2016 HIPICO Santa Fe Souvenir Program

THE ART OF

THE HORSE 27 JULY - 25 SEPTEMBER 2016

sharonmcelvain.com

GGT Footing wishes all competitors good luck.

Sarah Invicta Williams, National and International professional equestrian competitor and trainer

nadelbachphoto.com

Malouf on the Plaza celebrates Sarah invicta Williams a fierce equestrian competitor with style !

Leather Belts by Cesar Ugarte

SUNRISE SPRINGS RESORT A Wellness Oasis in Santa Fe

Located just 10 minutes from the HIPICO Santa Fe venue Sunrise Springs is a spa resort that specializes in integrative wellness. Whether you are looking to simply rest and revitalize or immerse in a deeply transformative experience, we invite you to become inspired at our serene, natural oasis.

Our integrative spa services include therapeutic massage, skin care, aqua wellness, 242 Los Pinos Road Santa Fe, New Mexico 87507

Visit us on Facebook and Instagram SunriseSpringsNM

and sleep, stress and nutrition consultations. Activities range from meditation, yoga and fitness, to puppy therapy, gardening and culinary and expressive arts.

Call 877.977.8212, or visit sunrisesprings.com for details on Sunrise Day Escape packages that include spa services, activites and farm-to-table lunch. Advance reservations required.

Cowboys and Indians Santa Fe

Women’s Apparel, Boots, Felicita Designs Jewelry, Fine Home Furnishings and Accessories 72 E. San Francisco St. • Santa Fe, NM 87501 • Map #6 cowboysindianssf@aol.com • 505.982.8280 • fax 505.982.8283

FROM THE OWNERS

A

WELCOME BACK TO HIPICO SANTA FE!

nyone who has started a business, planned a largescale event, renovated a property in need of an urgent facelift or steered a talented green horse through a challenging course will understand the adrenalin that courses through your veins when faced with such a task—and the enormous pride you feel in accomplishing what seemed impossible at the outset. In 2015, we embraced the rather daunting—some would say insane—undertaking of starting a business and repurposing an aging, yet promising, horse property into a contemporary competition venue. Confronted with less than seven months to prepare for the Santa Fe Summer Series 2015, we found ourselves caught in a web of surprises, successes and tests of will—often simultaneously.

Our goals back then were modest. We sought to prepare the venue in time for a small-to-midsize three-week hunter/jumper summer show series as part of a five-year plan to build the property into a world-class venue that could host equestrian, music and festival events. We renovated the existing arenas and put in four new ones—all with state-of-the-art footing. Hundreds of portable stalls were installed on carefully layered gravel pads, as was an RV park overlooking the polo fields. Electrical and water lines received major upgrades. New roads and a VIP berm were created and covered in beautiful but, as we learned, very dusty red volcanic rock, sourced from a mine next door. The Hipico VIP Lounge was designed with innovative features (see page 10). A beautiful souvenir program came together in record time.

Our horse show team executed efficiently on show grounds that most had never seen until they arrived at the start of the show.

It took a village of skilled, determined, often exhausted and 6

occasionally exasperated individuals to carry out the show in such a short time. We exceeded our goals in our first year, as stalls filled quickly and sponsors, owners, riders and trainers signed on to be a part of an as-yet-unknown adventure in the Southwest. It was a flurry of horse showing, epic parties in the Hipico Lounge, barbecues in the RV park, and pick-up games of kickball in the dark. And then it was over, and the grounds returned to their tranquil beauty.

Moving into 2016, we realized it was important to perfect what we had begun on this site. While we wanted to expand into a fall series, we also understood that there were areas of the operation that needed our focused attention if we were to succeed. Much work has been done to improve the footing consistency and depth in the sand arenas, using a proprietary blend of materials, while significant attention has also been given to our now-rebounding grass competition fields that had suffered from years of neglect. A new well ensures that our water supply will remain plentiful at all times.

The land on which this venue sits and the sport of show jumping are dear to our hearts. The McElvain and Gonzales families have deep roots in both New Mexico and horse sports that date back generations. We are grateful to all of you for joining us in this, our second year. Rest assured, we will grow this venue and our events with care and attention to the large and small details.

Your enjoyment of Hipico Santa Fe is our most important mission and we will continue to keep our eye on that prize.

With gratitude, THE HIPICO FAMILY

CONTENTS

PEOPLE

ART

SHOW

25 THE ART OF THE EQUESTRIAN

49 THE ART OF THE HORSE

85 THE CRAFT OF THE SHOW

50 AN INTRODUCTION Santa Fe’s artistic prominence is no accident.

86 FASHION SHOW What will you wear from stable to table?

26 THE ART OF GIVING Proceeds from week three of the Summer Series benefit community and equine organizations.

30 ALL SMILES AT NM THERAPEUTIC RIDING CENTER Hipico supports the New Mexico Therapeutic Riding Center and helps heal some very special equestrians.

58 A LIFE FORCE — SHARON MCELVAIN An adventurous spirit reaps wonderful results for the New Mexico equestrian and art communities.

by PHYLLIS GONZALES

by KEIKO OHNUMA

38 GETTING PSYCHED Top riders share their techniques on how to handle competition pressure.

by STUDIO SEVEN PRODUCTIONS

by KEIKO OHNUMA

62 ARTIST PROFILES Sara Beth Banning, Micqaela Jones, Kiki Martinez, Bregelle Whitworth Davis, Bri Cimino , Upton “Greyshoes” Ethelbah Jr.

by KEIKO OHNUMA

by JENNIFER M. MILLER

74 BY CHANCE: THE ART OF DOUG COFFIN Taking chances in life and in art results in an international sculpting career for the Abiquiu artist.

