Sterling Graburn
Sterling and ULANO are in Europe!
Posted on Tuesday, September 4th, 2012 at 7:37 am.
Sterling and ULANO in Dressage
Greetings all!
Sadly we packed Sara Schmitt on the truck heading her towards home this morning. After an unfortunate accident, Sara decided not to proceed to the World Champs. She and her horse are fine, but are on their way back to the US.
We have been here, thanks to generous contributions from many on this list, competing and training. Our first show was the international show at Beekbergen in the Netherlands. Lesson learned: while some horses might do well going straight to a show from the airport, it did not suit Ulano and I. The test was well below our normal standard and marathon was week. The new carriages from Glinkowski were very good, and my friend Scott Adcox did an excellent job of flying in and helping. Cones was good, no balls down but a little slow. We finished in the top ten in cones and around 16th (out of 42) overall)
Our next show was Beesd, a national show in holland. Dressage back to normal, with a 41, just one point in second. It was a two day show, and cones was immediately after. Another lessoned learned: make sure I have someone to set cones in warmup. Our speed was good, but too many balls down. Donna Crookston and Sara Schmitt were also at that show, Sara had some resistance in dressage and cones, while Donna posted a double clear.
Marathon was good, I ended up moving up to fourth place overall, and two points behind leader in marathon. Thanks to Mikey Quinten for his help there!
We came directly to USEF driving Coach Michael Freund’s in Dreieich, Germany and have been training here since then. We were joined by Leslie Berndl last weekend in time for the mandatory training exercise in Verhnheim. Our dressage was a little flat, but cones with a borrowed carriage was still good, and marathon was very smooth, correct, and the best of the group. After a couple of days of rest, Ulano is back in top form and ready for Portugal! We leave Germany on Thurs AM and take three days to complete the 2400 km trip to Lezerias. Thank you all for your support and interest!
very best regards,
Sterling
USEF Names Drivers for 2012 FEI Singles Driving World Championships
Posted on Monday, August 20th, 2012 at 12:46 pm.
Sterling Graburn and ULANO - Photo by Pics of You
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Hello all ~ Sterling Graburn
Posted on Saturday, March 3rd, 2012 at 4:43 am.
Hello all!
The first selection trial went off with reasonable success. We won the first phase, dressage, with a great score of 40.1 penalties. Sixth in the second phase, with the spread from fourth to sixth only tenths of a point apart. That was good enough to keep us in first! Cones was disappointing dropping to third overall. I think I was a little too relaxed for the the beginning of the course, had to tighten up and then the rest of the course was good. New plan for next time!
We are holding a Gala fundraiser to help support the show expenses, including hopefully the trip to Europe later in the year. As you might imagine, shipping horse, carriages, associated gear and people over and back is quite an undertaking. Our record so far makes it likely that we will be selected for the team. We have won the dressage in both of our outings, and been in the ribbons also. Our next show will be the last weekend of March, preceded by another training session with national coach Michael Freund. If anyone is interested in coming to the Gala and has not received an invitation, contact me asap, and if you want to make a contribution, there are two options, including one that will give a tax deduction for the full amount of the contribution. Thanks for your support and have a great year!
Sincerely,
Sterling
Flair Strips
Posted on Thursday, August 5th, 2010 at 3:36 pm.
December 8, 2009
Quite unexpectedly, I have been offered and accepted the position of head trainer at the Gayla Training Center in Georgetown, KY. I start Jan 1st. I will still be taking in horses for training, as well as teaching and doing clinics, but I will be doing it in KY.
Wendy has just done another small show with the team, with great success! She had a 58 in dressage, best advanced score of the show! Things are really going well for her. While she was away at that show, I went to IN to pickup her new dressage/cones carriage. It is a Hansmeier, and we are proud to be new dealers for them.
Also, after conversation that took about two years to complete, we are also dealers for Driving Essentials and their line of carriages, including Glinkowski and Bellcrown USA. Wendy will stay in FL until the after the southern shows are done.
- Sterling Graburn, December 8, 2009
Flair Nasal Strips
Posted on Thursday, August 5th, 2010 at 3:33 pm.
One selection trial down for Wendy – the next one is coming up next weekend in Ocala, at the Live Oak Stud. Wendy reports that the horses are going well, and she is getting more mentally prepared as well. Go Team Wysiwyg!
Life in Kentucky is good, despite the lack of Wendy! The weather seems to have finally broken, and it’s nice to get to drive outside of the indoor arena again! I have gotten to present the pony team at two different occasions. We here at Gayla Driving Center hosted and open house, sort of a “meet the new head trainer” gig. I rode one of the client’s horses, drove a pair, long lined one, drove the four ponies, and then drove an advanced single. Everyone had a great time, with tons of help from friends and clients. I think everyone went home with a better idea of what my abilities are and what they can expect from all of us here at Gayla.
Last Friday, we took the ponies to the Kentucky Horse Park to participate in an event produced by the University of KY College of Agriculture, Equine Initiative program. In short, it was a program designed to introduce various youth groups to the equestrian disciplines that will be competing in the World Equestrian Games this fall. We were the ones chosen to represent driving! Thanks to Janeene Jennings, I can show you pictures and video of our demo. I was very proud of the ponies. There were over 5,000 people registered to attend, and the ponies have not been working as a team very long. In fact, one of the leaders has been in the team OR a pair less than a dozen times I would guess.
http://www.ca.uky.edu/Ky2010EquineYouthFestival/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urvbZsHnhHs Intro and dressage phase
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riBORwMx4zM marathon and cones phases
More exciting news: Phoenix Performance Products, Tipperary Equestrian division products is joining Flair Equine Nasal Strips as our sponsor, so look for Team Wysiwyg and myself sporting our new Tipperary gear in the near future! Thanks for all of your support and have a great 2010! www.flairstrips.com
- Sterling Graburn, March 22, 2010
Flair Nasal Strips-Flair Strips
Posted on Thursday, August 5th, 2010 at 3:31 pm.
Last weekend, Wendy competed at the Southern Pines CDE. While her marathon was not as good as she would have liked, her dressage was good and she did qualify all four horses, while she also won the cones in the FEI four-in-hands! www.flairstrips.com
- Sterling Graburn, April 14, 2010
Product Sponsers-Equine Flair Nasal Strips
Posted on Thursday, August 5th, 2010 at 3:28 pm.
I am blaming it on the Labyrinthitis, but I neglected to mention that Phoenix Performance Products, makers of the Tipperary body protectors and helmets, are joining us as product sponsors! They are in the mail, and they are looking mighty spiffy! www.flairstrips.com
- Sterling Graburn, April 15, 2010
