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2 Equestrian Vaulting Editor in Chief: Megan Benjamin, Copy Editor: Katharina Woodman Photographers: Nancy Stevens-Brown, Tami Crawford, Blake Dahlgren, Larry and Treva Olinick, Lynne Owen, Primo Ponies Photography, Kate Revell, Ann Marie Schmitz, Michelle Solorzano, Star Bright Photography, VaultingPhotos.com Writers and Contributors: Sheri Benjamin, Carolyn Bland, Stacey Burnett, Jill Hobby, Elizabeth Ioannou, Erik Martonovich, Rosalind Ross, Alethea Shelton, Nancy Stevens-Brown, Alexandra Thrasher Designer: Leah Kucharek, Red Hen Design Equestrian Vaulting magazine is the official publication of the American Vaulting Association. Comments/suggestions/questions are welcome to For information on advertising rates, how to submit editorial content and more go to For address changes go to and click on Membership Updates to make the change. If you are having problems receiving your copy of the magazine or wish to receive additional copies, contact the AVA National Office (ph or No part of this publication may be reproduced either in whole or part without written permission. Copyright by American Vaulting Association Equestrian Vaulting magazine is published quarterly. Give the Gift of 2 EquestrianVaultinG Spring 2012 AMERICAN VAULTING ASSOCIATION 8205 Santa Monica Blvd. #1-288 West Hollywood, CA Subscription Prices (4 quarterly issues, published Spring, Summer, Fall & Winter) Add on subscription for current AVA Vaulting Fan and Recreational Members (US only): $12 US Non-member: $18 Equestrian Vaulting Up to 60% Off! Foreign: $34 US Single copy price: $6/each Multi-pack Pricing for All Current AVA Members and Clubs: 5-Pack EV Magazine Bundles: $50 15% off single subscription pricing! 10-pack EV Magazine Bundles: $90 25% off single subscription pricing! 20-pack EV Magazine Bundles: $140 40% off single subscription pricing! Visit and click on EV Magazine to subscribe! Equestrian Vaulting American Vaulting Association Directory 2011 AVA VOLUNTEER BOARD OF DIRECTORS Executive Board Members President: Sheri Benjamin, sbenjamin@americanvaulting.org Executive VP: Kelley Holly, tambourine-farm@att.net Treasurer: Jodi Rinard, chestnutvaulter@yahoo.com Secretary: Jill Hobby, jill.hobby@hobbyfamily.org VP Competitions: Linda Bibbler, lbibbler@gmail.com VP Development: Jan Weber, janmweber@gmail.com VP Education: Carolyn Conner, cc_vaulter@yahoo.com VP Membership: Connie Geisler, connie_geisler@hotmail.com Board Members Jessica Ballenger, Megan Benjamin, Carol Beutler, Robin Bowman, Bill Brown, Craig Coburn, Julie Divita, Priscilla G. Faulkner, Rick Hawthorne, Kerry Noble, Marianne Rose, Peter Senn, Patti Skipton, Samantha Smith, Peggy Van Hook, Bob Weber Regional Supervisors Region I: Peggy Van Hook, peggy.vanhook@gmail.com Region II: Marianne Rose, marianne@mariannerose.net Region III: Kathy Rynning, kathy4r@yahoo.com Region IV: Dena Madden, Madden_Dena@yahoo.com Region V: Beth Whillock, ewhillock@msn.com Region IX: Elizabeth Brigham, elizabethmbrigham@gmail.com Region X: Jane Egger, janedegger@gmail.com VOLUNTEER COMMITTEE CHAIRS /SPECIAL PROGRAM DIRECTORS Adaptive Vaulting: Peter Senn, petesenn@hotmail.com AVA Blast: Lynn Stevens, lynnstevens@sbcglobal.net Awards: Carol Beutler, cbeutler@sbcglobal.net Barrel Initiative: Open Competitions Secretary: Suzanne Detol, sdetol@aol.com CompWeb: Tom Oakes, oakes@swcp.com Constitution & Bylaws: Charlie Bittenbring, cbittenbring.vaulting@gmail.com Equestrian Vaulting Magazine: Megan Benjamin, mbenjamin@americanvaulting.org Friendship Team: Priscilla G. Faulkner, prisf@aol.com Grants: Jan Garrod, jan@garrodfarms.com Grievance: Bill Brown, onzacat@comcast.net Guys in Vaulting: Open Historian: Open Horses: Carolyn Bland, whimby4@aol.com Horse/Lunger Training: Carolyn Bland, whimby4@aol.com Horse Recognition: Julie Divita, enjplus4@gmail.com Horsemanship Programs: Megan Grove, meggrove@saber.net Insurance: Kelley Holly, tambourine-farm@worldnet.att.net Lunger Certification: Lynda Bender, lynda@olympic-cascade.com Nationals 2012: Linda Bibbler, lbibbler@gmail.com National High Point: Open Pony Club Partnership: Beth Whillock, ewhillock@msn.com Publications: Jan Weber, janmweber@gmail.com Safety : Open Sponsorships: Peggy Van Hook, peggy.vanhook@gmail.com Technical Advisor: Suzanne Detol, sdetol@aol.com Technical Committee: Kelley Holly, tambourine-farm@att.net Trade Shows: Jan Weber, janmweber@gmail.com Vaulter Fitness: Megan Benjamin, mbenjamin@americanvaulting.org Volunteer Recognition: Carol Beutler, cbeutler@sbcglobal.net Website: Cindy Rohrer, cindy@chariots4hire.com AVA NATIONAL OFFICE Craig Coburn, National Office Manager 8205 Santa Monica Blvd., #1-288, West Hollywood, CA nationaloffice@americanvaulting.org Office Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to noon PST Ph: , Fax: FEI Vaulting Committee Chair: Emma Seely, emmaseely17@gmail.com USEF Board Members: Sheri Benjamin, sbenjamin@americanvaulting.org and Linda Bibbler, lbibbler@gmail.com USEF Board/Elected Athlete: Devon Maitozo, devomai@mac.com USEF Director of Vaulting: Pam Lane, plane@usef.org USEF Vaulting High Perf. Comm. Chair: Linda Bibbler, lbibbler@gmail.com USEF Vaulting Technical Committee Co-Chairs: Craig Coburn, craigcoburn@me.com; and Suzanne Detol, sdetol@aol.com USEF Youth Council Member: Annalise VanVranken, anna@shootingstarsvaulting.com Volume 44, Issue 2 Equestrian Vaulting Designed by: Red Hen Design, Howell, MI, redhendesign@comcast.net

3 Equestrian Vaulting Features 5 Vaulting Demonstrations: Transforming Your Demo Into a Professional Performance Alethea Shelton & Erik Martonovich AVA Annual Convention Photos 10 Mozart Memorial and FACE the Coast Event Highlights 12 Event Photos AVA Mentor of the Year: Kelley Holly Jill Hobby AVA Trainer of the Year: Carolyn Bland AVA Horse of the Year: Urfreund Rosengaard Alexandra Thrasher & Elizabeth Ioannou 16 Horse of the Year Poster 18 Get to Know the AVA's 2011 High Point Champions 28 Quiz: What's Your Vaulting Style? Columns 4 From the President Sheri Benjamin 20 Horse Smarts: Demystifying the Training Scale Carolyn Bland 22 Coaching Corner: Dismount! Nancy Stevens-Brown 24 Through the Eyes of the Judges: AVA Judges Q & A 26 Just for Vaulters: Strengthen Your Mill Stacey Burnett On our cover: Red Dynamite Andres Castillo of Diamond Bar Country Vaulters blows a kiss to the crowd as he performs his Copper freestyle with Churchill at the 2012 Mozart Memorial Classic. 30 Events Calendar 31 Regional Updates: Coast to Coast Photo courtesy of Kate Revell/VaultingPhotos.com 3