94 BEYOND BLUE RIBBONS WITH CLINT MORTENSON Hipico’s prizes are true, wearable, handmade works of art.

by CRISTINA OLDS

98 PREPPING AND PRIMPING Behind every great-looking horse, there’s a hard-working groom.

by JOANNE MESZOLY

102 DELIBERATE DESIGN There is method to the course designer’s madness.

by JOANNE MESZOLY

by MEGAN KAMERICK

ALSO INSIDE 6

WELCOME BACK TO HIPICO SANTA FE! We’re back for year two, and we’re improving on a tradition of great sport in Santa Fe.

10 HIPICO LOUNGE: Horse Show Hospitality

The art of hospitality is taken to new heights in the Hipico VIP lounge.

8

13 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS 16 THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS 21 SCENES FROM THE 2015 SUMMER SERIES

FEATURED SALE HORSE:

FLORISENA 4/2015 Filly Floriscount x Wertherson (Werther)

Bold, beautiful gaits and correct in every way for top level dressage.

Her sire, Floriscount (pictured here), is among the top 1% of the best German sires for rideability with record-breaking breeding value of 170 points; and safety factor of 91 percent! His progeny consistently

HELL CANYON FARM is a full-service breeding and training facility specializing in Dressage and Hunter/Jumper. Located in the peaceful La Cienega river valley, just off I-25 - it is a quick, easy 20-minute drive from Santa Fe and 45 minutes from Albuquerque.

• Intimate barns with spacious 12x20 and 12x36 box stall/run-out combinations • Heated wash stall, grooming and tack stalls • Secure tack rooms • Large turnout paddocks available daily for each horse • 20mx60m dressage arena with Premier ProStride® footing and mirrors • 110’x190’ all-purpose arena for all disciplines • 56’ round pen • Trail riding directly from property to BLM and open space lands THE BREEDING PROGRAM at Hell Canyon Farm is carefully structured to produce top performance horse partners for amateur and professional riders who are serious about their sport and committed to enjoying a healthy, happy partnership with their horse.

Hipico Santa Fe and Horse Nation equestrian event centers are each just five minutes away to make your training and show experience effortless.

demonstrate outstanding basic

424 Los Pinos Road, Santa Fe NM 87507 505.310.1050

gaits and excellent rideability.

www.hellcanyonfarm.com

This outstanding filly

u

traits of the Floriscount and

Weekly Dressage Lessons

Wertherson (Werther) lines.

with Katy Lindberg

Florisena is a winner!

www.katylindberg.com

possesses all the desirable

OFFERED AT: $15,000 Photo © 2012 Gut Füchtel

u Monthly, Focused 2-Day Clinics with Sarah Dodge www.sarahdodgedressage.com SOUVENIR PROGRAM 2016 9

HIPICO LOUNGE

THE NEW ART OF HORSE SHOW HOSPITALITY

by SPARROW CAMPBELL

A

decade ago, the Grand Prix de Santa Fe broke new ground in horse showing. These weekend-long jumper competitions were famous for their parties and particular spirit of hospitality. From lawn guests enjoying elaborate picnics, to Sunday champagne brunches in the VIP tent, the Grand Prix made its name as a competitive horse show with a welcoming, fun twist. When the Grand Prix de Santa Fe was revived and reimagined last year in its new home, Hipico Santa Fe, our mandate was to carry on those early traditions by creating the very best party in horse showing!

What the Grand Prix de Santa Fe offered during its heyday between 2004 and 2009 has evolved into the tradition of hospitality that you are experiencing today. “Our original vision for horse showing in Santa Fe was based on the idea that spectators should feel welcome, comfortable and cared for,” explains Brian Gonzales, co-owner of Hipico Santa Fe, along with friend and business partner Guy McElvain. “Good food, beautiful surroundings and staff and volunteers genuinely happy to see you … it’s all part of being a family-run venue and event. Many of the same partners we worked with in the past remain essential members of our Hipico family, like Cowgirl BBQ, Peas n’ Pod catering, and Gruet Winery. We are strong believers in lasting relationships with our community partners,” adds McElvain.

Other important traditions, such as a strong fine art presence on the show grounds, are also returning to Hipico Santa Fe. “In 2008, we had 13 monumental sculptures by iconic Native American artist Allan Houser (see page 93) installed 10

on the grounds—even in the show arena. It was spectacular to watch horses and riders compete around those works of art,” remembers Phyllis Gonzales, co-owner, who oversaw the Grand Prix’s VIP services. “This year, thanks to our partnership with Santa Fe Exports, the works of 60 artists, including some by Allan Houser, will be exhibited on the show grounds, in a beautiful display entitled ‘Art of the Horse.’”

At Hipico, we believe true hospitality is also an art—a commitment to authentic service, which requires an ongoing conversation between guest and host. In continuing that tradition begun in 2004, the Hipico Lounge offers something intimate and charming— something uniquely Santa Fe. Some horse shows offer their VIPs a nice viewing spot with food. Our lounge is a space to unwind, revive and enjoy local cuisine, all crafted with our guests in mind. Most of all, we offer convivial service, the finest of equestrian sport and the occasion to enjoy it all alongside old friends and new. Your commitment and support is the inspiration behind the hospitality in Hipico Lounge. The space and its amenities are designed to foster community, echoing back to the early days of the Grand Prix de Santa Fe and centered on the love of horses—and offering a roaring good time.

There is wonder in dining out-of-doors, in the shimmering New Mexico light, in proximity to these magnificent horses and inspired contemporary fine art. In an era of rushing to and fro, we offer you a place to build memorable moments, to revel in friendships, share beautiful meals, thrill to spectacular horse sport, ponder a work of art and relax.

