The Twitterverse

I have joined the Twitterverse! Frank sent detailed instructions on how to join, so it was very simple to do. When I found out I can update it with text messages from my phone, I got really excited (I like text messages). So we have started. In Twitter, all you have to do is fill in the box that says “what are you doing”. I have to admit that it was quite fun tweeting while I was at the TV station telling everyone ‘what I was doing’. You can now see my most recent "tweets" right here on my blog (over there, on the right). Or, if you'd like, you can join me over on Twitter - see you there!

One Week Until the Ride for Life!

I can’t believe it is less than one week until the Ride for Life! Everyone is working so hard to make it such a great show, their dedication is just amazing.

We had the Tribute practice today with the dancers. Degas proved once again just what an amazing being he is. He watched them perform with such curiosity. When the dancers showed him their lifts, Degas just perked up his ears and started to walk toward them like he wanted to join in.

We watched the dancers perform before we did it all together. I have to say that I just lost it - the song is so beautiful and the dancers looked so beautiful performing it. It looked like they were acting out the song. Degas joined in with them like a champ.

Hopefully you will be able to join us at the Prince George's Equestrian Center on June 27^th!

Barb's TV Blitz!

Frank and Cece and Hilary have been working their hearts out marketing the Ride for Life. They have set up all sorts of things for me to do - you can check out my news page to see the busy schedule that they have me on! Thank goodness for them and everyone else in the barn who have prepared me and given me pep talks about being on TV.

You might have already read about my first interview with HorseGirlTV, and now it is up and running! It is strange to see the finished version. I think Angelea did a great job.

Our next adventure was Channel 25 in Hagerstown. I have to

admit I was pretty nervous. Frank and Cece ‘held my hand’ the whole way through, except of course when the cameras were rolling and then I had to be on my own. Well, it sounds a little like riding a dressage test doesn’t it????? They said it sounded great (good answer), but we will know for sure this coming Tuesday (June 23rd) at 9:55am - don't miss it!

Thank goodness I had done this taped interview before I had to do the live one on Channel 9 in DC! This was pretty nerve-racking, but I survived. It was kind of like a roller coaster ride - you don’t want to do it, you do want to do it, you’re scared, and after it is all over you say…”that was kind of fun, let’s do it again”. Hilary had the interview organized, and Judi came with me as my consultant. You know, she had to tell me a million times that my shirt was in place, my lipstick was ok, my hair was in place etc… etc…. etc…. It had to be a tough job. She got me there on time and kept me calm….even when my phone broke and I wanted to send a text message with a smiley face. Well, I couldn’t get the smiley face to work and I was getting upset. Judi assured me it was fine to send the message without the smiley face, and of course I assured her that “I want the da___ smiley face!”

We actually had a great time. The weather man Howard was bouncing around being friendly to everyone. We met Andrea Roane as soon as we arrived, and she and her assistant seemed happy to meet the dressage ladies. Andrea was so nice before and after the interview. She loved the Ride for Life pin I was wearing and mentioned it on the air. Afterward, she took time to talk with Judi and I about a few things, especially some of the breast cancer research.

It was exciting to see how the news room worked, with everyone running around and cameras running around by themselves. It has to be a pretty exciting, but pretty stressful job. I felt like a kid on the school field trip.

It was also fun to hear that people we don’t know saw it! Yesterday, Janice told me that she was talking to someone about the Ride for Life, and they said, "Oh, I just saw a woman on the news the other day talking about it……………!"

Summertime is Here!

It’s the longest day of the year! I always love summertime..…especially the warm weather and extra daylight. The summer is getting off to a great start.

The show season is continuing to go great. We are all really excited because, at the last show at Morven Park, Hilary and Furley won their First Third level class ever! (Furley’s first, not Hilary’s). As a matter of fact, with this score, Hilary has gotten her USDF Bronze Medal! You go Hilary! I am very proud of them both.

That weekend Judi rode Zivona and got

her first qualifying scores for the regional finals; she also did a fantastic job of riding Zivona - and

she has just barely turned 5. I also rode Norma Lynn’s horse, Floete; she got her first qualifying score for her mare performance test, in addition to qualifying for the BLMs. We hope she will get more 70% at Lexington in July!

Final Results from the NC CDI

The weekend ended with a bang! We got a 69.650 and 3rd place in the Intermediare I Freestyle.

I was excited about this, especially after our Intermediare I ride on Saturday, where Degas had a very uncharacteristic spook and we blew two scores. Our full pirouettes also weren't what I would like (nor the judges). We ended up getting a 63% in this class, and 9th place.

After studying my videos of the clinic with Nicole on Saturday night, I was happy we were able to refocus our efforts, improve our pirouettes (7s on both sides) and have a really nice freestyle.

Here are some pictures of the awards ceremony, as well as the best groom of the whole weekend!!

It was a great weekend overall, and I was really happy to have another chance to get out there on the 'small tour'. We ended the day with a celebration dinner with my Dad and sister.