4 From the President Questioning Everything at the AVA never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, You build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete. Richard Buckminster Fuller Serving as your AVA volunteer president has been both a rewarding and a maddening experience. Rewarding because together we ve accomplished some important results, including membership growth at a time when other equestrian non-profit organizations continue to shrink. Maddening because I believe that the AVA cannot have it all and must continue to focus on The Most Important Things, then execute them, albeit utilizing an almost all-volunteer staff and with very limited revenues. As I finish off my second term as president and pass the baton to Connie Geisler this fall, here are the top three items that I believe continue to create a conundrum for the AVA. Why Does the AVA Exist? Our mission today is the same as when the organization was founded almost 50 years ago: The mission of the AVA is to expand the recognition and accessibility of equestrian vaulting throughout the United States. Sounds great, right? But the fact is that the AVA derives almost 100 percent of its operating revenue from memberships, and more than half of our individual membership revenue is derived from the youth segment, who join specifically so they can compete in AVA recognized events. The majority of our operating income goes toward providing services to our current members (like the website, EV magazine, and having a National Office Manager), with only a small percentage of money actually left to deliver on the mission of expanding recognition and accessibility of vaulting in the U.S. Does our mission need to change in order to account for the reality that we must service our members first and foremost? Or could we drastically cut our member services (website, magazine, office management) so that we can be true to our original mission? Would adult members continue to join even if we provided them no membership services at all, so that we could use that portion of the funds to grow vaulting? Would youth and adult members alike accept a membership fee increase so that we could have a larger budget to promote vaulting? And if we decreased membership fees, as well as some services, would we be better off? Or do we need two separate arms of the AVA one side that is membership driven and whose main responsibility is to provide opportunities for competitive vaulting (judges training, rules and rule books, National Championships, etc.), and a totally separate arm, perhaps funded by grants and fundraising, whose express purpose is to get vaulting started in new areas of the country that fit the demographic for us? Or is the vaulting growth mission something that is best left to the regions and not the national organization? Nothing is sacred We should be questioning everything. Who Will Help The Little Red Hen? In some ways, the AVA is a lot like that children s book The Little Red Hen, where everyone is too busy to help, but everyone expects to partake in the finished product. As your volunteer president finishing off my second term (and a former volunteer VP of Development and volunteer VP of Membership and volunteer board member in the entire prior decade), I can tell you that the lack of volunteers to run and complete initiatives at the national level is a significant bottleneck for the continued growth (and even health) of the organization. Our small non-profit has too few volunteers who are willing or able to do the heavy lifting work of the association. Or even some of the light lifting. And those über-volunteers who do take on the bulk of the roles (including multiple roles) are stretched to their limit, and seem to be more fair game for criticism than help. How do we build a culture of doing at the national level? Do we need a Head of Volunteerism at the AVA who can help build such a culture, recruit both committee chairs and committee members to tackle our most important initiatives? Would anyone actually volunteer for such a job? Do we need to raise more funds to offset the new paradigm of the ghost AVA volunteer, so important projects do get done, but by people who are paid for completing those projects (including revenue generating projects for the association)? Ideas are not our bottleneck. Execution is. Nothing is sacred. Question everything. Monologues (and Diatribes) to Dialogues. A key to our growth is our ability and willingness to master meaningful dialogue with each other. When many of us are in the same place at the same time (Nationals is the closest we come to that), everyone is too busy with the competition itself to meet up and discuss association-wide topics. So we have to rely on paper and electronic communication (everything from to phone) to do the job. Our association tested a Forum program that took a long time to fail and die. Too difficult. Too buggy. (But within our miniscule budget.) Even lastgeneration tools like YahooGroups and GoogleGroups seem a bit too difficult for our members to use en masse. I started, then abandoned my Sunday Vaultopia blog because I asked for feedback every week, but the clarion call seemed to go into outer space, because no one answered back (OK, three of you did) and I felt like I was talking to myself. Our Facebook page, however, has almost 1,500 likes and is frequently the place where vaulters go to talk about vaulting. Maybe I m just crazy to think that the AVA needs more dialogue. Maybe people just want to complain and shoot off occasional diatribes instead of picking up the phone and calling each other or trying to meet up for meaningful conversations. As a Silicon Valley-ite, it frustrates me that we are making such little headway into finding an affordable solution to chat electronically amongst members (that even the least technically savvy member could navigate without much trouble). If you know tools like Yammer, etc. and are willing to help us solve this problem, I d love to hear from you! Nothing is sacred. Question everything. Sheri Benjamin Volunteer AVA President sbenjamin@americanvaulting.org PS: If you d like to see the Question Everything PowerPoint I presented at the last board meeting, go to the members-only website and click on AVA Organization and then Question Everything Presentation. Let me know what you think (in person, by phone, by , on Facebook!). 4 EquestrianVaultinG Spring 2012

5 Vaulting Demonstrations Transforming your Demo into a Professional Performance feature By Big Horse Productions Alethea Shelton and Erik Martonovich Since 1997 when we began our performance company, Big Horse Productions, we have learned a thing or two about creating vaulting performances worthy of a huge arena. Here, we offer several tips that could transform your next vaulting demonstration into a showstopper that gains your club publicity and potential future bookings. We realize demonstrations can involve putting together a 15, 30 or 60-minute educational piece as well, but in this article we will just address the performance aspect of shows. Music and Script Great shows need both music and exciting narration. For any big show, you will be expected to turn in both music and a script to an announcer. Keep your script as short and sweet as possible, emphasizing the biggest highlights and most important marketing content. If you have a website or a beginners class you want newbies to attend, have them announce it. At the end of your script, write start music. (That s right, do not plan on cueing the music person by raising your hand in the middle of the arena.) Because it looks far more professional to begin your act as you enter the arena, include an extra 45 seconds or so of music to allow your troupe to travel from the arena entrance to your vaulting circle. At that point, have a mounting cue in your music. Because our performances involve horses, it s very common for unplanned delays. Add in a little extra time to your music, allowing room for error if necessary. Also, cut your music into one track for the announcer to play (and remember to check the music beforehand). 5

6 Appearance Because performances are not competitions, there are very few rules, giving you freedom and flexibility to play with your creativity. We tend to stay away from full-body spandex unitards, because these outfits can often limit a spectator s thinking; they see the spandex and think they can t possibly be a vaulter or they judge the sport to be purely gymnastic in nature. We opt instead for fun, colorful, eyecatching costumes that help the performance pop. Because you are very far away from the public during your performance, eye-catching costumes keep attention and focus. Where you go with design is up to you; just make sure you have rehearsed in it and that there are no safety issues. Flowing fabrics tend to look especially nice, but you have to make sure they don t get caught in something. Stage makeup is a necessity when performing, since you are at such a distance from your audience. Makeup will bring out your features, allowing the audience to see your full facial expression. As for hair, if you want the same effect as wearing your hair down, but don t like it in your face, there are plenty of hairpieces you can buy that clip right into your ponytail. They give it the look of being down and full, but unlike natural hair, it will stay out of your face! Showtime When your vaulting club is taking part in an evening show in which you have one act, there are several things to keep in mind. First and foremost, always leave them wanting more. As a general rule, keep the performance under seven minutes. Of course, this may be extremely difficult to do, especially if your club has 30+ vaulters! For big performances, we recommend using only your top vaulters for the seven minute performance. At these events there are opportunities to use the rest of your club members in educational performances or at your booth. Avoid traditional run-in. Do not bow or line up. Remember, you are putting on a show. People are there to be entertained and this is your chance to step outside of the competition realm and showcase your creativity. Typically, these acts will take place in large arenas, so there are many ways to cover the ground to get to your vaulting circle tumbling, dancing, riding, etc. In the beginning of our performance career, covering the ground to get to the center of the arena was one of our biggest challenges. It then became clear that it was a huge opportunity to add to our performances and round out our act. When you have reached center, spread out and be artistic. There s no need for the vaulters to be lined up military-style! Use your imagination to create choreography and poses to build interaction between ground and horse. Perform for your audience, not invisible judges. To be successful, a performance in front of an audience must be built differently than a judged performance. Avoid moves that take a long time to get into (you know, the ones that have a vaulter s backside in the air for several set-up strides). Spectators would much rather see your expressive face! In fact, be as expressive and interactive as you can. Reach for the crowd and make eye contact with them. Keep your moves open and avoid sloppy, bunched up looking ones. Keep it strong and clean. Hold your moves. Since this is not a competition, do not think about holding your moves for 3-4 strides. Instead hold some of your spectacular static moves for half a circle. They will applaud what they like, so play off of them and hold something through their applause. It s a great idea to show how good you are and perform the tricks you are most proud of, but remember most audiences are even more impressed with ones that are easier for us. (For instance, most audiences don t even notice a difference between a shoulder stand 6 EquestrianVaultinG Spring 2012