HorsE + spArrow HORSE AROUND WITH FASHION AND PHILOSOPHY & CHANGE YOUR PERSPECTIVE

SANTA FE – LONDON – VANCOUVER THEHORSEANDSPARROW.COM

SOUVENIR PROGRAM 2016

11

Weekly Schedule of

PARTIES, EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES JOIN US FOR THESE SPECIAL EVENTS:

A complete schedule of events, including times and locations, will be posted weekly in the Show Office and online at www.hipicosantafe.com.

WEDNESDAYS

EXPERIENCE SANTA FE’S finest dining with a curated art and

Exhibitors and Friends Welcome Party, 5:00 p.m. Locations and themes to be announced.

dining experience in partnership with Santa Fe Exports. Visit

THURSDAYS

CuratedDiningExperience.com

Join us for our new HIPICO National Futures/Masters Championships

to learn more and reserve your spot.

15 SEPTEMBER

$2,500 HIPICO National Futures Championship Qualifier 1.35-1.40m

22 SEPTEMBER

$2,500 HIPICO National Masters Championship Qualifier 1.35-1.40m

THE 2ND ANNUAL HIPICO

FRIDAYS

INVITATIONAL GOLF TOURNAMENT takes place on August 8. Enjoy a round on

Derby Day class and festivities in our new Derby arena, every Friday at 4:00 p.m., including: 29 JULY

Las Campanas’ Jack Nicklaus

5 AUGUST

Signature Course, followed

12 AUGUST

$2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby Sponsored by RIDE TV $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby Sponsored by Sandia Farm

by a reception for sponsors,

SATURDAYS

exhibitors and guests. Contact Colleen at 505.995.3544 or cedwards@clublc.com.

TACK SWAP AUGUST 20!

Hipico Santa Fe’s celebrated special classes in the Grand Prix arena starting at 2 p.m. weekly: 30 JULY 6 AUGUST

$2,000 Rancho Corazon Master’s Choice Jumper Classic $5,000 Sandia BMW/MINI Cooper Ride and Drive Challenge

13 AUGUST

$15,000 Santa Fe Exports All In One Grand Prix

western or English tack and find

27 AUGUST

$2,500 HIPICO National Futures Championship Qualifiers 1.35-1.40m

a treasure or two! A portion

27 AUGUST

$2,500 HIPICO National Masters Championship Qualifiers 1.35-1.40m

Bring your no-longer-needed

of the proceeds from the tack

3 SEPTEMBER

swap will go to New Mexico

17 SEPTEMBER

$10,000 HIPICO National Futures Championship 1.35-1.40m

Center for Therapeutic Riding,

24 SEPTEMBER

$10,000 HIPICO National Masters Championship 1.35-1.40m

$5,000 Combined Horse & Dog Agility Class

a beneficiary of the Grand

SUNDAYS

Prix de Santa Fe (a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization).

SPECIAL WINE & CHEESE COCKTAIL PARTIES, spectacular sundowner trail rides, Derby hat contests, pony socials, karaoke nights, raffles, and live music! Stay up to date

Grand Prix class and elegant champagne brunch in the Grand Prix arena & the Hipico VIP Lounge Gates open at 11:45 a.m., lunch at 12 p.m., Grand Prix starts at 1 p.m.: 31 JULY 7 AUGUST

$30,000 Kastel Denmark Welcome to Santa Fe Grand Prix $30,000 City of Santa Fe Santa Fe Fiesta Grand Prix

14 AUGUST

$50,000 Grand Prix de Santa Fe

28 AUGUST

$30,000 Sparrowhawk Bienvenidos Grand Prix

4 SEPTEMBER

$30,000 Turquoise Trail Grand Prix

on all these events by visiting

18 SEPTEMBER

$20,000 Chile Harvest Variable Grand Prix & 1.40m Bonus

hipicosantafe.com.

25 SEPTEMBER

$20,000 Ristra Variable Grand Prix & 1.40m Bonus

SOUVENIR PROGRAM 2016

13

A leading breeder of Holsteiner Sport Horses

All photos Sharon McElvain ©Eyes For You Photography

Breeding • Training • Sales

Corazon

Breeding

Training

Sales

Lemitar, NM - (575) 835-1845 - www.ranchocorazon.us

Standing Multiple Holsteiner stallions and selling approved foals Lemitar, NM - (575) 835-1845 - www.ranchocorazon.us HORSE CONNECTION MAGAZINE | SPRING 2015 | 15

Thank You to the Sponsors of the

2016 SANTA FE SUMMER AND FALL FUN SERIES DIAMOND LEGACY

GGT Footing Sandia Automotive

Kathy and Brad Coors Family Sandia Farm

Sparrowhawk

Brian K. Gonzales Guy McElvain Phyllis Mooney Gonzales Sharon McElvain

EVENT MANAGEMENT Nathan Mullins, Sponsor Manager

PLATINUM LEGACY

GOLD LEGACY

SILVER LEGACY

City of Santa Fe

ALU Jumps

Classic Party Rentals

Dr. Paul Scharf & Kendra Lyon

Cowgirl Catering

Crooked Willow Farms

SPARROWHAWK James Campbell, Chief Operations Officer Sparrow Campbell, Protocol Director Samantha Sylvain, Operations Manager Josh Trenk, Venue Manager Cynthia Carter, Design Director Andrés Machin, Logistics Manager Kate Kendall, Media Relations Manager

Del Rio Surveys

HORSE SHOW MANAGEMENT

Financial Concepts

Patrick Rodes, Southbound Show Management, Weeks 1-5

Invicta Farms Kastel Denmark Noble Outfitters Plum Creek Hollow Farm

Gruet Winery Las Campanas McElvain Energy Rancho Corazon RIDE TV

Santa Fe Exports

Hutton Broadcasting/ SantaFe.com

Terence & Henrietta Hall

Valley View Stables

Griffis Residential Jeffrey & Darlene Anderson The Ryan Family

Jeff Gilbert, Weeks 6 & 7

SITE MANAGEMENT Forrest Henry, Site Development Pedro Antillon, Grounds Manager

Tourism Santa Fe

GRAND PRIX DE SANTA FE, INC. BOARD OF DIRECTORS

AAA Pumping

Phyllis Mooney Gonzales, President Guy McElvain, Vice President Brian K. Gonzales, Treasurer Caroline Invicta Stevenson, Director Margaret Mooney, Director

TURQUOISE LEGACY

Bella Media Group/ Santa Fean Botas La Mundial Century Bank CWD Drury Plaza Hotel

Elayne Patton Sotheby’s International Realty First National Santa Fe Mastermind Equestrian Mortenson Silver & Saddles Pyranha Inc.

