September Wheelhorse

THE

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NEWSLETTER OF THE AMERICAN DRIVING SOCIETY, INC.

ADS Member Jeri Miller

Representing Carriage Driving in the United States and Canada

IN THIS ISSUE: NOTES • 2018 Ads Annual Meeting Of The Members And New Year Gala .................................. 1 • Dear ADS Members ................................. 1

September 2018

Notes

2018 ADS Annual Meeting Of The Members And New Year Gala

The Grand Oaks Resort, Weirsdale, FL November 30 - December 2, 2018

ADS NEwS • 2018 ADS Annual Meeting Schedule ....... 2 • Speaker Bios ........................................... 2 • Proxy ........................................................3 NEwS • ADS Members represent US at World Championships ........................................ 4 • The Third Annual Southern Drive ............. 5 • 2018 ADS North American Preliminary Champions Announced ........................... 8 • Drive with Confidence ............................ 9 • Attention Licensed Officials: .................... 9 • US Equestrian Announces New Safe Sport Training Requirements ............................ 9 OPINIONS • From Between My Blinders .................... 10

J

oin us the evening of Saturday, December 1 for the ADS Almost New Year Party & Awards Gala. Are you receiving an ADS Driven Dressage Medal or Hours to Drive Pin in 2018? We’re awarding them during the gala! All activities will take place on the Grand Oaks property. Sign up here!

Thank you to our Sponsors!

The Grand Oaks Resort Yonies Harness Shop

Dan Rosenthal and Ann West Florida Whips

Proxy: While we all prefer seeing as many members as possible attend in person, sometimes that’s not always possible. Please Sign and mail a Proxy 2018.

Dear ADS members,

Donna Crookston competing at the world championships in Kronenberg. Photo by Mike Arnold.

Articles that appear in The Wheelhorse do not necessarily reflect the opinions or position of The American Driving Society, Inc. (ADS), its Board of Directors or staff, nor does publication of said articles constitute an endorsement of the view they may express. Accuracy of all material is the sole responsibility of the authors. Appearance of an advertisement in The Wheelhorse does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by the ADS of the goods and services therein.

It’s come to my attention that a picture published in the August issue of The Whip (page 41) appears to violate an ADS rule included in the General (GR 6.2), Combined Driving (942.5.b), and Recreational Driving (407.2.b) Rules section of the Rulebook: “A horse may never be left unattended while put to a vehicle.” Though the attendants are out of frame, they are indeed present, just to the left of the horses while the horses are harnessed to carriages at a non-ADS parade. The ADS endeavors to only include photographs that are representative of our membership while keeping a close eye on adherence to the rules and guidelines for safety and turnout. In this case we fell short of that goal and I apologize.

Safety is paramount in our organization.

Sincerely, Abbie Trexler ADS Executive Director and Whip Editor ADS – Wheelhorse September 2018

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ADs News

2018 ADS Annual Meeting Schedule

Friday - November 30, 2018 9:00am-3:00pm .........................ADS Committee Meetings 5:30pm-6:30pm..........................Cocktail Party Saturday – December 1, 2018 Coffee and pastries in the meeting room 9:00am – 11:00am .....................Dr. Rich Forfa speaking on TPR at the vet check, sports medicine, and fitting a horse after a long layoff 11:00am – 12:00pm...................Annual Meeting of Members 12:00pm – 1:00pm.....................Lunch and learn 1:00pm – 3:00pm .......................Dr. Meg Sleeper speaking on Cardiology 5:30pm – 6:30pm .......................Happy Hour 6:30pm Dinner/Awards Gala Sunday - December 2, 2018 9:00am – 5:00pm.......................BOD Meeting

Speaker Bios Richard J. Forfa DVM, DABVP

Dr. Forfa is a Diplomat of the American Board of Veterinary Practice with a specialty in Equine Medicine. Dr. Forfa graduated from University of Parma, Italy in 1980.

From 1980-1981, he practiced at the Thoroughbred racetracks at Monmouth Park and the Meadowlands. He also practiced on Maryland’s Eastern shore prior to starting Monocacy Equine in 1983 He is particularly interested in the care of the mare and foal, gastrointestinal diseases and lameness and injury of the foot and hoof. Dr. Forfa is an FEI Veterinarian for combined driving and was part of the vet team at the WEG 2010 in Kentucky.