7 and a handstand.) You can always modify if it means it will give you a safer show. Make sure your act is well rehearsed. You want your nerves to make you excited, not full of dread! As one famous horse performer says, There s a fine line between nervous and excited. Just steer the other way. Now that s the truth! Horse Issues A horse is a horse and if yours is anything like ours, you may run into several issues when bringing him/her into a huge arena alone. Some of what we experience almost every time has to do with entering and exiting. If your entrance and exit gate are on the same side of the arena, your vaulting horse may have a tendency to slow down and pull on the gate side and speed up and cut in on the far side of the circle. You can remedy this by having a dress rehearsal during which you practice with the vaulting circle way off-center to the far side. Also, on show night you can start the vaulting circle just a little off-center to the far side and move back to center gradually as your horse starts to relax. Another way to help with this issue is to create ground choreography placed around the circle in spots that help to keep your horse calm. There is nothing that kills the energy of a performance like telling the crowd, please hold your applause until the end. It is our recommendation that you use a horse who accepts applause or really work with your horse to get him/her used to it (or try earplugs). Your routine should start out very simple. If there s any reason your horse is more excited at the start of the act, this will give him/her a chance to relax without a risk of injury to your vaulters. Another thing your horse will need to deal with is lighting. Rehearsals will help with this. Whenever possible use a spotlight for your vaulting number. Spotlights showcase vaulting exactly as it should be, hiding the vast empty arena and highlighting the vaulters, costumes, horse, expressions, and performance. One of the biggest differences between competition and performance demonstrations is that the variables and distractions are drastically increased in shows. Being in a vaulting competition is like being in our own safe bubble in which people know to be respectful, stay quiet, and care about your safety as a vaulter. At shows, however, you will experience photoflashes, loud noises (including gunshots, which are some of our personal favorites), rain, microphone and speaker static, lighting problems, bleacher stomping, and on and on. Your only goal in all of this is to carry on as if the distractions weren t there. It can end up being really good for your competition career, since it will train you to perform in much harder conditions than a competition arena. (Think of it like a runner training with ankle weights and then removing them.) Your performance should improve and when you get back to the competition area, it ll be a piece of cake! Make your next vaulting performance a showstopper. Have fun, be safe, and keep your creative spirit alive in your vaulting work and play! About the Authors: Erik Martonovich is a 7-time AVA National Champion and represented the USA at the World Equestrian Games twice. In 1997, he created his own company, Big Horse Productions (BHP), which features vaulting performances among other equestrian performance arts. Alethea Shelton was involved in competitive vaulting for 10 years but decided show business was more up her alley. She moved across the country to join Erik in his creation of BHP and is still actively performing with him today. "Because performances are not competitions, there are very few rules, giving you freedom and flexibility to play with your creativity." 7

8 2012 AVA Annual Convention Minneapolis, Minnesota 8 EquestrianVaultinG Spring 2012

9 The 2012 AVA Annual Convention was so much more than a Board of Directors meeting. It was a learning experience. America s top instructors worked with vaulters, lungers, and coaches on technique, strength training, horse training, and more both in the arena and in the classroom. It was a ceremony. The AVA crowned High Point Champions and Teams of the Year. They named Trainer of the Year, Horse of the Year, and Mentor of the Year, all while celebrating 2011 and looking forward to It was a workout. Between circus arts and gymnastics, morning warm ups and afternoon horse and barrel sessions, all who participated found a way to break a sweat despite the frigid Minnesota temperatures. It was a blast. Enough said. Photos courtesy of Annie Rouvillois 9

10 Photos courtesy of Lynne Owen and Kate Revell/VaultingPhotos.com Face the Coast Santa cruz, CA 10 EquestrianVaultinG Spring 2012

11 Photos courtesy of Lynne Owen and Kate Revell/VaultingPhotos.com Mozart Memorial Somis, CA 11

12 WArm Beach Vault into spring Photos courtesy of The Makins and Star Bright Photography Photos courtesy of Larry & Treva Olinick and Ann Marie Schmitz Falconwood Fest Valley View barrel Fest Photos courtesy of Blake Dahlgren Pacific coast barrel Fest Photos courtesy of Michelle Solorzano 12 EquestrianVaultinG Spring 2012

13 By Jill Hobby Kelley holly 2011 AVA Mentor of the Year Have you ever wondered how the nomination process starts for Mentor of the Year? The notice comes out, the deadline to nominate looms. We immediately picture very deserving individuals, then the phone rings, work and family life intercedes, and the thought is lost. At Tambourine, one mom kept that thought alive and all of us at Tambourine joined in support to keep the focus and nomination moving forward for our Kelley as Mentor of the Year. What is Kelley to Tambourine? Just ask a Tambouriner. She is Appreciation and Acceptance She is accepting and giving, meeting the demands of time and resources in support of her vaulters and horses. She is a competitor, coach, and trainer in vaulting. Kelley keeps going strong; the rest of us work to keep up, in shifts! A focus on team camaraderie and cohesion transforms a Tambourine event into a family gathering a day on the river or crafting, gathering us up to attend a team member s ballet or basketball event, those gourmet barbeques at our Regionals. Many vaulters, not just Tambouriners, always join in. She encourages all who come to Tambourine to participate to the extent they choose. Parents and siblings do hair buns and set up competition arenas; they clean stalls, stand in for hitching posts, and make the Starbucks run. We come home exhausted, but we know our efforts mattered. She is Support Kelley supports us through spectacular success and unplanned dismounts, through amazing wardrobe inspirations and interesting malfunctions, always with a steady determination that never lets her team down. Budgets, teenage challenges and total parental panic, Kelley takes on all tasks willingly and keeps us motivated. Her calm leadership has carried us through lost numbers, mixed up schedules and music, competition meltdowns and horse antics. Kelley is always prepared and always perseveres. There s always that collective wince at practice when Kelley casually mentions she has thought of a new and interesting vaulting move to try. The vaulters know it will be a challenge, but with a giggle, they place their confidence and trust in Kelley and give it a try. She is Knowledge with Kindness She works quietly, explaining and steering us through an endless tangle of rules, procedures, and requirements. She is always Photos courtesy of Primo Ponies Photography even-tempered, regardless of the surrounding chaos we bring. Kelley Camp is from dawn til late night with vaulting, riding, swimming, and summer school to keep those vaulter grades in line. From three-year-olds to the vintage vaulter, Kelley never loses sight of the value of the individual, their talents and ambitions. Through her knowledge and skill, she demonstrates values that shape the lives of those she touches. Kelley is there for Tambourine with lessons learned from a lifetime with horses and over 20 years in vaulting. As a judge, vaulter, and Executive VP, she has a unique perspective and shares it with all of us. She is professional and family rolled into one, with a focus on the growth and development of each vaulter and horse in her care. That s our Kelley, and this is our thank you. To Kelley, for all you do for us as vaulter, coach, mentor, and friend. 13

14 Carolyn bland 2011 AVA Trainer of the Year Pacific Coast s Carolyn Bland is probably best known for earning her own gold medal lungeing Palatine and Team USA to a Vaulting World Championship at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. She was also the first recipient of the Trainer of the Year award in 2006 for her work with the World Equestrian Games silver medal team, FAME. Yet, she was named the 2011 AVA Trainer of the Year not just for her work with high-level athletes (both human and equine), but for her training work across all breeds of horses. From warmbloods to drafts and draft crosses and from green horses who barely recognize a lunge line to world champions, Carolyn has the unique ability to bring out the best in just about every horse she trains. She studied at the Fulmer School of Equitation with dressage trainers who greatly influenced her riding and training philosophy. Her focus on biomechanics and positive reinforcement allows for consistent and immense success both in and beyond the vaulting show arena. Carolyn s training philosophy starts with getting a horse and rider and a vaulter, lunger and horse all working in harmony. While her process may take more time, it is often met with great success. Since her discovery of vaulting, she has been the sole horse trainer and lunger responsible for the FACE team and vaulters. Today she trains and lunges for the Pacific Coast Vaulting Club and is a much sought-after clinician, teaching sold-out lungeing clinics across the nation. It is her mantra that any vaulting horse, regardless of breed, can score a 7 in the competition arena if trained correctly. Hear, hear! Congratulations to Carolyn Bland of the Pacific Coast Vaulting Club, the 2011 AVA Trainer of the Year! Photos courtesy of Lynne Owen/VaultingPhotos.com 14 EquestrianVaultinG Spring 2012