Santa Fe Sports & Images Sidelines Slazer Technologies

SANTA FE SUMMER & FALL FUN SERIES PROGRAM

The Shufelt Family

Cover, The Mane Event, by Bregelle Whitworth Davis, inspired

by Sharon McElvain’s photo, Corazon’s Bougainvillea del Impirio

Jim, Jill and Alexandria Williams

Design, Editorial, and Production by E-SQUARED CUSTOM PUBLISHING

State Capital Kitchen

We regret any omission of sponsorships received after the program deadline.

16

HIPICO LEADERSHIP

Emily Esterson, Publisher/Editor Glenna Stocks, Art Director Christy LaSalle, Designer Jennifer Robinson, Advertising Sales—NM

YOUR COMPLETE GUIDE TO AN UNFORGETTABLE SANTA FE EXPERIENCE

2502 CAMINO ENTRADA SUITE C SANTA FE, NM, 87507

PH: 505-471 -1067

HUTTON BROADCASTING, LLC

INVICTA FARMS

at Beautiful La Mesita Ranch SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO

PHOTOS: MARY NEIBERG

With continued appreciation to all our loyal friends, clients and their wonderful horses.

TEAM INVICTA

www.invictafarmsatlamesitaranch.com | 505-500-6353

Congratulations HIPICO Santa Fe!

INVICTA FARMS at beautiful La Mesita Ranch in Santa Fe, New Mexico La Mesita Ranch, home to Invicta Farms, offers well kept barns, roomy turn outs, a spacious heated indoor arena and inviting trails to explore. Invicta Farms prides itself on our professional staff, for whom the care and comfort of the horse comes first. Our training programs are tailored to your horse's individual needs and structured in a kind, consistent and positive atmosphere. Theraplate and Laser are available, along with a full rehab program. We have well trained horses and ponies available for you to learn on. Our instructors have many years of experience in teaching, from the beginner rider to the seasoned show equestrian. Everyone is given the utmost attention and guidance in our lesson programs.

• Full Board, Care & Training

• Instruction: Beginner to Advanced

• Live-in Staff on Property

• Specializing in Hunters, Jumpers & Equitation Disciplines

• Reasonable Rates

• Sales, Leases & Horse Evaluations • Horse Showing Year Round

WELCOME NEW CLIENTS TO TEAM INVICTA! Caroline Invicta Stevenson 505 500 6353

Sarah Invicta Williams 505 670 2806

Barb Olson 562 896 0631

Leslie Lockhart McNiff 818 399 1067

www.invictafarmsatlamesitaranch.com | cinvicta@yahoo.com | 505 500 6353

santa fe

SCENES FROM THE 2015

SOUVENIR PROGRAM 2016

21

EndEavor Farm at roxbury Farm

Intimate Full Care Show Jumping Program for the discriminating rider seeking a competitive yet fun boutique experience.

10559 Democrat Road Parker CO 80134

Glee White so proudly congratulates the Coors Family and all her students on their many successes through the year and wishes the greatest season of all coming forth.

We wish everyone a successful and fun experience at this great 2016 Hipico Santa Fe circuit. gleeawhite.com 505.603.2252

Sidelines Magazine 28 Years and Going Strong Sidelines is available via subscription and at: 300+ horse shows per year | 200+ Independent tack & feed stores | 22 Dover Saddlery locations | 100+ Barnes & Noble, Chapters & Indigo book stores To advertise, please contact

advertising@sidelinesnews.com | 561.951.4225

sidelinesnews.com

THE ART OF

THE EQUESTRIAN

sharonmcelvain.com

PEOPLE

Beneficiaries

THE ART OF GIVING Proceeds from week three of the Summer Series benefit community and equine organizations.

T

HE GRAND PRIX DE SANTA FE, INC. (GPSF), is a nonprofit 501(c)3 dedicated to supporting, advancing and showcasing the New Mexico equestrian community. Founded in 2004 by Guy

McElvain and Brian Gonzales, the GPSF established the first world-class show-jumping event in New Mexico that, during its six-year run, donated 100 percent of its proceeds to local nonprofit organizations serving at-risk children and equines, as well as land and cultural preservation.

The Grand Prix de Santa Fe is pleased to partner with Hipico Santa Fe during its Santa Fe Summer and Fall Fun Series.

A portion of the proceeds from the third week of the Santa GPSF’s identified beneficiaries.

Grand Prix de Santa Fe Scholarship Program A one-year scholarship, in the amount of $5,000, will be awarded to a student with a strong commitment to animal health and/or agriculture.

Students must be pursuing university degree programs in the areas of veterinary medicine, veterinary technician medicine and/or agricultural studies and meet the established merit- and need-based guidelines.

26

New Mexico Suicide Intervention Project (NMSIP) In New Mexico, suicide is the second leading cause of death of youth ages 15-24, and the third leading cause of death for youth ages 10-14. NMSIP is the only community-based organization in Santa Fe County and the surrounding area providing free services with programs specifically aimed at preventing the loss of young lives—lives lost before they’ve even started.