He also serves on the Council of Biologics & Therapeutics for the AVMA & AAEP as Equine Representative.

Dr. Forfa currently competes in combined carriage driving with his Morgan gelding, Mosswood’s Apollo, and is an avid fisherman.

Meg Sleeper

Clinical Professor – Cardiology Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences Education: VMD, University of Pennsylvania, 1993 Internship, Midatlantic Equine Medical Center, 1994 DACVIM (cardiology), University of Pennsylvania, 1997 Residency, University of Pennsylvania, 1997 Research Interests: Gene therapy for cardiovascular disease and inherited heart disease. Meg was an Olympic level rider in endurance and has competed internationally for the USA!

Hotel Accomodations Special rates include the following dates 11/29/2018 - 12/3/2018 Last day to book with our special rates: 10/29/2018

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ADS – Wheelhorse September 2018

TownePlace Suites - The Villages (a Marriott property) for $120.00 - $130.00 USD per night Book your group rate for American Driving Society by calling 352-753-8686 and ask for rate code ADSP.

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Unable to attend the 2018 Annual Meeting of Members? Please print and mail us a proxy by November 1.

Return by November 1, 2018 to:

The American Driving Society, Inc. P.O. Box 278 Cross Plains, WI 53528 • (608) 237-7382 Fax: (608) 237-6468 •Email: info@americandrivingsociety.org

Limited proxy I am a member of The American Driving Society, Inc. (the “ADS”).

I hereby appoint _______________________________________, as my proxy to vote on my behalf at any meeting of the membership at which I am not physically in attendance, provided that proxy may be used to establish a quorum for the upcoming Annual Membership Meeting to be held in Weirsdale, FL on November 30-December 2, 2018, including any adjournment and continuation of said meeting, and that this proxy shall be used for no other purpose. One form per person.

Member Name:_________________________________ Member Number: ___________________________ (please print)

Member Signature _______________________________________ Date: _____________________________ u u u u

This proxy is solicited by the Board of Directors with the following explanation: In accordance with the law of the state of New York, the state in which The American Driving, Society, Inc. is incorporated, our annual membership meeting must have at least 100 voting members present, in person or by proxy, in order to be considered a legal meeting. In the event that we do not have a quorum at a meeting, no legally binding actions can be taken.

Your prompt return of a signed proxy to the ADS office, at the address above, will allow the ADS to conduct legal business at the Annual Members Meeting, December 1, 2018. Please note that if you wish to send this proxy to the ADS office, it must be RECEIVED in the ADS office by November 1, 2018. Proxies carried in person to the meeting must be submitted to the Secretary. If you have any questions, please feel free to direct them to the ADS office at (608) 237-7382 or email to info@americandrivingsociety.org.

While we all prefer seeing as many members as possible attend in person, sometimes that’s not always possible.

Cut this proxy out or print one online at: americandrivingsociety.org/proxy A u g u s t 2 017

Th e Wh i p

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News

ADS Members represent US at World Championships Jennifer “Nifty” Hamilton Highest Placed U.S. Combined Driver at 2018 FEI World Driving Championships for Singles Diane Kastama led the U.S. contingent in the FEI World Para-Driving Championships for Singles From the US Equestrian Communications Department

K

ronenberg, The Netherlands – It was a roller coaster of emotions and focus for the U.S. Team during the 2018 FEI World Driving and Para-Driving Championships for Singles held in Kronenberg, The Netherlands, on August 29 through September 2. With three challenging phases, Jennifer “Nifty” Hamilton emerged as the leading able-bodied U.S. Driver, with 158.52 penalties. Diane Kastama, Grade I, led the U.S. contingent in the Para-Driving division with 167.85 penalties. The U.S. able-bodied U.S. Driving Team, led by Chef d’Equipe Heather Briggs and Coach Thorsten Zarembowicz, placed seventh with 318.49 penalties, and the U.S. Para-Driving Team, led by Chef d’Equipe Marcie Quist and Coach Sara Schmidt, placed fourth with 331.02 penalties.