15 Urfreund Rosengaard By Alexandra Thrasher and Elizabeth Ioannou (Uffe) 2011 AVA Horse of the Year Photos courtesy of Kate Revell/VaultingPhotos.com Uffe poses regally in his California stable. In 2009, the Mt. Eden Sun Team had the opportunity to compete at a renowned international competition, CHIO Aachen (Germany), amongst some of the world s greatest teams. We had never vaulted on the horse we were planning to use, and we couldn t contain our eagerness to meet him. The day before the start of the competition we met our compact, yet sturdy teammate. Uffe was relatively inexperienced, but he had exhibited exceptional trainability as a vaulting horse. At our first and only team practice before the competition s start, we were amazed at his effortless ability to canter beneath us. We instantly trusted him to do his job dutifully. During CHIO Aachen, Uffe carried our team to success. We vividly remember how reluctant our whole team was to say goodbye to our Danish companion, with whom we had created a memorable bond. After the competition s end, we watched teary-eyed as his trailer pulled out of the lot, not knowing when we might get the chance to see him again. But then, in September of 2010, Uffe traveled to the United States to compete at the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky. When it was decided that he would stay stateside after the Games and be purchased by Jan Garrod of Mt. Eden to become our team horse, we could not have been more thrilled. As soon as we began practicing, the connection we had sparked with him in Europe developed into an unbreakable bond. Eager to work each day, Uffe never failed to demonstrate his prowess as a vaulting horse. He s the kind of horse that effortlessly moves underneath you, lifting you when necessary, and supporting you as needed. We always know we can trust Uffe to take care of us. During one specific practice (not our best, to be sure), three members of our team fell off and landed directly in front of Uffe. He courteously jumped over them, with incredible ease, and continued cantering. The lunger immediately dropped the lunge line to attend to the fallen vaulters. Uffe, being very intuitive and aware of the situation, casually came to a halt and observed the chaos. He patiently waited until someone realized there was still a horse in the arena. We all sensed his genuine concern and consideration for the circumstance and his ability to adapt. Our implicit trust in Uffe to take care of us only grew stronger after this particular experience. Uffe had become our most important and beloved teammate, and competing on him last year brought our team to a more consistent and confident level of competition. Our first US competition on Uffe happened to be Garrod's Spring Classic, which took place at Garrod Farms, our home turf. The combination of our team, our new teammate, and the familiar setting overwhelmed us with enthusiasm and adrenaline. We all performed the ritual of kissing him before entering the arena, preparing to perform our very best. Once we were on him in our arena doing our favorite thing in the world, vaulting, we could not have felt more at home. Uffe carried us with ease, enabling us to perform our freestyle in harmony with him and our music. He cantered consistently and smoothly beneath us, providing the opportunity to fulfill our potential. Uffe undoubtedly embodies the Horse of the Year title and we are overjoyed to have him be recognized as the phenomenal horse and loving teammate he is. We are looking forward to another thrilling year with Uffe and many more to come. He is now an essential member of the Mt. Eden Sun Team and the Garrod family. About the Authors: Elizabeth (Lizzie) Ioannou is the 2006 World Equestrian Games silver medalist and a two-time USEF/AVA A Team National Champion. She is a sophomore in high school. Alexandra (Allie) Thrasher is the 2008 USEF/AVA Silver Women s National Champion and USEF/AVA A Team National Champion. She is a junior in high school. Lizzie and Allie are members of the Mt. Eden Sun Team, which is vying for the opportunity to represent the United States at the 2012 World Championships in Le Mans, France. 15

16 Horse of the Year Urfreund Rosengaard (Uffe) Foaled April 26, 2000 Oldenburg Gelding Owned by Jan Garrod, Mt. Eden Vaulting Club Lunged by Emma Seely, Mt. Eden Vaulting Club Photo courtesy of Kate Revell/VaultingPhotos.com 16 EquestrianVaultinG Spring 2012

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18 Ruby Robinson-Pacific Coast Bronze Women's Champion Horse: Cheval Vaulting Move: Back tuck dismount Competition: Region II Championships Athlete: Shawn Johnson Food: Olives Spot: My bed Book: Hunger Games City: New York Moment: Succeeding at a new move Malik Finney-Cedar Lodge Silver Men's Champion Vaulting move: Handstand roll down Competition: Nationals Athlete: Usain Bolt Food: Pizza or anything spicy Activity: Track and Field Movie: Forest Gump City: Chicago Nicholas Cox-Diamond Bar Bronze Men's Champion Horse: Churchill Vaulting Move:Mount to stand Competition: Kentucky Nationals Spot: A grassy field where I can relax and not worry about a thing Activity: Vaulting (of course) and free running Book: Harry Potter Series City: Nashville Moment: Achieving my first 7.0 and 7.5 in my compulsories at the Mozart Memorial Classic 2012 Horse: A V Fo Spot: Peter Senn-Root Farm Trot Men's Champion Horse: Ben from Topaz Vaulting Move: Flag Competition: Any competition in Region IX Athlete: Any vaulting horse Food: Pizza Spot: Saratoga Springs Activity: Playing with my dogs City: New York City Moment: Competing in my first nationals in Denver in 2011 and finishing as Reserve Champion Momen Patrick Stevens-Woodside Gold Men's Champion Horse: Giovanni Vaulting Move: Stand on the withers Competition: CHIO Aachen Athlete: Christoph Lensing Food: Nutella Spot: On a horse Activity: Besides vaulting? Laughing City: Sydney Moment: 2011 Australian/USA National Champion 18 EquestrianVaultinG Spring 2012

19 Favorites Megan Sanfacon -Topaz Trot Women's Champion Horse: Ben Vaulting move: Side stands Competition: Nationals Food: Cookies Spot: Centreville Activity: Horseback riding Movie: My Sister s Keeper Mary McCormick-Mt. Eden Gold Women's Champion Tessa Divita-Woodside Silver Women's Champion ll of the horses at Woodside and Lorino, RIP aulting Move:My flip flop dismount Competition: CHIO Aachen Athlete: My sister, Ali Divita od: My mom's chile verde enchiladas The park across the street from my house Movie: Mulan City: Woodside t: Winning Silver and being on the National Championship A-team in 2011 Get to Know the AVA s 2011 High Point Champions Horse: Sir Anthony Van Dyck Vaulting Move: Yoga press Competition: Nationals Athlete: Jerry Rice Spot: Panther Beach in Santa Cruz,Calif. Activity: Besides vaulting? Dancing! City: San Francisco Moment: Competing at the 2010 World Equestrian Games with my longtime partner, Sir Anthony Van Dyck Juliette Cimetiere-Beau Soleil Copper Women's Champion Horse: Jake Vaulting Move: Handstands Competition: Nationals 2011 Athlete: Mary McCormick Food: Chocolate Spot: Hawaii Activity: Aerial Silks Book: Hunger Games City: Seattle Moment: Winning 1st place Copper Overall at Nationals 2011 Jonathan Baird-Technique Copper Men's Champion Horse: Love all of them Vaulting move: Anything standing Food: Italian Spot: Centreville Activity: Anything fun or sports related City: Poland 19