In its efforts to combat this tragic trend, NMSIP has established numerous preven-

TAKE2 Second Career Thoroughbred Program Founded in 2012 by the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association (NYTHA), in collaboration with the New York Racing Association (NYRA) and the New York Thoroughbred Breeders (NYTB), the Take2 Second Career Thoroughbred Program is committed to promoting and developing

Anne Wrinkle and her OTTB, Squander.

second careers for racehorses when they have retired from the track. Take2 funds prize money and awards in hunter and jumper classes restricted to Thoroughbreds that are eligible to be registered with The Jockey Club. The goal is to create a market for retired racehorses, ensuring secure futures beyond the racetrack. The Santa Fe Summer and Fall Fun Series is proud to offer designated hunter and jumper classes for eligible Thoroughbreds.

COURTESY ANNE WRINKLE

Fe Summer Series Grand Prix events will be donated to the

tion, intervention and training programs in Northern New Mexico.

• Counseling • Peer training • Suicide Education and Awareness training • Crisis Support and Postvention for students, family members, faculty and other school personnel.

• Graduate and advanced studies training in assessment and suicide prevention counseling.

Beneficiaries

ALL SMILES At New Mexico Center for Therapeutic Riding, horses help some very special equestrians.

by KEIKO OHNUMA

I

30

The 40 minutes these kids spend with horses can be a game-changer for their social, physical and emotional skills.

SAMANTHA WAIDLER JARAMILLO

T MAY SOUND HOKEY TO CLAIM that horses heal, or that watching magic develop between horse and rider can renew your faith in humanity, but it’s no exaggeration when you’re standing in the arena with tears in your eyes. Several times a day at the New Mexico Center for Therapeutic Riding on the Hipico grounds, trainer Ashley Armijo brings out something rare and lovely in her students, most of whom struggle mightily to cope in the world of humans.

In the world of horses, not so much. “Our goal is to help them ride as if they have no disability,” Armijo says as she helps three disabled riders get ready for their weekly lesson on a windy spring day. Two have mild developmental disabilities and saddle their horses with the ease of habit and the help of volunteers.

The third is much more challenged—nonverbal, autistic, and epileptic—and needs

We all know great design when we see it.

It excites the senses and leaves the impression that the space is inspired.

Beneficiaries

32

SAMANTHA WAIDLER JARAMILLO

The NMCTR horses and students quickly become best friends.

three volunteers to guide the horse and make sure she is calm at all times.

The day’s mounted lesson consists of walking to various posts around the arena, picking artificial flowers from buckets, and bringing them all to a central bucket. In 30 or 40 minutes, the riding is over, yet this brief weekly moment in the saddle has been a game-changer in the students’ lives, Armijo says.

The student, who has severe disabilities, “absolutely loves it. Her parents say that after riding she focuses more,” Armijo says. Initially reluctant even to touch the horse, she now eagerly brushes and saddles. On bad-weather days, “she will brush the horse for hours.” Another student comes during the week to work in the barn, just to spend more time around the horses.

And the third is “giddy all the way here,” Armijo says.

Anyone who loves riding can attest to the natural bond between human and horse, but therapeutic riding takes this evolutionary advantage to another level, into the realm of the magical and mysterious.

Armijo, who is trained as a Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH) instructor, has seen riders make unexplained leaps in cognitive, emotional, and social development just from working with horses.

“The horse acts as a motivator—they get to see their best

friend,” she explains. Beyond that, “it enhances everything physically, even for the able-bodied—core strength and balance. Emotionally, it’s empowering to work with a thousand-pound animal, to be able to brush and ride and work together. It instills trust.” The gentle beasts never judge, and simply riding together in the sun offers unquantifiable benefits in sheer happiness and joy that might otherwise be hard to come by.

The program is not just about riding, however.

Horsemanship is an integral part of each lesson. “This is not just pony rides,” Armijo says, and for certain groups the grooming and horse handling are crucial components. Along with Santa Fe’s disabled community and the hearing and visually impaired, NMCTR serves homeless teens, young people with behavioral issues, post-traumatic stress or school disruptions, as well as young single mothers.

Each group has a program tailored to its needs. Homeless teens are engaged as interns, for example, cleaning stalls and assisting with veterinarian and farrier visits, developing a work ethic and introducing them to possible careers. Students on longterm suspension from school can earn elective credits, so they not only learn horsemanship but progress toward graduation. “We try to deal

Santa Fe’s

Affordable Boutique Hotel closest hotel to Hipico special discounts available

COMPLIMENTARY Full American Breakfast / High Speed Internet Shuttle Service / Heated Pool, Spa, Sauna & Fire Pit 32 Inch Flat Panel HDTV / 24 HR Fitness Center 24 HR Business Center / Oversize Vehicle Parking

8376 Cerrillos Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87507 Tel: 505-474-9500 / 888.871.7138 Fax: 505.474.9535 info@InnAtSantaFe.com InnAtSantaFe.com

SOUVENIR PROGRAM 2016

33

Beneficiaries Why stay in a hotel when you can stay in a home?

SANTA FE VACATION RENTALS

• One & two bedroom Casitas • Located off Santa Fe Plaza

• Full Kitchen, Washer & Dryer

• 15 Minute drive to Hipico Santa Fe

• Complimentary parking & Wi-Fi

• Pet and Family Friendly

• Mention this ad for a 10% discount

santafe-vacationrentals.com • 505.235.2085

DISCOVER AND EXPERIENCE A WORLD OF FINE CHOCOLATE BEYOND THE WRAPPER...

Exquisite artisan chocolates, Bean to Bar Wall of Craft chocolate, Food of the Gods chocolate immersion workshop & tasting, factory tours, chocolate gifts, coffee, tea and chocolate drinks.