After two successful days of dressage, the U.S. able-bodied team looked ahead after a competitive Marathon phase that brought out a focus and determination to move up the leaderboard heading into the final cone phase.

“We came in feeling strong after an excellent week of training camp prior to coming to the show,” said Briggs. “We experienced challenges in the marathon, and we had to knuckle down and focus if we were going to move the needle [in the team standings] and battle for points. I couldn’t be prouder of how the team came together.”

In a field of 82 competitors consisting of 19 international teams, it was the two-time USEF Single Horse Combined Driving National Champion, Jennifer “Nifty” Hamilton (Alva, FL) and Makari Design, her own and Milton Hamilton’s 10-yearold KWPN gelding, that led the U.S. team after the final day of competition. The combination only incurred three penalties in the final cones phase.

Fellow team member Jacob Arnold (Snow Camp, NC) and Uminco, Leslie Berndl’s 17-year-old Royal Dutch Warmblood gelding, was instrumental in the teams overall placing as the partnership between Arnold and Uminco produced the top U.S.

marathon score in a very tight, competitive field. They incurred 1.92 time penalties in the cones phase to add to his overall score, ending on 163.91 penalties. Teammate Donna Crookston (Saltsburg, PA) was bold with Viktor, her 10-year-old Dutch Harness gelding, who was close behind Arnold, adding 3.58 penalties to finish 165.04 penalties.

“I’m delighted for Donna,” said Briggs. “All her work throughout the year to get to this point with Viktor came together nicely. Their communication was the best I’ve seen to date.”

Vernon Helmuth (Lodi, CA), a veteran Pairs competitor, competed as an individual with Firminus, Peter Hüls’s eightyear-old KWPN gelding, to earn a personal best dressage score on the international stage with a 59.63. The developing partnership between Helmuth and Firminus completed the event with 194.03 penalities.

The Netherlands took home top honors with 283.87 penalties, France followed in second with 287.73 penalties and Poland placed third with 293.44 penalties.

Para-Driving Championships for Singles In the FEI World Para-Driving Championships for Singles, consistency and experience was the key to success for the U.S. para-drivers. Competing in her sixth World Championship, Diane Kastama (Arroyo Grande, CA.), boldly piloted Oosterwijk’s Kasper, P.W.C. de Ronde’s 22-year-old gelding of unknown breeding, throughout the competition, moving up the leaderboard, placing seventh with 167.85 penalties.

With less than a point behind Kastama, Tracy Bowman (Martinez, CA) represented the U.S. for the first time in international competition with her own Taylomor Laurabelle, the 16-year-old Welsh Pony known as “Bella,” to a respectable eighth place with 168.58 penalties.

Bob Giles (Morriston, FL) competed in the Grade 2 division with First Lady, an 8-year-old mare of unknown breeding owned

by P.W.C. de Ronde, Giles finished the competition with 172.14 penalties.

Attention Organizers

W

e have some changes in the works for The Omnibus as we move into the second half of the year. We’ll be binding the first volume of 2019 with the November 2018 issue of The Whip. Organizers must have their Omnibus entries approved by their TDs by September 15, 2018 to have them included in The Omnibus that covers January-June 2019. While we recognize that this is an earlier deadline than you may be used to, it will put your shows, events, and drives right into the hands

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of your prospective drivers since this publication will mail to all ADS members. Remember, when you run an ADS-recognized event there is no additional charge to have your event printed in The Omnibus. You’ll notice that when you go to fill in your event information, there will be some areas that are for online-only viewing. This will allow us to uniformly format and publish The Omnibus entries in the printed version. There will, of course, be some kinks to iron out as we navigate the process.

News

The Third Annual Southern Drive A weekend of fun and learning in Florida

By Judi Tintera

T

he third annual Southern Drive at the Grand Oaks Resort took place on May 10-13. Unlike last year’s rainy weather, the sun shone through most of the weekend and the participants enjoyed the planned activities including a Safari Drive, Poker Drive, Team Derby Challenge, Carriage Maintenance Clinic, plus a croquet welcome reception on Thursday, a Friday night pizza party and the Saturday night awards dinner—with the funny money auction. Combine these events with the option to book a private lesson with clinicians Bob Giles, Gary Yeager and Muffy Seaton (who also judged the derby) and have the freedom to drive around the beautiful oak shaded grounds at their leisure, it made for a full four days of driving pleasure.