20 horsesmarts By Carolyn Bland Demystifying the TRAINING SCALE The traditional training system used for sport horses is called the Training Scale. Like a pyramid, the top cannot be supported without the foundational building blocks. Take any of the six aspects of the training scale out of the equation and the pyramid will collapse. Development of carrying power. Focusing on Impulsion, Straightness, and Collection. The necessity of proper fitness and training of the vaulting horse can be compared to the fitness and proper training of the vaulting horse s human counterpart the vaulter. We know that proper training bolsters an athlete s performance. Training includes understanding and mastering the biomechanics of the basic vaulting moves, the progression of fitness, suppleness, and confidence gained by correct and early training. With proper training, an athlete can maintain optimal health, ward off injury, and develop a strong body and mind. The vaulting horse is also an athlete, and we must apply the same logic. The foundational blocks of an athletic horse are Rhythm, Suppleness, and Contact. These foundation blocks exist symbiotically in the Training Pyramid; none of these elements of proper training, standing alone and without the others, can enable a horse to excel to the next level. During this first stage of training, a lunger and horse develop understanding of the aids, confidence in the trainer through transitions, and focusing on Rhythm to gain Suppleness and Contact. Rhythm Rhythm is the recurring characteristic sequence and timing of footfalls and phases of a given gait. For purposes of vaulting, the only correct rhythms are those of the pure walk, trot, and canter. Suppleness Suppleness is the range of motion of joints both pliability and flexibility. When the horse s muscles are supple, we see suppleness in the form of a relaxed swing over the horse s back. 20 EquestrianVaultinG Spring 2012 Development of understanding and confidence, focusing on Rhythm, Suppleness, and Contact. Genetics are a large determinant of a horse s suppleness; however, over time trainers can improve a horse s suppleness through proper training. Contact When the lunge line is stretched so that it forms a straight line, not a loop, and when a horse has connection with, but is not stiff against, the side reins, a lunger has achieved contact. Correct contact or acceptance of contact is determined by the elasticity of the connection between horse and lunger. The next stage of development builds on the foundation of Rhythm, Suppleness, and Contact, adding Impulsion and Straightness to the athletic equation. Collection Straightness Impulsion Contact Suppleness Rhythm Impulsion Development of pushing power, focusing on Suppleness, Contact, acceptance of the bit, Impulsion, and Straightness. Impulsion is thrust. It is the releasing of the horse s energy contained by his engagement. When the horse s back is free from negative tension, the horse s energy transfers into elastic, whole-body movement. Impulsion is associated with a phase of suspension which exists in a correct trot and canter, but which does not exist in walk. It is important to note, therefore, that impulsion is not applicable to the walk even though it has energy. Remember, each aspect of the training pyramid builds on the previous characteristics. Impulsion without Contact, Rhythm, and Suppleness will result in a fast, quick stride and a loss of balance. Instead, the horse must take

21 a deeper stride under his center of gravity and develop an uphill carriage. Straightness Straightness is parallelism, the proper alignment of the horse s body parts from poll to tail. The haunches should be neither left nor right of centerline or circle line and riders/ lungers should avoid a popped shoulder or twisted neck. Straightness through the horse s natural anatomy allows the equine athlete to utilize his natural movement by asking the horse to distribute weight evenly over the two halves of his body. Collection Collection is the result of increased engagement and lightening of the forehand. At the trot and canter, the horse s steps and strides are shorter (and higher in the front legs) than in a less or uncollected pace of the gait. The horse s outline appears shorter from bit to hip with the neck and withers stretched and arched upward. The phase of suspension is clear and the horse appears to be uphill. In vaulting, the misconception is that a slow canter is a collected canter, but a Photo courtesy of Tami Crawford Photo courtesy of Primo Ponies Photography true collected canter actually has increased impulsion, creating more lift. This makes mounts and flight exercises easier, as the horse lifts the vaulter up. A horse which reaches the collection stage of the training pyramid has much more vaultability, since the constant rhythm, balance over both halves of the horse s body, an even and predictable circle, and suspension (lift) enables the vaulter to vault in complete harmony with the horse. Each subsequent aspect of the training scale or pyramid is linked to its predecessor(s) in a symbiotic relationship. No subsequent aspect can be obtained without the other(s) first and the progression is both logical and methodical. By focusing on the foundation first, with time, practice, and patience, any sound horse can be trained to move correctly. About the Author: Carolyn Bland is a renowned vaulting and dressage trainer. She lunged Palatine and Team USA to an historic victory at the 2010 World Equestrian Games, where she earned a gold medal. Carolyn was the 2006 AVA Trainer of the Year for her extraordinary work with Mozart and F.A.M.E. and has continued to turn out exceptional vaulting horses since she joined the sport in

22 Coachingcorner How to practice falling from a horse... By Nancy Stevens-BrownDISMOUNT! Though tongue-in-cheek, undeniably the inescapable downward pull of gravity means the challenge facing dismounting vaulters is to become skilled at falling with style. Obtaining that skill requires three fundamentals good form, great footing, and a consistent fourlegged friend. No matter how skillfully a dismount is performed, if the horse and footing are not properly prepared, the vaulter remains at risk for injury. Failsafe horses and forgiving footing are topics for future articles, but for this issue let s focus on form. Balanced Bearing Dismounts, planned or otherwise, inherently have a risk for injury. To reduce this risk, vaulters must learn how to stay balanced when landing. They can accomplish this best by practicing great posture and self-carriage combined with conditioning and understanding of the movement. Correct posture calls for a supple yet straight back that s aligned with the head, shoulders, hips, and feet. Self-carriage requires maintaining sufficient body tension to display an exercise correctly. Conditioning is always critical for success and safety. And finally, the vaulter s clear and precise understanding of the intended dismount exercise cannot be overstated. Start To Finish Compulsory dismounts start and end the same with balance and posture! Dismounts should start fully balanced with poised posture and end on the ground quickly returning to that upright polished look. By diligently schooling vaulters on maintaining posture, dismounts will quickly progress to become both safer and more stylish. The more dynamic or elevated the dismount, the more important it becomes for the vaulter to start and finish with correct posture while letting their legs absorb the impact with the ground. For this, vaulters must properly condition for strong legs and supple knees. Squats, lunge walking, jump rope, trampoline work, and jumping jacks are but a few simple exercises that build the strength and spring necessary to absorb a landing.* Ground Rules! Photo courtesy of Primo Ponies Photography To land well, vaulters must learn to maintain their posture and form during all dismounts. Begin each lesson with vaulters standing at attention to reinforce the habit of excellent posture (back straight, head held high, eyes up, and feet no wider than shoulder-width apart). Then while continuing to focus on posture, instruct your vaulters to spring up high and land in a soft, bent knee position. Repeat this until they can jump and land without looking at their toes, reaching down or becoming offbalance. One way to play with this exercise is by tossing an exercise ball to the athlete as they jump, which helps them keep their eyes and posture up throughout the drill. Land n Run Unlike gymnasts who must stick a landing, we need equestrian vaulters to land balanced and ready to run clear from the horse. This is vital when dismounting a moving 22 EquestrianVaultinG Spring 2012

23 Even at the beginnings of our sport, the 'jump n' run drill' was taught. horse as the forward energy from the horse still influences the vaulter when they land. To learn to rebound- n -run, have the students jump off increasingly higher platforms and immediately jog forward at least five steps before circling back for Learning to let go at the right time is critical for successful compulsory dismounts. their next turn. The higher the take-off point, the more important it becomes that they maintain excellent posture and self-carriage to the ground and when running. At the risk of oversimplifying, the secret to great dismounts is landing well, and every landing, no matter what the dismount, will ideally duplicate this springy upright look at the finish! From Simple Start to Spectacular! Next, to dismount safely it is essential that vaulters land aligned with the horse. To train for this proper technique, start with the simple compulsory leg pass off the barrel. When the vaulter can leg pass with poised posture and push off aligned (parallel) with the barrel quickly springing into a run, they are ready to try dismounting from a horse. On the horse, begin at the safest gait for the vaulter and have them perform their leg pass off while maintaining their much practiced and polished form and posture. When performed properly this simple dismount becomes the template for landing more complex, dynamic, and difficult dismounts. At the risk of oversimplifying, the secret to great dismounts is landing well, and every landing, no matter what the dismount, will ideally duplicate this springy upright look at the finish! Balance Equals Success During dynamic dismounts, posture can easily become distorted or lost; however, posture is vital to landing a difficult dismount safely. It helps to photograph the exercise to pinpoint where and when a vaulter s form falters. In flight you ll likely notice several stages of various body alignments before the vaulter lands. The goal is to eliminate these random form losses in order to gain consistent, upright, and balanced landings. Whenever there is even a minor loss of form, posture, alignment, or reduced self-carriage, the vaulter becomes less capable of landing balanced on their feet. Photo courtesy of Primo Ponies Photography Get Down; Stay Up! Understanding that gravity does the work of getting us down, a vaulter must always strive to remain up with controlled and sustained form when dismounting. This uprightness through self-carriage may be difficult to teach especially in dismounts where vaulters naturally tend to aim for and even reach for the ground, but the more a vaulter retains form with full body tension and posture, the better balanced they remain throughout the exercise. Let Go and Let Gravity Do the Work For the smoothest, most balanced dismounts it s also necessary to release the grips at the proper phase of a dismount. The longer a vaulter holds on to the grips, the more the horse will pull them forward and off balance. For compulsory dismounts, practice getting arm extension directly over the surcingle and then releasing before the horse begins to travel forward out from under this balanced phase. Balanced Bookends Vaulters benefit from practicing jumping with posture on the ground or trampoline. Dismounts are the exclamation point of awesome vaulting. Challenging and fun, the best will WOW! So embrace the bookends of great dismounts begin with balanced posture and mirror that poised look to the podium! Vault Off! * Editor s Note: For more conditioning ideas for both jumping and landing drills see Just for Vaulters: Jumping and Landing from the Fall 2010 issue of Equestrian Vaulting magazine. About the Author: Since 1970 Nancy Stevens-Brown has been coaching all levels of vaulting. Her Timberline Vaulters won countless National Championships, AVA medals (including Nancy s own gold medal), as well as exciting international successes. With innovative methods and boundless energy, Nancy encourages every vaulter to recognize and tap into their strengths and creativity to unleash their own distinctive style and potential. Photo courtesy of Nancy Stevens Brown 23