VISIT US OR BOOK ON LINE 3201 Richards Ln , Santa Fe NM in the Midtown Innovation District near Meow Wolf www.CacaoSantaFe.com

34

with the whole spectrum of disability,” Armijo explains.

Incredibly, all 16 to 20 lessons a week with some 36 disabled students, plus the school groups and summer camps, are handled by Armijo and a barn manager who is training to be a PATH instructor—along with dozens of devoted volunteers. The program is in its eighth year serving Santa Fe County, but struggled to maintain funding and a consistent home base until arriving at Hipico Santa Fe this year.

Armijo learned suddenly last year that the program would have to leave its grounds near the Santa Fe Downs, and she reached out to the owners of Hipico Santa Fe for a possible lease. “It just seemed like the perfect fit for us,” explains Phyllis Gonzales, one of the co-owners of Hipico Santa Fe and president of the Grand Prix de Santa Fe, the nonprofit associated with Hipico Santa Fe that has named NMCTR as a beneficiary of this year’s Grand Prix de Santa Fe, to be held on August 14, 2016.

Gonzales was familiar with NMCTR after loaning an aging horse to the program years ago. Moreover, when the Grand Prix de Santa Fe began its horse show in 2004, the first beneficiary was Rancho Corazon—the precursor to NMCTR (not related to Hipico sponsor Rancho Corazon Riders). “It

seemed like full circle for us to invite them again to be the beneficiary of our nonprofit program,” Gonzales says.

“There are a lot of therapeutic riding programs around, but they were one of the first, and remain a model for what therapeutic riding programs should be. So it makes sense to support them.”

NMCTR has been the dream tenant, she added, fulfilling their tenancy agreement to the letter. “They take care of every single thing.

Ashley runs an amazingly thorough, well-trained volunteer support staff—we’re so thrilled that they’re here,” Gonzales says.

The thrill runs all around, judging from the faces of the students who have just finished their weekly lesson.

As one student unsaddles the horse (her favorite, she says), she sums up with a big grin why she likes coming here to ride: “Because it’s fun!”

Trained PATH instructor Ashley Armijo (in blue) runs the NMCTR program, now housed at Hipico.

Joel Nakamura, Santa Fe SAMANTHA WAIDLER JARAMILLO

For over 125 years, Century Bank has been a proud supporter of community and educational programs throughout New Mexico. To begin your local community banking relationship, stop by, call us, or visit our website today.

MyCentur yBank .com 505.995.1200

SOUVENIR PROGRAM 2016 Filename & version:

16-CENT-40422-Ad-NakamuraBlueNote-SummerSeriesProgram-FIN

35

SEE WHY SANTA FE IS THE CITY DIFFERENT

#1 Cultural Getaway - Travel + Leisure

EXPLORE THE CITY DIFFERENT AT SANTAFE.ORG

Santa Fe, New Mexico has it all. An incredible culinary scene, world-class art galleries and museums, high-end shopping, luxury spas and a full complement of outdoor activities make it the ideal destination for anyone with a sense of adventure. See firsthand why Conde Nast Traveler ranked Santa Fe The Best Small City in America. Santa Fe, The City Different.

ONLY IN SANTA FE ANNUAL EVENTS JANUARY

JULY

Ceremonial Pueblo Dances WinterBrew Souper Bowl

Santa Fe Opera Season Opens Santa Fe International Folk Art Market Traditional & Contemporary Spanish Markets

FEBRUARY

AUGUST

ARTfeast Santa Fe Restaurant Week Santa Fe Pro Musica Events

SWAIA Indian Market Whitehawk Antique Shows Summer Festival & Frontier Days at Rancho de las Golondrinas

MARCH Santa Fe Symphony Event Santa Fe Farmer’s Market (yearlong)

APRIL Santa Fe Japanese Cultural Festival Aspen Santa Fe Ballet Season Opens Battlefields & Homefronts New Mexico: The Civil War & More

MAY

SEPTEMBER Burning of Zozobra Fiestas de Santa Fe Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta

OCTOBER Santa Fe Independent Film Festival Historic Canyon Road Paint Out & Sculpt Out Harvest Festival at Rancho de las Golondrinas

Native Treasures Outside Magazine Bike & Brew Festival Canyon Road Spring Art Festival

NOVEMBER

JUNE

Christmas Tree Lighting on the Plaza

New Mexico Cocktail Week Currents New Media Festival

DECEMBER

FantaSe Fest

Ski Santa Fe Opens Recycle Santa Fe Art Festival

Christmas at the Palace Canyon Road Christmas Eve Farolito Walk New Year’s Eve on the Plaza

International show jumper Bruno Dinis Das Neves believes that focus and concentration are 80 percent of the winning formula.

38

HOW TOP RIDERS HANDLE THE PRESSURE

GETTING PSYCHED story by JENNIFER M. MILLER

C

PHOTOS COURTESY OF BRUNO DINIZ DAS NEVES

ONFIDENCE. FORTITUDE. RESILIENCE. GRIT. DETERMINATION. These are powerful words that could be used to describe the personality attributes of any top show-jumping competitor. But successful riders are not just physically strong—they have to be mentally tough. Piloting a thousand-pound flight animal over a series of three-, four-, or five-foot obstacles within an optimal time is not for the faint of heart. Strong mental preparation is vital, and a rider’s ability to recover from a bad ride to compete another day is paramount to success.

Even amateur competitors need mental support when they enter the show ring. Consider Jane’s situation (we have changed the names and some details to protect her privacy): The 40-yearold seasoned Adult Amateur competes on the “A” hunter circuit with her inexperienced horse.