Sincere thanks to all who helped make this event a success!

Generous donors of gift certificates and items for prizes and/ or the funny money auction: The Grand Oaks Resort Country Carriages American Driving Society, Inc. Driving Essentials The Florida Whips Gloria Austin The Carriage Association of Winter Hill Training Center American Francine Arrington US Equestrian Jacqueline Musler Driving Digest Eloise Nelson Chrysalis Acres Anna and Howie Crothers The Carriage House Kathie Beeson Yonies Jane Murphy Sparr Building & Farm Supply Deb and John Bennett Purina Chuck and Judi Tintera Seminole Feed

Volunteers for the Safari Drive: front row (L-R) Susan Thomas and Jane Murphy.

Back row (L-R): Chet Pratte, Kathie Beeson, Laughlin Waldoch and Jerry Caudill.

Playing follow-the-leader in the water obstacle.

True to its name, The Grand Oaks Resort features shady roads and trails.

ADS – Wheelhorse September 2018

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The Third Annual Southern Drive

(continued from page 5)

Diane Adams-Simmons and Dona Love.

Mark Navratil gave his popular carriage maintenance clinic again this year.

Chris Carswell.

Eloise Nelson held a bucket so the drivers could pick their first card to get the Poker Drive underway.

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Groom Rachel Siller heads the VanSickle’s team of Freisans at the start of the Safari Drive.

The Third Annual Southern Drive

(continued from page 6)

Vice President and Managing Partner of Grand Oaks, Tom Warriner and Captain Morgan watch the start of the Poker Drive.

The funny money auction had almost 50 items to bid on, including new ADS logo swag.

Volunteers for the Poker Drive and Team Derby: clockwise from front: Su-Zi (with her stunning hat), Susan Thomas, Chuck Tintera, Shirlee and Tim Callahan, Howard and Anna Crothers, Eloise Nelson, Stephanie Van Betsy Skinner is all smiles after successfully completing den Hurk) (Volunteers not pictured: Carol Bendle and Max Zieman, who sold tickets for the funny the derby course. money auction).

ADS – Wheelhorse September 2018

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News

2018 ADS North American Preliminary Champions Announced Hot competition in cool Vermont

By Abbie Trexler

T

he 2018 ADS North American Preliminary Champions were crowned on August 26 after three days of stiff competition at the Green Mountain Horse Association (GMHA) in South Woodstock, Vermont.

18 competitors from New England, the Mid-Atlantic and Canada vied for the North American Championship titles.

Attention to detail by the organizers set the GMHA’s competition apart. Potted annuals added depth and color to the cones course, and FEI Course Designer Richard Nicoll designed and built an impressive course that was both challenging and fun for the competitors and visually spectacular for fans.

Simon Rosenman and GMHA’s Executive Director Tracy Ostler co-organized the event. President of the Jury Francois Bergeron was joined by Mickie Bowen and Sem Groenewoud.

Ellen Ettenger was the Technical Delegate.

New Jersey’s Mary Mott and Townshend Robinhood edged out New York’s Dirk Young and Averil Yes for the Single Horse Championship. Mott and her Morgan came into Sunday’s marathon neck in neck with Young and his Haflinger after Dressage and Cones, a close battle that separated the two by less than two-tenths of a point in the final results.

Daniel Rosenthal drove his two Dartmoors, Millcreek Rice Krispy and Singletree Roadside Skipper, with his trademark

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focus to secure the Pony Pair Championship. The pair from New Jersey boasted a 51 in Dressage.

Fourteen-year-old Riley Wiltison of Maryland bested a field of eight to claim the Pony Single Championship with Willow’s Aslan. These two sat fifth coming into Sunday’s marathon, but their blisteringly fast times that topped the charts in each of the six obstacles moved them into championship position.

Reserve champion was Ontario’s Michelle Courtemanche and Fashionista, who scored an impressive 43.6 in Friday’s Dressage test followed by a double clear in cones.

The Small Pony Champion was Connecticut’s Cynthia Bliven and Stonecroft Fancy Package. The duo held on through all three phases.