24 THROUGH THE EYES of the judges Equestrian Vaulting contributor Rosalind Ross interviewed AVA judges about their preferences and pet peeves for this exclusive EV Eyes of the Judges Q&A. Read on to find out what the judges really think! AVA Judges Q& A To you, is vaulting an art, a sport, or some hybrid in between? Adrienne: Vaulting is definitely a sport requiring maximum athletic ability, but it is the art form, the use of scope in the entire body, charisma, and music interpretation that makes vaulting so enjoyable to watch. Sue: To me, vaulting is a sport. However, at the highest levels, vaulters transform the sport into an art form so it becomes both. Kitchy: The magic and beauty of vaulting is that it is a wondrous blend of art and sport. Kendel: I started vaulting in 1978, and back then I would say it was just a sport. Now it is definitely a hybrid. It amazes me what has been accomplished with music and costume, especially for team, in the past decade. Which do you prefer music with words or without? Adrienne: It makes absolutely no difference to me, but if a vaulter chooses to use words, they must be appropriate to that vaulter. Sue: I usually prefer music without words. I find that unless the vaulter is quite talented and can fully express the words/lyrics/ theme, the words tend to detract from the vaulting. I have really noticed this with the Silver individuals this season. The majority of the vaulters seem to be choosing songs that they like (which is good), but they are not expressing the meaning of the lyrics or the theme. Therefore, the music is distracting from the performance. Craig: I prefer tastefully and artistically wellinterpreted music, with or without words. It is up to each vaulter and his/her coach to choose music. Words inspire some vaulters to express themselves very clearly. On the other hand, some vaulters have trouble expressing words in their vaulting and can express themselves better by vaulting to instrumental music. Kendel: I don t mind words as long as they serve a purpose. Unfortunately, many vaulters pick their favorite song, but they fail to tell a story with it. Lynne: I like both. Music with words has allowed more variation and choice for the vaulters. I find I really enjoy the fresh, new pieces with new interpretations. Are there any old rules for which you are nostalgic? Kelley: Not really. I really like what I am seeing with the 1* compulsories. I see a lot more happy horses and more vaulters demonstrating harmony with the horse than I have seen before. Craig: I can honestly say that I am not nostalgic for any of the old rules. I think vaulting has gone through a substantial process of evolution and change since I started vaulting in 1974 (eek that makes me old!) and I like it. I may not necessarily agree with all of the current rules we have right now, but in general I love where our sport is today and where I see it going in the future. Lynne: New rules often seem challenging at first, but I think vaulters rise to meet the challenges presented and constantly amaze me with their abilities. Vaulting rules have moved forward in a very positive and progressive way. Which is your favorite event to judge? Adrienne: A Team freestyle, without a doubt. I love the creativity and surprises. When the vaulters lose my attention, even for a move or two, it really affects my scores. Sue: Without a doubt, Gold Technical Test. This event combines "compulsories" with freestyle. It's a blast to judge! Kitchy: California Gold, because I love the mini-clinic aspect of it. I also enjoy judging freestyles, because I love to see the vaulters creativity. Craig: Well, my mind works in a very objective way and I like to judge events where I have very specific criteria and standards to follow. Thus, my favorite event to judge is 3* compulsories. However, my favorite event to watch is team freestyle. Kendel: Gold level freestyle, hands down. Americans have always had the best freestyles and our highest level vaulters never disappoint me with their dynamic, creative moves and level of fitness. Adrienne Stang AVA R, USEF R, FEI O Suzanne Detol AVA R, UESF R, FEI O 24 EquestrianVaultinG Spring 2012

25 Lynne: Team freestyle is challenging but also the most invigorating and thrilling. Which event is the most challenging for you? Adrienne: By far the Gold event is the most challenging, because each competitor is different for different reasons. A judge must have a solid and consistent methodology to judge this class. Kelley: Rushed compulsories. I usually like to give lots of comments to help the vaulters and coaches understand their scores, but if the vaulter rushes, there isn t time to give both a comment and a score. Instead, in this situation, the vaulter ends up with a numerical score and no comment to help them understand how that score was derived. Craig: Team freestyle. A judge has a ton of decisions to make and a multitude of issues to consider when judging team freestyle. During a four-minute routine, the judge must record the degree of difficulty and quality of performance for 30 to 40 exercises, evaluate the various positions on the horse that the vaulters occupy (and how often throughout the freestyle they reach those positions), remember which structure groups the team performs (and thus determine which structure groups were omitted), and, somehow, evaluate the horse. Needless to say, judging team freestyle takes many years of practice and training and even after that, team freestyle is still a challenge. Kendel: The Bronze or Copper level at Nationals, because there are so many competitors. Most of them end up receiving similar scores (perhaps for different reasons), but in the end, there seem to be 30 vaulters with the same score. Lynne: Judging freestyle presents intellectual challenges, but that is what makes them the most fun also. What is your biggest vaulting fashion pet peeve? Adrienne: I don t like floppy attachments to clothing. Leotards should be modest and conservative. They can be highly decorated, but avoid floppy stuff. This is a horse sport and uniforms should be considerate of the horse. Sue: I hate to see stage makeup on the younger vaulters. A recent article in Equestrian Vaulting very well done encouraged vaulters to wear what I call "stage makeup." While this is fine for the international level competitors, it looks overdone on a young Copper or Trot vaulter. General impression is not well served. Kelley: Any outfit in which the vaulter's form is difficult to see. I prefer outfits that are ageappropriate. Craig: I don't have much of an opinion on vaulting "fashion". I guess my one frustration is when a vaulter's costume does not match their music or choreography. Kitchy: Kids in black. Anyone in black on a black horse in a covered arena. Kendel: Wearing a costume that doesn t go with your music (i.e. wearing something ballet-looking and using rock music). Lynne: Not so much a peeve as an added challenge very dark colors in dark environments, against a dark horse makes great vaulting harder to appreciate. If you could give any one piece of advice to a vaulter before a competition, what would it be? Adrienne: Turn on your personality and charm and make sure it shows. Heavy makeup is not a requirement. Sue: Think while you're up there. Also, if a particular move doesn't work 98% of the time in the practice arena, don't bring it into the competition ring hoping that it will work. Don't jeopardize your performance score. Kitchy: Breathe don t rush. Kelley: Relax, and show off what you ve accomplished at practice. Remember that no matter what, someone must place first and someone else must place after that. It is all relative, so don t dwell on your placing or numerical score, but rather on whether or not you have achieved your personal goals. Craig: Remember that you are vaulting because you want to have fun! Also, show up to the competition knowing you ve already put in the work at practice. With proper training, a fit and well-practiced vaulter, lunger, and horse will have the best chance of having fun and a successful performance at a competition. Isabelle: Any vaulter who has vaulted with me over the years knows that I always say the same thing before they go in the ring for freestyle 12 tight moves. A vaulter's technical execution is the most important part of the score. If a vaulter just focuses on being tight and completing every single move, one at a time, then s/he will have the opportunity to earn a high score. Also, if a vaulter is tight, it is easier to accentuate the artistic elements and it is easier for the horse. Kendel: Have a Plan B and always remember that performance is most important. You can have your dream routine but if there are elements that aren t 100% perfect or the horse seems out of sorts, don t do them that day. Lynne: Try to make a connection with the judge through positive eye contact. The salute offers a perfect opportunity to initiate and complete this connection. It allows the judge and vaulter to show mutual respect and appreciation of each person's task. Craig Coburn AVA R, USEF R, FEI I Lynne Owen AVA R, USEF R Kelley Holly AVA r, USEF r Kendel Edmunds AVA r, USEF r Kitchy Burdette AVA r Isabelle Parker AVA r 25

