry Form now available on the Home Page of this website. Read all information carefully! TEAM riders must apply through the Dressage4Kids website. Information and application available athttps://dressage4kidsorg.presencehost.net/programs/team-program.html All TEAM Riders MUST enter the LYDF on Sunday, June 30.
Idolo Americano 2003-2019
We regret to announce the passing of a member of the HGF family, Idolo Americano. The 16 year old PRE gelding was bred and born in Fruitport Michigan, by Idilio II out of Escapada. Idolo was an impressive young stallion with promise. In 2007 he was the recipient of the Born in America award for top placing US-born stallion at the Devon Breed Show, typically dominated by warmbloods. He went on to be trained by Maria Lithander, who took him to a Region II Reserve Championship at Second Level, then on to Courtney King Dye and Jose Daniel Martin Dockx in Spain. He returned to the United States as a gelding and proceeded to take a number of HGF working students to their first CDIs, USDF training conferences, Palm Beach Derby high point awards and more. His riders over the years included Rachel Chowanec and Katja Creswick. But it was in the hands of Sophia Schults that Idolo found his best partner. They progressed through the international Junior levels to the Young Rider levels, competing regularly at Global Dressage, and in 2018 participating in a NAJYRC and Festival of Champions. Known for an amazing piaffe and passage, Idolo was a generous teacher to all his riders. He passed away last night suddenly after a brief struggle with colic. He was in the hands of the veterinarians and did not suffer. We are all feeling his loss.
From Michigan to the World Stage: HGF Horses in FEI Championships Summer 2018
Two Michigan-bred PRE horses from Hampton Green Farm will represent the USA and Spain this summer in FEI Championship shows. Mejorano HGF, a son of two-time Olympian Grandioso III, has been selected to represent Spain in the World Championships of Young Horses in the 7 Year Old Division. A rigourous qualifying agenda beginning in January of this year was established by ANCCE, the national PRE breed association which represents Spain in the Championships. Among the best horses from the best stud farms in Spain, American-bred Mejorano HGF, ridden by Jose Daniel Martin Dockx, topped the 7 Year Old ranking and was subsequently selected by team trainer Jurgen Koschel for his spot in the 2 horse quota for the division. On the other end of the spectrum, long-time schoolmaster Idolo Americano (Idilio x Escapada) has found a new career in the hands of Sophia Schults of Saint Joseph, Michigan. In two years, 17 year old Sophia has taken Idolo from FEI Junior to FEI Young Riders and has now qualified for the FEI North American Youth Championships for Region 3. Both Championships will be held the first week of August, in Ermelo, Netherlands and North Salem, New York respectively. HGF is a breeder of PRE horses for dressage and has consistently produced internationally relevant competitors. Our accomplishments include: 2 Olympics--London and Rio 1 World Equestrian Games--Normandy 7 Nations Cups in Aachen and Wellington, for both US teams and Spain 3 National Champions or Reserve (Spain and US) 3 FEI North American Championships, with Individual Medals 1 World Championships for Young Horses HGF has an exceptional line-up of young sale horses in training with international potential. For more information, contact Maria Lithander at hamptongreenfarm@aol.com.