Linda Peterson, of Connecticut, and Dually claimed the VSE Single Championship with a notable double clear in cones.

Reserve went to Dorothy Maggio and Royal Oaks Painted Berry of Vermont. Both VSEs topped the steep mound in obstacle six, inspiring boisterous cheering from the throngs of fans milling about the obstacle.

Visit americandrivingsociety.org for complete results.

Make sure your ADS membership is current to receive the November issue of The Whip that includes full coverage from GMHA, complete with photographs.

News

Drive with Confidence

A new division at Saratoga Driving Trial

A

novel approach to carriage driving competition is being offered at the Saratoga Driving Trial on Oct 6-8, 2018.

In the brand new Confidence Division, all forms of outside assistance are allowed in competition. Have someone sit next to you and read you the dressage test or point where you should be going in cones. Maybe you would feel more confident with wearing a head-set while being coached from the sideline.

Use whatever or whomever you think will help you get out there and give it go. Always wanted to try a competition but lack the nerve to actually do it? Take along whomever you believe will be of greatest assistance to you for dressage, cones, marathon and our new Pleasure Drive Pace.

Have you only driven in Pleasure Driving Shows but think maybe a Combined Driving Event looks interesting and fun?

Attention Licensed Officials:

The Super Clinic will be held July 25-28, 2019 in Parker, Colorado, at the Holiday Inn Parker, a full-service hotel just a 25-minute drive from the Denver International Airport.

“We are thrilled to be working with the local driving club to have in-person demonstrations with equines, along with digital

This is the perfect opportunity to test the waters. We are offering a Pleasure Path to Combined Driving. Try our Pleasure Driving Combined Test: a dressage test plus a Fault and Out Obstacle course. Add a trip on our Pleasure Drive Pace and create a Super Pleasure Continuous Drive. Our Pace will utilize the track of the marathon course for the Driving Trial but without the obstacles included.

Mix it up anyway you wish. Compete as a regular competitor or as a Confidence driver. We don’t care. We just want to get you out there driving and enjoying the sport. More details can be found here: http://www.greenmeads.com/sda-combined-testdriving-trial or from the Saratoga Driving Association website: http://www.saratogadriving.com/

learning options and live seminars in a classroom setting for our officials,” said ADS Licensed Officials Committee Chairperson Ruth Graves.

Visit https://americandrivingsociety.org/EventsResources/Officials/Officials-Clinics for more information as it becomes available.

US Equestrian Announces New Safe Sport Training Requirements From the US Equestrian Communications Department

O

n August 27, 2018, the US Equestrian Board of Directors approved a rule change requiring that effective January 1, 2019, all US Equestrian (USEF) adult members with a Competing Membership must complete USEF’s Safe Sport Training in order to be eligible to participate in USEF activities.

USEF members can immediately access the free Safe Sport Training directly through their member dashboard.

US Equestrian President Murray Kessler stated, “I am very proud of the work done in drafting this proposal and the Board of Directors which approved this critical rule designed to keep our children safe while they enjoy, excel, and advance in our sport.”

The rule has three main requirements. Sections 1 and 2 are already in effect and Section 3 has been added: 1. Every USEF member and Federation Participant* shall abide

by USEF’s Safe Sport Policy and the U.S. Center for SafeSport Code of Conduct. *As described by the USEF Safe Sport Policy, a Federation Participant is any USEF member or non-member, who participates in, or attends a USEF-licensed competition or sanctioned event.

2. In order to comply with S. 534, the Protecting Young Victim’s from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017, the USEF Safe Sport Policy, and the Center’s SafeSport Code of Conduct, every USEF adult member and USEF participant, with

the exception of the victim, is required to report suspected sexual misconduct within 24 hours to the appropriate authorities and to the U.S. Center for SafeSport.

3. Beginning January 1, 2019, every USEF adult member with a Competing Membership must complete USEF’s Safe Sport Training, as approved by the U.S. Center for SafeSport (the Center).

A 30-day grace period to complete the awareness training will be provided to all members who renew or join on or after December 1, 2018. Members joining prior to December 1, 2018 will have until January 1, 2019 to complete the training. Those who do not complete the training within the grace period will be ineligible to participate in USEF activities, including competitions.