At a recent show, Jane misjudged a takeoff and took down an entire jump. It was the last class of the day, and she was rattled. Jane kept mentally replaying both the approach to the fence and the wreck itself. Even though she was upset, she was determined to go back into the ring the next day.

She knew she needed help to mentally prepare.

Most elite athletes work with sports psychologists to improve their focus in the competition arena. The same holds true for equestrians.

“Over the past few decades, researchers have

shown that sports psychology concepts such as self-confidence, the ability to perform under pressure and handle setbacks, commitment, and perseverance are important contributors to competitive performance,” says Dr. Inga Wolframm, an accredited sports psychologist in the Netherlands and author of “Perfect Mind: Perfect Ride.”

“Those riders who are able to hold it together mentally when the pressure is on almost always end up on top,” Wolframm says. This may have to do with the fact that their riding skills are so well developed, they don’t have to micro-manage their physical reactions. So, the winning edge really comes down to being able to mentally handle the pressure.

Wolframm and her research partner, Elin Ottersky, conducted a psychological skills survey of 73 American show jumping and hunter riders in Ocala, Florida, in 2013. They found automaticity—the ability to do things without having to think about them at a conscious level—was significant for successful competitors. “The higher up in the level of performance you are, the more you can allow your body simply to react, without having to think about it,” says Wolframm. When physical skill is automatic, riders can focus on mental skills. “We also know that elite riders stress the importance of mental skills and relevant attitude more than amateur riders,” she adds.

SOUVENIR PROGRAM 2016

39

Left, Mental Skills Coach Tonya Johnston practices her own advice, and below she discusses the power of being in the moment in the show ring.

(LEFT) ESI PHOTOGRAPHY AND (RIGHT) DEB DAWSON

SEVEN REASONS TO SEE A SPORTS PSYCHOLOGIST: 1. You’re better in practice than during competition.

2. An audience causes you to lose your edge.

3. You’re anxious or scared during competition.

4. You are not sure why you play your sport.

5. You lose focus or have mental lapses during critical competition moments.

6. You can’t perform the way you did pre-injury but are physically 100%.

7. Everything is fine, but you just want to improve your mental attitude.

Source: Adapted from Dr. Patrick J. Cohn. Visit Peaksports.com.

Bruno Diniz Das Neves has competed internationally in show jumping, both as an individual and for the equestrian team of Portugal. He now oversees young horse development for Rancho Corazon, a breeder of Holsteiner performance horses in Lemitar, New Mexico. “It’s a sport that

40

is 80 percent mental. Most people talk about personal talent and the horses but the world is full of examples where riders who are mentally strong have longer careers and more success.”

THE RIGHT STUFF Where do athletes turn to develop their mental game? Riders, like golfers, skiers, and basketball players, use sports psychology and mental skills coaching to give them an edge. Everyone from Olympic-level riders such as McClain Ward and Laura Kraut down to the local amateur working to overcome a bad experience works with sports psychologists. Tonya Johnston, a mental skills coach from Berkeley, Cal-

Parasol/Jim Arndt

HAT COMPANY

Don & Liza

Making Friends Since 1979 111 East San Francisco Street • Santa Fe NM 505.989.9666 • ofarrellhatco.com

For Sale

40 ACRE

HORSE

RANCH

A unique property with unlimited equine opportunities, just 25 minutes from Hipico in Santa Fe County.

ABOVE: Horse

photo courtesy of Leland Blue.

AT LEFT: Stephanie Gershon, owner and head trainer of Skybound Farm, operates out of ranch for sale; photo courtesy of Alexandra Malyzhenkov.

P.S. LEVI (505) 699-7436 | H.V. ASMIS (505) 699-0851

Sports psychologist Susan Roche is also a competitor, so she understands the struggles of both elite and amateur riders.

ANNA SHAW

ifornia, and author of “Inside Your Ride: Mental Skills for Being Happy and Successful with Your Horse,” says she helps riders understand what is already working and add tools to their mental toolboxes. Competitive riders tend to focus on winning or getting a ribbon. Instead, she suggests focusing on effort and preparation activities they can control, not on judges, others riders, and things outside the ring. Directing energy toward a specific course plan can help with mental preparation.

“The goal we all have is to be at the show and trust ourselves and our horse,” says Johnston.

“We need to be in the moment in the show ring.”

Mental and physical concentration skills such as visualization, positive self-talk, energy adjustments, even stretching, help riders prepare, then react appropriately. For example, she says,

visualization helps to marry the “what and how” with “thinking and doing.” Research on skiers showed that visualizing their runs activated the same part of their brains as the actual run. The same is true for a rider on course, says Susan Varday Roche, Ph.D., of Altos Performance Psychology, an equestrian-focused clinical psychology and coaching practice in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

It’s also a helpful practice when returning from injury or a fall because it reawakens the rider’s belief they can ride well. Roche says she often encounters riders with pre-competition jitters and fears (a rail down, a stop, forgetting a course, falling, etc.). The best methods to overcome those jitters involve visualization, mindfulness, and goal-setting.

For Meredith Houx Remiger, head rider, trainer, and owner of Sandia Farm in Albuquerque,

SOUVENIR PROGRAM 2016

43

TEAM EFFORT: THE HORSE AND RIDER CONNECTION

New Mexico, a big part of her preparation is visualization. “Before a class, I walk the course to determine the best path and plan. I picture how the horse will respond. Then, I take the time to warm up my horse, making sure they are prepared for what I need them to do in the arena.”

Another tool psychologists use to help riders enhance their performance is self-talk. Johnston explains that the body reacts to the imagination of the rider. “So, if you think that the new black jump is scary, then the mind is going to tell you to curl in a ball since your body is reading that as a threat,” she says. So she encourages riders to combat the negative movies that may be looping in their mind’s eye. Instead of imagining the black jump as a potential mishap waiting to happen, she encourages riders to think about it this way: “I’m going to help my horse by conveying confidence with my voice and by opening my chest, shoulders, and back.”