2015 in Review
HGF 2015: What a year it’s been! Spanish Reserve National Champion, Small Tour--Oxido NAJYRC Bronze Medal Individual Young Rider Freestyle--Vaquero HGF NAJYRC Gold Medal Junior Team--Iliado HGF NAJYRC Fourth Place Junior Individual--Iliado HGF USEF Reserve National Champion, Young Rider--Vaquero HGF CHIO Hagen Team Bronze Medal--Grandioso European Championship Team Fourth Place--Grandioso 5 International Grand Prix wins--Grandioso In 2015, the PRE horses of Hampton Green Farm have distinguished themselves in national championships on both sides of the Atlantic. Competing against the best horses of all breeds in Spain, the United States and Europe, Hampton Green Farm horses and riders have continued to prove that the PRE horse is relevant in high performance dressage. Youth Riders Kerrigan Gluch and Alexandra Meghi of Canada both brought home medals from the North American Junior Young Rider Championships, individually and in team contests. Iliado HGF was the highest FEI-ranked international horse in Canada for 2015, and 8 year old stallion Vaquero HGF, with Kerrigan, went on to become USEF Reserve National Young Rider Champions, in their first year competing at the Young Rider (Prix St. George) level. Jose Daniel Martin Dockx campaigned three horses for HGF in 2015, with resounding success. Ten year old Bolero debuted at Grand Prix, with respectable international scores in his first year, taking third place in the Freestyle at CDI Madrid, scoring over 70%, and ending the year with a national win in Sotogrande. At the Spanish National Dressage Championships, 9 year old Oxido was Reserve Champion of Spain at the Small Tour. Grandioso and Dani captured 5 CDI Grand Prix wins in 2015, including a big win in Wellington in January. They were an integral part of the effort to secure an Olympic berth for Spain at the European Championships in Aachen, with a stunning team finish of 4th place. And they finished the year with a satisfying sweep of the Madrid Horse Week Grand Prix, with scores that came close to their all-time highs. In Michigan in 2015, HGF’s breeding program produced 5 top-quality foals from sires Grandioso and Faralay II (of Ketcham Ranch). HGF riding staff, led by Maria Lithander, worked diligently over the summer preparing an exciting group of young horses for sales prospects in 2016. A full brother to Nicholas Fyffe’s Fiero HGF--4 year old Mejorano HGF, by Grandioso—was started in the summer and then traveled in the fall to Spain to begin training with Dani in Mijas. Six mares were covered for 2016 foals, by sires Camaron IX, Cuatrero IV, and Armas Charneco. Revision was held at HGF in the fall, and 3 year old Conocido HGF received outstanding marks from the ANCCE vet, with marks of 9 for movement and overall impression. HGF sponsored youth initiatives in 2015 through Lendon Gray’s Dressage4Kids foundation. The Winter Intensive Training (WIT) program was held at HGF in Wellington again, with 15 young riders who spent three months training with Lendon and others, and competing in the Florida circuit. HGF was also a sponsor of the Robert Dover Horsemastership Week in Wellington in January, hosting an 80s-themed fundraiser that brought out over 200 people and raised close to $5000.00 for the program. We also were title sponsors of the Florida International Youth Dressage Championships in March, and were pleased to see European youth rider participation for the first time in 2015. In June, HGF hosted the Michigan Emerging Dressage Athlete Clinic and the Lendon Youth Dressage Festival in Fruitport, bringing out the largest group of aspiring dressage riders to date for these events. In 2015 HGF continued to open its doors for local non-profits, with over 15 charities hosting events on our grounds in both Michigan and Florida. We have found that “a day with the horses” is a successful draw for raising awareness and funding for many worthwhile charitable organizations, and that helping with these events has become the high points of our calendar. HGF-bred horses received top honors with their riders/owners in 2015, including USDF All Breeds winners, Copa USPRE winners and USPRE Dressage Team members, a USEF Silver Stirrup winner, and a member of a national developing list. So another busy year comes to a close….with an even more exciting year ahead with the prospects of the Olympics in Rio. Four HGF horses will be competing with young riders in the Florida shows starting in January, and Dani will continue to develop Bolero and Oxido for the Grand Prix. A group of young HGF-bred horses will make the trip from Fruitport to the south of Spain in 2016 to begin our newest project of young prospects, and several more will be started here in the States for various purposes. Grandioso, in his final year of competition, will participate in select clinics and shows during the year at the direction of the RFHE for hopeful participation on the Spanish Team. HGF is more than locations and more than horses. Its is a community of hard-working and dedicated people who make all of this happen with success. We could not be who we are without our team. Our hats off to this wonderful family we call HGF: Joan, Jim, Martin, Norma, Francisco, Luis, Jaime, Gilberto, Dani, Mohamed, Kerrigan, Maria, Remi, Katja, and Sara. Our collective Best Wishes to all our friends for an exciting and rewarding 2016!