The Safe Sport Policy and the rules that govern it have been created to protect all athletes from misconduct within the sport. This new rule is consistent with our efforts to ensure the safety and welfare of equestrian participants, especially minors.

Education and training everyone is crucial to protecting athletes and eradicating abuse in our sport.

Additional information and resources on Safe Sport, how to report sexual and non-sexual misconduct, access to a free training module for parents of equestrian athletes, a Safe Sport FAQ, the Safe Sport Sanction list and more can be found HERE. ADS – Wheelhorse September 2018

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OpiNiONs

From Between My Blinders More on the Rule Change Process

By Hardy Zantke

I

t is going to be a busy fall. By the time you read this, the period for members’ input into the ADS Rule Change Process is just over. I hope you made your opinions known.

Now our committees are hard at work to finalize the Rule Change Proposals - and they do take your input seriously and into consideration. Being on some of those committees, I can assure you, there are quite some e-mail discussions as well as conference calls with volunteer work going on, trying to balance differences of opinions to ultimately come out with, hopefully, the best solutions for the future of our sport. The final decision then always rests with the full Board of Directors at the ADS fall meeting, where the BOD discusses and votes on the rule change proposals. And then it still needs to be put into effect with the next ADS Rulebook. Again, more volunteer work!

No, I don’t like all the rule changes every year, but it seems it is human nature, and things change, the sport changes, the people change, there are always some flaws from previous rules to be corrected. And then there are new ideas, on what some think might improve the sport. It’s never ending.

In regards to the new ideas and the change of the sport: We have already discussed the benefits versus the draw backs of trying to stay in sync with the international level of the sport.

While we have followed over the years many of the rule changes which come down from the FEI we also have more and more instances where we have not done so, and right now the FEI has two proposals pending which our committees have chosen not to follow. Let me note that all of the FEI rule change proposals are again only proposed also on the FEI level. So we don’t know yet, if the FEI will even adopt them. They were passed to all National Federations for input to the FEI. Most of the proposed changes this year are just small items, of little concern, but there were two bigger ones: The first one the ADS did not even put on our Rule Change Suggestions blog, as in no way would we follow that, and also it would only concern FEI drivers and would not even have to be mentioned in our Rulebook: That is a RCS by the FEI to Article 912 .6 requiring that Grooms in the future should be registered with the FEI and a

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driver could only have a groom on the carriage who was listed in his entry. Singles & Pairs could list two grooms and Four-inHands three. This came out of welfare concerns for the grooms with the requirement that if a groom would fall off the carriage, he could not continue before he was cleared by the medical people. In the meantime then the spare groom could get on the carriage and continue with the driver. This idea I think has many shortfalls - so I hope it won’t pass: First the entire red tape with registering grooms. Next the practical one: Is the spare groom then going to run after the carriage from marathon obstacle to marathon obstacle in case he might be needed? I can see the welfare concern for the groom when he fell off, but I think the only proper solution for that is if he can’t be cleared right away, well, then the entry cannot continue. Too bad, but it would be the same if the driver could not go on, or one of the horses, or the carriage failed. That’s the way it is, and we don’t have a spare driver either.

The other RCP which our committees decided not to support is the FEI idea to Art 955 to change the Collective Remarks in all Dressage Tests from the current five to only two - to delete the first three “Paces, Impulsion, Obedience & Lightness” and only still have the last two “Driver & Presentation”. That idea comes out of ridden dressage at the FEI as they feel the first three are already included in the number for each movement.

There are good arguments on both sides, but the main one is first a practical one: In the end it really doesn’t make that much of a difference, we are splitting hairs here and for that we would have to re-design all of our dressage tests. It’s really not worth the effort, and I understand USEF as well as the USDF did not go along with those changes either for their lower levels. So let’s see if the FEI does indeed go through with them, and if they do, well, we can consider it perhaps for future new dressage tests.

In the meantime now, to those of you who are going: Enjoy the WEG, all the best to our drivers & riders there and Team USA. For those who are not going, I hope you’ll have fun watching it via the Internet.

Editor’s Note: Live streaming coverage can be purchased at https://tv.fei.or Have a great September,

Hardy