26 Just for Vaulters Strengthen Your By Stacey Burnett Mill In mill, vaulters need both flexibility and strength to get a great score. Although stretching is a fundamental part of every vaulting practice and training session, here the focus is on strength. Remember, when you perform any physical activity or exercise program, please warm up and cool down properly. We encourage you to do so before performing any of the suggested exercises. Mill Strength Circuit This workout is designed as a circuit and is broken up into sections according to the order in which these exercises should be done. Group 1: Ground Drills (3 sets of each) Do you ever get nasty hip cramps when performing the mill or practicing leg lifts? That s your gluteus medius screaming! Try these ground drills to help strengthen up your glutes and prepare your hips for a great mill. Side Lying Abduction (20 each) Lie on your side with your legs stretched out straight, resting your head in the crook of your elbow or on your hand. Keep both legs absolutely straight and squeeze your glutes. Lift your top leg about inches, keeping both knees facing forward. Repeat for 20 repititions. (The goal here is not flexibility. Do not lift your top leg to your head.) Side Lying Adduction (20 each) Lie on your side with your legs stretched out straight, resting your head in the crook of your elbow or on your hand. Keep both legs absolutely straight and squeeze your glutes. Lift your top leg about inches, keeping both knees facing forward. Keeping your top leg lifted, lift your bottom leg to meet it. Repeat for 20 reps. Circles- Forward and Backward (20/20 each) Lie on your side with your legs stretched out straight, resting your head in the crook of your elbow or on your hand. Keep both legs absolutely straight and squeeze your glutes. Lift your top leg about inches, keeping both knees facing forward. Draw 20 fast, round forward circles about 5 inches in diameter with the pointed toe of your top leg. Repeat with backward circles for 20 reps. Clam Shells (20 each) Lie on your side with your legs together. Bend your knees so your thighs are at a 90-degree angle to your torso. Your legs should be bent at a 90-degree angle and your feet flexed at a 90-degree angle. Keeping your heels together but allowing your toes to separate, lift your top knee until your end range, squeezing your glutes at the top of the lift. Repeat for 20 reps. Bicycles (20 each) Lie on your side with your legs together. Bend your top leg, bringing your top ankle to your bottom knee and kicking your top knee forward. Straighten your top leg forward. Maintaining a straight leg, extend your leg behind you. During this exercise, your upper body should remain still with your core engaged. Side lying Abduction side lying Adduction Clam Shells Bicycle Photo courtesy of Kate Revell - VaultingPhotos.com 26 EquestrianVaultinG Spring 2012

27 Seated Cone Passovers About the Author: Stacey Burnett is a Certified Personal Trainer based out of the San Francisco Bay Area. She has been training vaulters and riders of varying fitness levels since 2005 and is a member of the AVA Vaulter Fitness Committee. Group 2: Barrel Drills (3 sets of each) Seated Cone Passovers (8-10 leg passes each direction) Place an appropriately sized cone on the neck of the barrel. (For those who have limited range of motion, choose a small cone so you can emphasize form and posture.) Maintaining ideal form and posture, lift your right leg over the cone to inside side seat. Then, lift your right leg over the cone again and return to forward seat. Focusing on form and posture, lift your left leg over the cone to outside side seat. Then, lift your left leg over the cone and return to forward seat. Repeat 8-10 times. Place the cone on the back of the barrel and repeat. Seated Isometric Holds (10-30 seconds each) For each leg of the mill and maintaining ideal form and posture, hold your leg first to the outside, over the middle, then to the inside for seconds each. Repeat with all four phases of the mill. Remember, maintaining form and posture is most important, so don t worry about how high (or low!) your leg is at the moment. Front Leg Raises Group 3: Standing Drills (3 sets each) Straight Front Leg Raises (20 each) Start by standing with ideal posture with your feet together and facing forward. Engage your core and place your hands out to the side or on your hips. With a straight bottom leg, lift your top leg directly in front of you and squeeze at the top. Do not use momentum to kick your leg up. Rather, lift your leg with control. Repeat 20 times on each leg. Straight Side Leg Raises (20 each) Start by standing with ideal posture with your heels together and your toes slightly turned out. Your knees should be in line with your second toe. Engage your core and place your hands out to the side or on your hips. With a straight bottom leg, lift your top leg out to the side and in line with your turned-out hip, squeezing at the top. Keep your toes up and lift with control. Repeat 20 times on each leg. Straight Leg Back Raises (20 each) Start by standing with ideal posture with your feet together and facing forward. Engage your core and place your hands out to the side or on your hips. With a straight bottom leg, lift your top leg directly behind you and squeeze at the top. Keep your back elongated throughout the movement. Repeat 20 times on each leg. Big Circles- Forward and Backward (10 each) Lift your leg into a straight front leg raise. Slowly, and while maintaining ideal posture and form, carry your leg around into a straight leg side raise, and finally though to a straight leg back raise. Keep the leg as high as possible during the entire movement, not allowing it to drop until the end of the movement. Bring the leg back to center and repeat 10 times. Then, reverse it! Isometric Hold Front (10-30 seconds each) Lift your leg as in the straight leg front raise, but hold it. For an extra challenge, add a little ankle weight! Isometric Hold Side (10-30 seconds each) Lift your leg as in the straight leg side raise, but hold it. Remember to keep your toes up and focus on keeping your hips even. Isometric Hold Back (10-30 seconds each) Lift your leg as in the straight leg back raise, but hold it. Keep your back elongated throughout the hold. Happy training! side Leg Raises Leg back Raises 27

28 QUIZ: What's YOUR Vaulting Style? Take the quiz below to discover your style of vaulting! 1. What is your favorite part of a competition? a. Showing off an inspirational routine to the audience. b. Hanging out with the horses, both on their backs and off. c. Any part that has to do with handstands or flips. 2. At practice, you re most likely to be found a. With the horses. b. Perfecting choreography in the mirror. c. Conditioning your tail off. d. Trying harder, cooler moves on the barrel and horse. 3. What is your favorite vaulting move? a. Yoga presses, clicks, and big down-and-ups. b. Anything standing. c. Cool transitions, preferably ones that have never been performed before. d. Handstands, cartwheels, flips, and leaps. 4. Your best performance ever would ideally make the audience a. Shiver with goose bumps. b. Ooh and ahh incessantly. c. Fall in love with both you and your horse. 5. Which is your favorite compulsory? a. Riding seat. b. Flight exercises. c. Mill. d. Stand. 6. What does your ideal uniform look like? a. Decked out in rhinestones and shine. b. Absolutely unique. c. Perfectly coordinated with your teammates. d. Do riding britches count? 7. What is your favorite cross-training activity? a. CrossFit and weight lifting. b. Dressage and show jumping. c. Gymnastics. d. Dance. The Harmonious Rider (0-4) Your horse was your first love, and you vault for the horses. During any vaulting performance, your primary goal is to achieve perfect harmony with your equine partner. Your teammates count on you to warm up the horses, calm them down if they are nervous, and spoil them royally no matter what. You are a rider, a devoted equine enthusiast, and you cannot imagine life without your horses. The Dynamic Acrobat (10-14) You re a gymnast at heart and love the thrill of trying challenging new moves and daring new acrobatic lifts. Your gymnastics leotard feels like a second skin, and you re always up to try something new. If you could, you d spend your life upside down in a handstand, sprawled out in splits, and cartwheeling instead of walking. Photos courtesy of Kate Revell/VaultingPhotos.com Add up points according to your answers above to find out your vaulting style! Q1: a (2) b (0 Q4: a (2) b (1) c (0) Q5: a (0) b (1) c (3) d (2) Q6: a (2) b (3) c (1) d (0) Q7: a (1) b (0) c 28 EquestrianVaultinG Spring 2012