Spring Schedule 2014
It’s the middle of April, a time of transition at Hampton Green Farm. The Wellington season is over, with satisfying results for both of our working students, Kerrigan Gluch and Rachel Chowanec. With their competitive scores in the CDIs this winter, both young women are hoping for an invitation to the Festival of Champions at Gladstone in June, and for Kerrigan, a spot on the Region 2 Team for the North American Junior Young Rider Championships in Kentucky in July. The Michigan farm is finally thawed out after one of the harshest winters on record. This year we are not expecting any foals, as we gave our mares a rest over the winter. We will be rebreeding a select group of mares for next year’s foaling crop—utilizing sires Grandioso III and Qualified stallion Faralay II (Ebanisto x Lebrijano III), owned by Ketcham Ranch in Paicines, CA. In Spain, Daniel Martin Dockx has begun competing the horses again after a winter of training new levels. He presented three of our younger stallions in national shows, with scores ranging from 65-68% at Prix St. George, the first time at the level for two of the three. This spring we purchased several new horses and have integrated them into our program at the Hippodromo in Mijas. Grandioso’s upcoming schedule includes: May 15-18 CDI 4* Glock Show in Treffen, Austria June 11-14 Spanish National Championships in Barcelona We will report show results, photos and videos when available on our Facebook page at Hampton Green Forum.
Vaquero HGF: First American-Bred Horse to Medal at SICAB
Vaquero HGF: First American-Bred Horse to Medal at SICAB Throughout the year, the PREs of Spain compete in rated dressage shows for qualification in the year-end Copa ANCCE (Breeders Cup) Finals. The top 12 ranked horses of each division are invited to compete against each other for two days at SICAB—the highly visible (un-rated) Dressage Finals held in conjunction with the annual Breed Finals for PRE horses, sponsored by the National Association of PRE Breeders in Spain. Vaquero HGF went into the competition in solid first place in the rankings—having earned his qualifying scores at CDIs at Sunshine Tour, Toledo and other shows. A panel of national judges working at SICAB put him 7th on Day One and 2nd on Day Two, for a finish with the national title of Bronze for the Copa ANCCE 2013 in the 6 Year Old Dressage Division. This is the first time that a PRE horse bred on American soil has achieved such an honor at the annual national celebration of PRE breeders in Spain. Vaquero is a 2007 PRE stallion by Cuatrero IV out of Encina HGF, born at HGF in Fruitport, Michigan. He was sent to Spain in 2010 to begin his training with Daniel Martin Dockx. Together the pair has finished as the top PRE in the official Young Horse Championships of Spain in 2012 and 2013. They are ranked 6th overall (out of 80) at year-end in the RFHE 6 Year Old rankings for Spain, and first among PREs. Daniel and Vaquero are preparing for the Small Tour next year. Photo Credit: TopIberian.com
Fall News 2013
Winter is not far away in Michigan, and the staff is busy closing up the farm for the cold weather. In 2013, our mares gave birth to nine healthy foals by sires Camaron IX and Cuatrero IV—five colts and four fillies. All foals are now weaned and have been moved to their new pastures, and the mares are enjoying a year of rest. We will rebreed again in 2014. Meanwhile, in Wellington we are getting ready for our busiest time of year. Working Students Kerrigan Gluch and Rachel Chowanec each have two horses in training. Kerrigan is preparing Lentisco for international competition at Junior level, and has already competed him this fall with scores in the high 60s. She is also riding Infanta HGF this winter for the D4K program. Rachel is preparing Idolo Americano for the Small Tour, and continuing to school the Grand Prix movements with Embrujado. Both girls were invited to ride for Anne Gribbons this past week, thanks to a scholarship from Renee Isler. They rode their tests for Anne, who then provided valuable suggestions for improvements and exercises helpful for horses with baroque conformation. Rachel and Kerrigan are in training this fall with Maria Lithander, a long-time friend of HGF and a rider who achieved excellent results on Idilio at the Small Tour and others of our young horses. Jim and Luis have the rental barns ready for our winter boarders. Canadian Olympian Jacquie Brooks is returning with her clients, as is Lendon Gray with her Dressage4Kids WIT Program, which is bigger than last year. Now that the issues with the Village have been resolved favorably for the Global Dressage Festival, there is much excitement for the upcoming season of 7 CDI competitions and twice as many national shows, all in one location, and all a short hack from Hampton Green. SICAB, the annual international PRE horse fair in Sevilla, Spain, is just a few weeks away. USPRE, the national PRE Horse association, will be there and will host the International Breeders