Tag: Sissy Wickes
Straight From the Judge’s Booth: Strategies for the Under Saddle
BY R JUDGE SISSY WICKES
The more I judge, the more I am surprised that riders do not think more about how to ride an under saddle class. Yes, a good mover is a good...
The Perils of a Shifting Landscape
BY SISSY WICKES
As I watched the Breeder’s Cup races at Santa Anita Downs, the tension I felt was not just excitement about the contest or my usual visceral response to watching races. I felt...
The Legacy of Rox Dene
BY SISSY WICKES
It is 1994 and the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida is in full swing. Horses everywhere- hunters, jumpers, equitation, ponies. Horses walking down the path that cuts through the show grounds-...
RiverCross: a Modern Breeding Program
BY SISSY WICKES
Much has been made by this author and many others of the hardships faced by the sport horse breeder in North America. How do breeders in the U.S. and Canada compete with...
The Long Reach of Langer Equestrian Group
BY SISSY WICKES
The name Langer has been synonymous with California horse shows for almost half a century. Picture the horse show scene on the West Coast in 1970: a few scattered venues, sand or dirt footing,...
American Made: Is Importing Sport Horses the Answer?
BY SISSY WICKES
For decades, horse shoppers in most disciplines traveled to Europe in the hopes of finding a hidden gem, that diamond in the rough standing in a remote barn in the Netherlands- undervalued and underpriced....
The Plaid Horse at 15: A Look In
BY SISSY WICKES
The Plaid Horse magazine celebrates its 15th year in 2018. First published on newsprint with a local feel, it has grown into the largest exclusively hunter/jumper magazine in the United States. Glossy...
The Heartbeat of Chicago Equestrian: Bull Run Equestrian Center
BY SISSY WICKES
Beautiful Bull Run Equestrian Center in Elburn, IL is steeped in the equestrian tradition of the Chicago area. Founded by the Vanderveen Family, the iconic facility is now owned by Bill and...
Community, Inclusion, and Summer Fun: Courtney Hayden-Fromm Leads the Next Generation of ”Wisconsin Strong”...
BY SISSY WICKES
Our inboxes and publications are filled with promises and testimony to opportunity in the equestrian world. Assurances abound that talented young riders of modest means can sniff out the trail, the pipeline,...
The Ride that Blew the Lights Out: Caitlin Boyle Clinches NCEA Championships for...
BY SISSY WICKES
April 21, 2018. The arena thundered and shook with the roar of united voices in a display of athletic pride, pandemonium, and solidarity rarely seen in the equestrian industry. As each...
Val Renihan: Midwestern values in the modern world
BY SISSY WICKES
Val Renihan Impacts the Next Generation
What is the true measure of greatness? Is it trophies on the wall? Is it creating a legacy that will outlive you? Is it living a life...
National Show Hunter Hall of Fame: Osczar
BY SISSY WICKES
In the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal, Canada, gymnast Nadia Comaneci scored a perfect 10. Her performance left the crowd hushed and spellbound. The scoreboard was not programmed for a perfect score,...
A Conversation with: Geoff Teall
By SISSY WICKES
Geoff Teall is a lifelong rider, trainer, and governance guru. He is an “R” rated judge, has served as President of the American Hunter Jumper Foundation, Vice President of the USHJA, and...
Women Mentoring Women
By Sissy Wickes
November passes and with it the flip of another calendar year for riders. Some move up in age groups, some move out of the junior ranks (the oft- dreaded "aging out" process),...
Keep your eye on the ball
By Sissy Wickes
I love tennis. I love playing tennis, I love watching tennis. The US Open over Labor Day weekend- bliss. When my already shakey tennis game starts to deteriorate-unforced errors, moon balls- I...
On the Line
Read this story and more in the 2017 Young Horse Issue by CLICKING HERE!
By Sissy Wickes
Ah, springtime. Dogwoods and daffodils arrive with the fools of April and green is once again the color of...
Michael Matz: Success Through Decades
Above photo: MATZ ON RHUM, 1996 OLYMPICS
CLICK HERE to read more from the TPH April 2017 issue!
BY PRUE DRAPER OSBORN & SISSY WICKES
WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DECADE MAKES. Michael Matz, reluctant hero of the horse...
Dorrie Douglas Dashes to Devon
Above photo credit: Mareish Media
By Sissy Wickes
Dorrie Douglas, rider for Mike McCormick’s MTM Farm in Flower Mound, TX is packing her bags to head to Devon, Pennsylvania. Douglas will be competing S&L Farms’ S&L...
The Tail of Quality Girl
By Sissy Wickes
In 2013, my husband and I were looking at a horse at Todd Minikus’ barn in Wellington. After the trial, I asked, “Hey, where is that fiery little bay mare?” “Quality Girl?”...
Derbydown…Pass It On
10 things to know about Louise Serio:
1. She has a mule.
2. She is the oldest professional rider to be champion at Indoors.
3. She loves all things Star Wars.
4. She owned a reining horse and...
Politics, Pets, and Judging
Written by Sissy Wickes, Photo by Irene Elise Powlick
My Facebook feed has become a mostly hostile place. I struggle to keep my fingers still, thereby keeping my mouth shut, on many issues. Politics is...