29 Photos courtesy of Kate Revell - VaultingPhotos.com The Powerhouse (5-9) You do what others think is impossible and make it look easy. Crazy yoga arm balances? Cake. Lifting a teammate high above your head? No problem. You are strong, powerful, and the definition of a dedicated athlete. The Graceful Dancer (15+) It s all about the performance. You strive to perform the most seamless and creative routines, and you are more interested in the reaction of the audience to your performance than in that of the judges. Your music moves you, your horse is your energy, and every time you vault, you strive to dance on horseback. To you, vaulting is not just a sport; it is an art. Come join us July in Lexington, Kentucky for CVI Kentucky and the North American Young Rider Vaulting Challenge. Plans are well under way for CVI Kentucky, to be held at the Kentucky Horse Park during the NAJYRC Event. All competing vaulters will receive an Event Pass, including meals for the week and participation in all Young Riders social events. The NAJYRC is the premier equestrian competition in North America for junior and young riders, age Young equestrians come from the United States, Bermuda, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the Caribbean Islands to vie for team and individual FEI medals in the three Olympic equestrian disciplines of show jumping, dressage, eventing, and the FEI World Equestrian Games disciplines of reining and endurance. The competition is run under rules of the FEI (Fédération Équestre Internationale) and is the only FEI championship held annually on this continent. For more information on NAJYRC, check it out online at Vaulting will hold a CVI 2*, CVIJ 2*, and a CVI 3*, with Individual, Pas de Deux, and Squad Competition. Because this is not an official Young Riders event, CVI Kentucky is open to vaulters of all FEIeligible ages and nationalities. Our Judges will include Suzanne Detol, 4* (USA), Craig Coburn, 3* (USA), Frank Spadinger, 3* (AUT), and Dalibor Blazek, 3* (CZE). For more information, look for details in upcoming AVA Blasts, check the AVA website, or contact Linda Bibbler, lbibbler@gmail.com. Congratulations to New Region V! Congratulations to new AVA Region V, which applied for, and was approved by the Board, to become its own region starting immediately. Region V will encompass the states of Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin, while Region X will keep the remainder of its original 14 states: Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia. Original Region X Regional Supervisor Beth Whillock, who lives in Minnesota, was appointed Region V Regional Supervisor, and longtime AVA member, and former Region X Regional Supervisor Jane Egger was appointed to the Region X position once again. Congratulations to both Region X and Region V, for growing vaulting in the Midwest! ) c (1) Q2: a (0) b (3) c (1) d (2) Q3: a (1) b (0) c (3) d (2) (2) d (3) 29

30 2012 eventscalendar May Woodside Vaulters Spring Fest/CVI 1*, 2* Woodside Menlo Park, CA Linda Bibbler: June 8-10 CVI 1*, 2*, 3* Chilliwack Chilliwack, BC, Canada Colin Schmidt: June 9 Southern Sunshine Fest Mineral Springs, NC Carol Land, shearosevaulters@mindspring.com June Region II Trot Summer Camp Chico, CA Megan Grove: meggrove@saber.net June 30-July 1 Region IV Championships Albuquerque, NM Dena Madden: madden_dena@yahoo.com June 30-July 1 Region IX Championships Lexington, VA Elizabeth Brigham: elizabethmbrigham@gmail.com July 1-7 Warm Beach Summer Vaulting Camp Stanwood, WA Patti Skipton: pskipton@warmbeach.com July 6-7 U-Vault Invitational Saratoga Springs, UT Cambry Kaylor: cambrykay@gmail.com July 8 Cedar Lodge Vaulting Fest Lawrence, MI Jane Egger: janedegger@gmail.com July Region II Championships Grass Valley, CA Kelley Holly: tambourine-farm@att.net July CVI Kentucky Lexington, KY Linda Bibbler: lbibbler@gmail.com August 1-5 AVA/USEF National Championships Lexington, KY Linda Bibbler: lbibbler@gmail.com August World Vaulting Championships Le Mans, France Pam Lane: plane@usef.org September Great Falls & Topaz Vaulters Fall Fest Herndon, VA Jen Williams: zenjenwilliams@gmail.com September Rising Stars Clinic for Copper, Bronze, and Silver Vaulters Woodside, CA clinics@woodsidevaulters.com October Region IV Octoberfest Castlerock, CO Robin Bowman: thebowmans4@msn.com October 28 Mt. Eden s Halloween Fest Saratoga, CA Marianne Rose: marianne@mariannerose.net Important Note: These events were gathered directly from the AVA website calendar. If you are a member you can add your club s events/competitions to the AVA website calendar yourself by logging into the members-only website, going to the calendar section, choosing the year, and then clicking on add an entry to the calendar at the top of the calendar section. since 1948 ERVY SPORTS FASHION, LLC 666 Baldwin Court Birmingham, MI USA Phone: (1) Fax: (1) sales@ervy.de NOW in North America!... off the shelf... or custom designs... or ultra exclusive with Original SWAROVSKI Crystals Front: Back: Steel City! Designed together with Lynda Fox, Coach Equestrian Vaulting Unitards We LOVE our uniforms. They were a huge hit at Spring Fest and I received compliments on Steel City Vaulters appearance more than once, including from the judges it is so unique with the subtle from the front/back, yet stunning from the side effect. I am pleased how your design team took my original idea and made it come to life. and the quality and beautiful colors. Thanks for working with me through the many details that make it such a special look. Once the entire team was together, they were a vision to behold! Coach Lynda Fox, Steel City Vaulters 30 EquestrianVaultinG Spring 2012

31 REGION III regionalupdates REGION II REGION I REGION V REGION X Coast to Coast REGION IV REGION IX Photo courtesy of Star Bright Photography Region I: Region I recently hosted the Mozart Memorial Classic, a USEF Selection Trial for the 2012 Vaulting World Championships in Le Mans, France and a competition for vaulters of all levels. Thanks to Patti Littman for putting it on and to all the wonderful vaulters, coaches, lungers, judges, and volunteers who made the event go smoothly. In other news, Vaulting in Vegas, our Region I Championships, has been moved to October 26-28; please mark your calendars. Also, watch for the Region I college scholarship essay topic and application, coming out soon. Region II: Region II hosted FACE the Coast, a USEF Selection Trial and AVA competition for vaulters of all ages. Woodside Vaulters of Woodside, Calif. (pictured) took top honors by winning the A team event during Saturday s competition. Region III: Region III had a busy spring! Warm Beach, Redwing (pictured), and Mountain Wind all hosted competitions. These same clubs along with others hosted medal tests, camps, and clinics as well. Region III is now gearing up for the two CVIs (Woodside and Chilliwack) plus our Regional Championships in Moses Lake, Wash. in late June. We love vaulting! Region IV: Region IV held our Spirit of Vaulting Conference in Albuquerque on March with guest clinician, Christoph Lensing. In addition to the usual vaulting, lungeing, and coaching classes, we held sessions on circus acrobatics, slack lining, team building, performance, accounting, horse training, and safe Photo courtesy of Kate Revell - VaultingPhotos.com dismounts. If that wasn't enough, we even had time to discuss the new things coming into the sport from the AVA Annual Convention. The Friendship Team also performed at the University of Arkansas with a clinic on April 13 and 14. It was one of the greatest audience turnouts that we have ever seen! Here's hoping that we can get a club going there. Check out the videos on AVA Region IV s Facebook page. Region V: On April 20 23, six vaulting clubs from three states all performed a vaulting demonstration at the Midwest Horse Fair in Madison, Wis. The vaulters showcased, in costume, the history of vaulting from early man s first vault on through Roman soldiers using swords on horseback to modern day freestyle. The vaulters demonstrated at the walk, trot, and canter, featuring a 14.2 hand Haflinger, a 16.3 hand American Warmblood, and a 17.1 hand Percheron, vaulting in three circles simultaneously truly showcasing the versatility of the sport of vaulting. Region ix: 125 vaulters, lungers, coaches, and parents kicked off the 2012 vaulting season at Region IX's annual Spirit of Vaulting Conference on February in Leesburg, Va. Ingrid and Marisa Hamar came from California to teach horse training and vaulting clinics. Vaulters also enjoyed team-building clinics with Katie and Alison Gieschen, clinics with Elizabeth Brigham, ballet with Fran Ichijo, horse care, crafts, yoga, unitard design sessions with Elizabeth Strauss, and an "Ask the Golds" session during lunch on Saturday. Region X: Region X's competition year is quite ambitious. In addition to Nationals, Region X will host three AVA recognized competitions Tulip Fest in Holland, Mich., Funshine Fest in Plymouth, Mich., and Cedar Lodge Fest in Lawrence, Mich. We started the season with the Great Lakes Barrel Fest judged by Region IX Supervisor and apprentice judge, Elizabeth Brigham. Elizabeth (pictured) taught clinics to both vaulters and lungers. 31

32 32 EquestrianVaultinG Spring 2012