Reception on Thursday evening. Vaquero HGF will defend his national ranking at the Copa ANCCE against the other 6 Year Old PREs vying for the Copa title. Many HGF friends and clients are planning to attend this year. Finally, we want to congratulate the Schiefele family on their recent purchase of Baroco HGF. This outstanding four year old shows great promise and, paired with their Junior Level daughter, should be a top prospect for all levels as grow together. Elena is an EDAP rider who trains regularly with Maria Lithander, and will be part of the WIT program this winter with Lendon Gray. Upcoming Events for Winter 2014: Daniel Martin Dockx Clinic, January in Wellington, TBA USPRE Week, January 20-26 USPRE Party, Wednesday, January 22, at Global Dressage The Great Charity Challenge, PBIEC , Saturday, February 1 Florida Youth Dressage Championships, February 18-23 The Nations Cup at Global Dressage, February 18-23
Autumn News at HGF
The leaves are gone at the Michigan farm, Martin and Luis have just reset 60 new fence posts, and the foals are scheduled to be weaned next month by Mare Barn Manager Sandy Talbot. The "other Sandy" has just passed through Florida bringing moderate winds and rain, but is bearing down now on the East Coast, at the least delaying the departure of several of our friends who were planning to head south next week. Our thoughts and best wishes go out to all of our friends who find themselves in the path of this impending storm... In Wellington, all the horses have settled in and are in regular work again. Wellington Trainer Allyn Schiavone is currently working with two of our EDAP Working Students, Chelsea Reed and Kerrigan Gluch, helping them prepare for monthly visits by Lendon Gray. Rachel Chowanec is due to arrive in the next week with Embrujado, who will join a barn full of PREs this season. We plan to have 13 PREs, from newly started 3 year olds through Grand Prix, in training with various riders this winter at HGF. In addition to our regular team, Bolero CXLVIII and Idolo Americano have returned to HGF and will be in Wellington this winter, and you will see two lovely-moving PRE mares in training in our arena as well. We are looking forward to hosting the first year of Lendon Gray's WIT program at HGF in January--Winter Intensive Training for youth riders under 21. HGF Working Students will participate in this program along with 10 other motivated youth riders. The season will kick off with the Robert Dover Horse Mastership Week January 6-12, and culminate in a new Florida Youth Championship, held at the Global Dressage Festival's Wellington Dressage Classic CDI 3*, March 14-17. Check back often for more details about all of these programs and events. Finally, it wouldn't be Halloween without the Palms Stable Riding Academy's Halloween Horse Show, at which two of our own "emerging athletes" cleaned up with 4 Blue Ribbons!
US-Born VAQUERO HGF Tops 5 Year Old PREs at Spanish National Young Horse Championships
Hampton Green Farm is proud to announce that Michigan-born Vaquero HGF, ridden by Daniel Martin Dockx, topped all PREs in the Five Year Old Division of the Spanish National Young Horse Championships, held last week in Zaragoza, Spain. Additionally, Vaquero HGF was the only PRE to place in the top ten for the division. The Spanish National Young Horse Trials, this year hosted at Feria de Ecuzar, brought out more than 150 young horses in the four divisions (4 Years, 5 Years, 6 Years, and Developing Horse 7-9 Years). There were 60 horses in the 5 Year Old Division, roughly divided equally between PREs and warmblood horses. Qualifiers for the finals were held at rated shows throughout the year, and this year's championship field presented the finest exemplars of the best studfarms in Spain, as well as many high-quality imported German stock. Vaquero HGF is by Cuatrero IV, out of Encina HGF (by Idilio II). Vaquero's sire was imported from the Yeguada Marin Garcia and is closely related to Grandioso III. Vaquero's dam, like Vaquero, was bred at HGF's Michigan location. As a three year old, Vaquero was selected by Courtney King-Dye as a future prospect, however, following her injury, Vaquero was sent to Spain to be started by Daniel. The pair had a very respectful showing at the 2011 Four Year Old National Championships (finishing in the top 10 horses, and top 5 PREs). Competition photos to be posted as we get them. Final classifications athttp://www.topiberian.com/shows/2012/ecuzar/docs/caballos-jovenes/medallero.pdf
Robert Dover and Dr. Hilary Clayton to Headline the Lendon Youth Dressage Festival Midwest in Michigan
