by Tara Gamble
Amberlea Meadows hosted one of the first hunter and jumper schooling shows in the Edmonton area on February 10 and 11. Attendance was spectacular and the ambiance was great for competitors and spectators alike.
We offer classes and divisions for all levels of riders, said co-owner Ellen Drews-Ortlieb. “And this year is going to be a special one, it’s our 25th year of operation,” she said. Drews-Ortlieb has also noticed a growing trend towards more preparation for competitions, which is steadily increasing the calibre of horsemanship each year.
Nine-year-old Myriam Tremblay agrees with her coach, and loves to explain how much work went into preparing for her first show this year.
Tremblay began her riding career at the age of six in the summer camp program at Amberlea Meadows and has progressed to weekly riding lessons on Friday evenings. She rides Banditos Bandit or “Bandit,” a 29-year-old Appaloosa school horse who she says is a lot of fun.
Her favourite part about riding is jumping as she says it “feels like I am flying.” Tremblay competed in the Hunter Novice Division on Saturday and received her very first red ribbon!
Also competing in the Hunter Division was 17-year-old Kimberly Cox, who is hooked on horses and had a similar start to Tremblay. She rides out of Blarney Stone Farms, owned and operated by Cheryl Anderson, who also coaches Cox on her new horse Splash of Class.
“Splash” is Kimberly’s second horse after she sadly lost her first horse to colic. She helps with chores on Saturdays to help offset the cost of owning a horse, while playing rugby and maintaining good grades in the advanced placement program in school. Cox has ambitions of one day becoming a veterinarian. This was her first show. “I’m a little nervous, but it’s a lot of fun,” she said.
Sunday showcased the Jumper Divisions and the first clear round of the 2’6” classes went to the determined 15-year-old Keltie Gizzie aboard “Rocco.” Rocco is a six-year-old Hanoverian/ Thoroughbred, who was brought out of a field and had almost no training when they bought him says coach and trainer Monique Hubbs of Amberlea Meadows.
“Keltie and Rocco are relatively new to each other, and Keltie has only owned him for the past year,” says Hubbs.
Last year the duo competed in a few in-house shows and Gizzie is really enjoying the level they are at. She is drawn to the jumper classes because they are “thrilling as you are competing against time” and she has plans to eventually jump in the higher classes.
The Amberlea Meadows Hunter/Jumper Schooling Show is part of a show series, and the next show will be March 3 and 4.
Management is excited about the quality of judges lined up for the jumping and dressage shows in 2007.
“We are fortunate to have some of the best in North America,” says Drews-Ortlieb. For more information about the upcoming season at Amberlea Meadows, please visit them at www.amber leameadows.com or call them at (780) 955-7608.