Hampton Green Farm in Fruitport, Michigan, is pleased to announce that Robert Dover will be the speaker at the LYDFM Exhibitor's Dinner on Wednesday, July 11. Robert Dover is the most honored dressage athlete in the United States--a multiple-Olympic and World Equestrian Games medalist for the United States Dressage Team, former Team Trainer for Canada, and founder of the Equestrian Aid Society. His latest passion is the Emerging Dressage Athlete Program, which he founded in early 2011 with Olympic riders Lendon Gray and Courtney King-Dye as a venue to identify and develop potential international talent among America's youth riders. Robert is based in Wellington, Florida, and operates a training business that takes him around the world, in addition to hosting a weekly radio program and daily blog dedicated to issues pertinent to equestrians. HGF is honored also to have Dr. Hilary Clayton as the Educational Lecturer on Thursday afternoon of the LYDFM. Dr. Clayton is the first incumbent of the Mary Anne McPhail Dressage Chair in Equine Sports Medicine at Michigan State University's College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Clayton is a faculty member in the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences and holds academic appointments in the Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture and the Department of Materials Science and Mechanics in the College of Engineering. As a veterinarian and researcher, Dr. Clayton's studies on the biomechanics of equine gait have focused on sport horses, including dressage and jumping horses. Some recent work has included videographic studies of Olympic dressage and jumping events and kinematic and kinetic research with some of the world's top dressage riders and horses in the Netherlands. The Lendon Youth Dressage Festival Midwest is a one-day version of the LYDF held every summer in New York--a three-phase competition encompassing a Written Test, a group Equitation class and an individual Dressage test--for youth riders 21 years old and younger. LYDFM Exhibitor's Dinner is open to the public and will function as a fund-raiser for Dressage4Kids. Date: Wednesday, July 11 Time: 6.30 PM Place: Hampton Green Farm, 5440 E. Farr Road, Fruitport, MI 49415 Cost: $20.00 RSVP: 231-865-6000
Summer News at HGF
June is here and HGF Michigan is ready! Spring cleaning is wrapping up just in time for the arrival of our students for their summer program and the last shipment of horses from Florida. Friends from around the country-- and the world-- have planned their summer trips to Fruitport to attend the special events and see the young stock. Four of six 2012 foals are on the ground and Mare Manager Sandy Talbot says they are a strong and lively group. Joan is busy attending to the final plans for over 14 special events to be held at HGF, not least of which is the Lendon Youth Dressage Festival Midwest and the concurrent Emerging Dressage Athlete Clinic in July. Mark your calendars for these important summer dates: Dressage Shows: June 7-10 Fritzens Schindlhof June 22-24 Traverse City June 21-24 Rotterdam July 4-8 Aachen July 10-11 EDAP at HGF July 12 LYDF Midwest August 2-9 London Olympic Games Clinics at HGF*: June 22-23 Lendon Gray June 13-14 Lendon Gray July TBA Lendon Gray TBA Courtney King-Dye *Contact the office if you are interested in riding in any of these clincs. Dressage4Kids Dinner with Robert Dover and Lendon Gray (Open to Public): Wednesday, July 11--6.00 pm $20.00 per person (All proceeds benefit Dressage4Kids) RSVP--231-865-6000
Time to Register for the Lendon Youth Dressage Festival Midwest and HGF EDAP Clinic
Time to Register for the Lendon Youth Dressage Festival Midwest and HGF EDAP Clinic Registration is now open for the Lendon Youth Dressage Festival Midwest, Thursday July 12 at Hampton Green Farm in Fruitport, Michigan. LYDF Midwest is a one-day version of the internationally acclaimed youth dressage festival held annually in New York. This is the second year of the Midwest version, and this year's show is shaping up to be unforgettable! We are pleased to announce Special Guest Robert Dover--6 time US Olympian, former Canadian National Dressage Coach and co-founder of the EDAP program--for the Wednesday evening dinner speaker and dressage commentator on Thursday. USEF "I" Judge Natalie Lamping will be our dressage judge for the day, with many of the Midwest's dressage trainers also on hand to assist and evaluate riders. LYDF is open to all riders who turn 21 in 2012 and younger. The competition consists of three divisions: a written test based on the LYDF reading list; a dressage test, and an equitation test. Special awards are presented for Best Turn-Out, Best Pony and Breed, Top Scoring Young Trainer, and more. The 2012 HGF EDAP clinic will be conducted two days prior to LYDF Midwest (Tuesday and Wednesday, July 10-11), and all EDAP riders will be required to participate in LYDF. The Emerging Dressage Athlete Program (EDAP)--founded by Olympians Lendon Gray, Robert Dover and Courtney King-Dye--is a series of invitational clinics for youth riders of distinction held around the country. Riders must apply on-line at and submit a video. At the end of the year, 12 riders will be selected to attend the week-long Robert Dover Horsemanship Week in Wellington, Florida. LYDF Midwest Prizelist and Entry Forms are now posted at the links on this Home Page. Register now as space is limited.
Nation's Cup at Global Dressage Festival
Mica Mabragana and Cuatrero IV were part of Team Latin America II at the first North American Nation's Cup (CDIO), held this past weekend as the final show of the 2012 Global Dressage Festival. Team Latin America II finished 5th of 8 teams, and Mica and Cuatrero did their first Freestyle together, also their first time under the lights in the International Arena. The pair performed a clean test in front of close to 800 spectators on a night that was characterized by team camaraderie and the excitement of the close competition. We are proud of this young combination for representing both HGF and Argentina with a beautiful, clean and expressive ride to the music of Ravel's Bolero. Mica's scores of 63.6 and 64.5 contributed to the Team's totals for Fifth Place, along with team members Jessica McTaggart of the Cayman Islands on Ray of Light, and Luis Reteguiz-Denizard of Puerto Rico on Nalando. This show marks the end of the 2012 Florida winter season for HGF, where Cuatrero returned to the show ring with a new rider, after four years of no competing. He and Mica showed consistent improvement throughout the season and handled the pressures of new situations extremely well. We expect that Cuatrero will continue to improve as the routine of competition becomes more familiar, and that Mica and Cuatrero continue to develop their partnership into a very competitive combination for the future. For the summer, however, Cuatrero will take a break and return to HGF Michigan, where he will stand to HGF mares.
Lendon Youth Dressage Festival Midwest 2013--Prize List Now Available
The 2013 Lendon Youth Dressage Festival Midwest, held annually at Hampton Green Farm in Fruitport, Michigan, will begin accepting entries on 1 May. This year's Festival will be held on Sunday, June 23--preceded by the Emerging Dressage Athlete Clinic on June 21-22. We will be making more exciting announcements in the coming weeks, but MARK YOUR CALENDARS, bring your HORSE, TRAINER, and MOM AND DAD, and plan to be a part of this exciting annual YOUTH EVENT! Details below: Lendon Youth Dressage Festival Midwest (LYDFM) What: A one-day version of the Lendon Gray Youth Festival: a highly successful equitation and dressage show for riders under 21 at all levels. To be held on June 23, 2013 at Hampton Green Farm in Fruitport, Michigan. Featuring top international riders as judges, lecturers and commentators. 3 Divisions--a Written Test, a Dressage Test, and an Equitation Test. All ages and levels welcome. Teams may also compete. For more information, see Prize List above or . When: June 23 Where: Hampton Green Farm, MI Special Events: D4K Dinner with a Dressage VIP (to be announced) on Saturday, June 22 Emerging Dressage Athlete Clinic (EDAP) What: A two-day intensive training clinic with Lendon Gray for riders who are selected via application. Riders are selected based on a riding video, copies of tests, an application letter and recommendations. To apply see http://dressage4kids.com/Emerging%20Dressage%20Athlete%20Program.htm When: June 21-22 Where: Hampton Green Farm, MI Special Events: All EDAP riders are expected to attend the D4K Dinner and are expected to compete in the LYDF Midwest on Sunday, June 23.
November News and Pan American Update:
November is a transition month at HGF. For the Michigan farm, the stallions have left for Florida and it's time to wean the foals. Sandy Talbot and her team prepare the facility for the long winter. In Florida, the horses have settled in and the first of the seasonal renters are arriving. Maria Lithander has started all the horses while we wait for Mica Mabragana to arrive later in the month with her clients and horses from New York. Some important dates for this month: November 22-26 SICAB, Sevilla Spain November 30-December 4 CDI 4* Salzburg (Grandioso) *Don't forget Tuesday evenings, 6-8 pm, with Robert Dover atwww.DoversWorld.com . Pan American Update: We've had a number of people inquire as to Idilio's participation in the Pan Americans. Following the invitation from the Argentine Equestrian Federation, we decided not to send Idilio to Guadalajara. It was our opinion that the stress of the trip on an older stallion was prohibitive and as we were responsible for our own travel and importation process, we were concerned about other risks to the horse. Idilio is 100% sound and in work at HGF Wellington at this time.
Four Year Old Vaquero HGF Finishes in Top Five PREs at Spanish National Young Horse Championships
This past weekend in Almeria Spain, Vaquero HGF competed in his second horse show with notable results. He and his rider Daniel Martin Dockx placed in the top five PREs nationally at the Four Year Old Level, and in the top ten for the Four Year Old Championship overall. The first class of the competition had close to 60 horses and was divided into two days. Following the Preliminary Test, fifteen horses would move on to the Finals. Vaquero placed 13th with a score of 6.9. In the Final Test, Vaquero moved up significantly to 7th place with a score of 72.6, giving him a cumulative score of 248.7 and a 9th place overall, and 5th of the PRE Horses nationally at that level. Vaquero is a 2007 gray PRE colt by Cuatrero IV out of Encina HGF (Idilio), born at HGF in Fruitport, Michigan. In late 2010 as a three year old, Vaquero and his pasture mate, Conquero HGF, traveled to Spain to be in training with Daniel Martin. Conquero has yet to be shown. Both horses will continue their training with Daniel at Hipica Dana. Video of the ride and the rest of the Championship can be seen at TopIberian:http://www.topiberian.com/index.php?option=com_seyret[&]Itemid=67[&]task=videodirectlink[&]id=5315[&]lang=es
Lendon Youth Dressage Festival Midwest and the Emerging Dressage Athlete Clinic Bring Aspiring Dressage Stars to Hampton Green Farm
For three days last week, Fruitport Michigan was the place to be for top youth talent and young equestrians with big dreams. On Friday and Saturday, 11 hand-picked riders participated in the first ever Emerging Dressage Athlete Section A Clinic. This program was conceived last winter by three Olympians--Robert Dover, Lendon Gray and Courtney King-Dye--and patterned after the successful program of the same name for young Jumpers. The 11 riders, all under 21 years old and all young women, were given an exam on the first morning based on a reading list, and then two in-depth riding sessions each with Lendon Gray and/or Courtney King-Dye. The riders came from Michigan, Illinois, Ohio, Florida and New York to participate, hoping to be selected for the Section B clinic in November in Wellington with Robert Dover. Not all of the riders were able to bring their own horses, and so mounts were loaned to them from various owners. The level of work was high and the atmosphere intense, but all 11 rode their very best and took away invaluable lessons for the future. Many of the riders brought their own trainers from home, who were able to interact with the clinicians during each session. A dinner on Saturday evening ended with an extended question and answer session between the riders, their trainers and Courtney and Lendon. On Sunday, the clinic riders joined other local riders ages 8 to 21 for the Lendon Youth Dressage Festival Midwest--a one-day competition that involved three components: a written exam, a dressage test, and an equitation class. In spite of a long weekend for some and a demanding show day for all, the enthusiasm among the riders, trainers and parents remained high and the day ended with many awards and personal bests. Congratulations to our Champions and all participants! Our thanks to our staff, volunteers and sponsors for making this possible: Show Manager: Lyn Kendall Show Secretary: Maureen Sharp Assistant Manager: Marilyn Fahringer Dressage Judge: Colleen Haveman HGF Staff led by Joan Mack and Sandy Talbot Parents and Trainers Millbrook Tack Coopersville Hardware [&] Feed A1 Tents West Michigan Veterinary Clinic Ver Duins Printing Sunset Valley Horse Stalls DressageDaily.com Jen Kaiser and Baker College and her nursing students Sycamore Lane Farrier Lendon Gray and Courtney King-Dye Results: Grand Champion (sponsored by Millbrook Tack): Megan Heeder 239.32 Reserve Grand Champion (Sponsored by Millbrook Tack): Chelsea Reed 227.89 Division One (15 and Under) Champion: Chelsea Reed and Lentisco 227.89 Division One Reserve Champion: Chelsea Reed and Kabileno 225.49 Division Two (16 and Older) Champion: Megan Heeder and Simpatico 239.32 Division Two Reserve Champion: Elizabeth Mauer and Wynshire's Valiant 223.58 Millbrook Tack Turn-Out Champion: Emily Gillispie and Goodnight Moon USPRE Champion: Chelsea Reed and Lentisco Hampton Green Farm Young Horse Champion: Megan Levine and Rhomann Coopersville Hardware and Feed Volunteer Award: Jim Guthrie
Lendon Youth Dressage Festival Midwest, with Courtney King-Dye, and Emerging Dressage Athlete Program Clinic, August 5-7
Hampton Green Farm will be the location of the first Lendon Youth Dressage Festival held in the Midwest, as well as the first regional "Section A" Clinic for the new Emerging Dressage Athlete Program, both events to be held during the weekend of August 5-7 at HGF's Fruitport, Michigan farm. Courtney King-Dye will be a Special Guest and Judge. The regional "Setion A" Clinic on Friday and Saturday is for dressage riders under 21 who are interested in working with Lendon Gray and qualifying for the invitational "Section B" sessions in Wellington, Florida with Robert Dover and Courtney King-Dye. (See ). Interested applicants must apply on-line at . The Lendon Youth Dressage Festival Midwest will be held on Sunday and is open to all riders of any discipline under 21. A mini-version of the original, the LYDF Midwest is modeled after the highly successful LYDF held every year in New York in July, which annually draws over 250 youth riders from the United States, Canada and South America and which brings aspiring equestrians together with top judges and professionals who judge them in three categories: A Written Test, Equitation and Dressage. The Prize List for the the LYDF Midwest will be posted on this site shortly and Entry Forms will be available on-line or by emailing . A special dinner on Friday night, August 5, will be a Q and A with Olympian Courtney King-Dye, and open to all her fans. (Cost is $20.00 per person/ RSVP to the HGF office.) For directions and lodging information, see Call the office for more information, and plan to join us for this very special weekend!
Wanted: Freestyles for Charity
This summer at the Michigan location, HGF will be hosting a number of events for charitable organizations and we need horses and riders who are willing to do a "fun freestyle" for the attendees. Most of the events are held on the weekends on an afternoon, with anywhere from 60 to 400 people in attendance. Organizations such as Love, Inc., Catholic Charities, United Way, the Muskegon Museum of Art, Child Abuse Council, Every Woman's Place, and many more have come to Hampton Green for a day in the country, a tour of the barns, a picnic lunch and a short program about dressage. With our performance horses out of town for the summer, HGF is asking dressage riders in the Western Michigan area to help us present a program for these events. A stipend to offset travel expenses is offered, and your participation will be greatly appreciated by the many families, children and donors in attendance. For more information and a calendar of events, please contact Joan in the office at 231-865-6000 or 616-402-2238.
Giving Thanks for a Record Sales Season at Hampton Green Farm
In this season of giving thanks, HGF would like to thank all of our new owners for making 2010 a record year for horse sales. Over 20 HGF horses were sold in 2010, ranging from weanlings to stallions with competition records. We appreciate your trust in us and in our product and we stand behind your new purchase with our expertise, training opportunities, and our resources in horse and care and management. During these difficult times, which have affected the horse world deeply, we are most grateful for the continued interest in our product and support of our business. Our 2010 clients come from all sectors of the horse world. In 2010, we sold to: --1 6-time US Olympian and International Dressage Team Coach (and now Radio Personality) --5 Established Professional Dressage Trainers from California to Connecticut to Florida --2 Michigan Breeding Farms -- Parents of 3 JR/YRs --1 Brentina Cup Prospect -- Anda number of serious Adult Amateur riders, as well as a few pleasure riders Aside from "the business", we at HGF have many more things to be thankful for this Holiday Season--we are thankful to have the privilege to make a vocation of horses, we are thankful for all of the people we work with who make excellence their standard of work for HGF and its clients, we are thankful for our friends and supporters who have both laughed and cried with us, we are thankful to witness the miracle of seeing Courtney come back to life, and we are thankful for each animal we care for and how they bless our lives. Happy Thanksgiving to all! HGF Team