“Equestrians find themselves in a unique situation compared to other athletes, as our teammates are silent, yet highly communicative partners who are prey animals,” says Roche. In most team sports, athletes can verbally communicate with one another. With golf and tennis, competitors know how their club or racket will perform. But equipment doesn’t have a good or bad day; a horse has its own mental processes and emotions, says Roche. This means the rider does not have 100 percent control of the horse’s performance.

“Every horse is different and part of riding is trying to understand and communicate with each horse,” says Houx Remiger. Diniz Das Neves notes that he has a different working and show plan for each horse, and makes preparations according to that horse. Riders cannot always predict how a ride will go, but using mental skills training can prepare for what might happen, explains Roche.

LA TIERRA HORSE PROPERTY Gated Estate Compound

• Rancho Vista Hermosa includes main residence, gate house, pool house and guest house • 18.5 private acres with 10 more acres available • Refreshing pool, numerous patios and portals

MARILYN FOSS

• • • • •

Established lush landscaping including large pond Magnificent views in all directions Equestrian arena, round pen, corral, water and electric Perfect for grand scale entertaining Offered for $2,400,000

Expect Expertise, Experience & Empathy Associate Broker Sotheby’s International Realty 505.231.2500 mobile marilynfoss1@gmail.com www.MarilynFoss.com 44

505.988.2533 office Sotheby’s International Realty and the Sotheby’s International Realty logo are registered (or unregistered) service marks used with permission. Operated by Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc. , an equal housing opportunity.

Meredith Houx Remiger uses visualization to plan how she will ride each course.

AVA CHARRLIN

at

SOUVENIR PROGRAM 2016

45

As a competitive rider herself, Roche is no stranger to pre-show anxiety and insomnia.

“Research shows that the anxious brain does best when it has a plan. So, I have a plan for when the ring is on time and when it is running behind or ahead,” she says. Diniz Das Neves listens to music to calm his mind while he makes a plan for each horse he rides. He says he no longer gets anxious, because of the impact it has on his horse. “I try to be calm and relax in order to transmit the same to my horse.”

For show ring anxiety, both Johnston and Roche suggest practicing visualization. Find a quiet spot to close your eyes and “ride” through your class in your mind. They also suggest developing a strategy for breathing and maintaining rhythm like a song, chant, or mantra (e.g., “hands quiet, breathe out”).

“Every time I enter the ring on my horse, I put myself in the zone and focus on the horse,”

says Houx Remiger. “If a mistake happens on course, take a deep breath to get you and your horse back on track. You put it behind you and continue forward.”

BEYOND THE BLUE: STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS Now back to Jane: At the end of her disastrous show day, she called Roche for help. Although Jane was familiar with some mental skills like breathing and mindfulness, Roche walked her through visualizing the fence before the one where she’d made the mistake. Roche then asked her to correct her error in her mind. She encouraged Jane to focus on a rhythm mantra such as “eyes up and quiet hands,” because she had been looking down at the base of the jump when she missed her distance. Roche also suggested a few breathing exercises.

The next day Roche was with Jane in the warm-

Fine Equestrian Apparel

Proud Sponsors of HIPICO Santa Fe www.facebook.com/ridemastermind www.ridemastermind.com mmsportsdesign@gmail.com cinvicta@yahoo.com 505.500.6353 46

up ring to coach her on some of the tools they had discussed the night before. Jane used the visualization, breathing, and her mantra while she was on course. “I heard your voice in my head,” she told Roche. Jane finished with a lovely round that day and was able to overcome her fear that she’d repeat her mistake.

In order to be the best you can be, it’s not enough to ride well, Wolframm shares. “It’s also not enough to work incredibly hard. In order to excel as a rider, you’re going to have to be able to control your mind, body, thoughts and emotions, wherever you are and in whatever situation.”

Jennifer Miller is a freelance writer, communications professional, blogger (jennifermiller.blogspot.com) and an avid equestrian.

SPORTS PSYCHOLOGIST: WHO AND WHAT? A sports psychologist is a licensed Ph.D. or Psy.D. The focus differs from that of a coach or a trainer, who may work on some mental elements of performance, like calmness and clarity, course memorization techniques and direct skills, but do not always have the in-depth training or techniques to help a rider with the psychology and pressure of the show ring.

“Sports psychology is a multidisciplinary field spanning psychology, sports science, and medicine,” says Dr. Susan Varady Roche, of Altos Performance Psychology, an equestrianfocused clinical psychology and coaching practice in Colorado Springs, Colorado. She explains the term “psychologist” is limited to professionals with a doctorate degree licensed by a state board of examiners. Coaches, however, are not licensed, so she suggests looking for someone with relevant training and education. She adds that a psychologist or mental coach isn’t a substitute for a trainer, but is part of the total competition support team like the veterinarian and farrier.

Comfortable lodging with All the local charm!

In the Heart of Santa Fe

• Derailed Bar Offering a Full Menu, Happy Hour, Entertainment & Patio • Located Near the Santa Fe Railyard • Suites with Southwestern Decor • Complimentary Downtown Shuttle • “Fresh Start” Breakfast • Complimentary WiFi & Business Center • Seasonal Outdoor Pool • Pet Friendly • Parking for Large Vehicles & Trailers

S a n t a F e S a g e I n n . c o m | d e r a i l e d s a n t a f e . c o m • D r i n k D i n e U n w i n d • O p e n 3 – 1 0 P M D A I LY 505-982-5952 • 725 CERRILLOS ROAD • SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO • A FEW BLOCKS FROM THE RAILYARD

SOUVENIR PROGRAM 2016

47

Rancho corazon AT SANTA FE

maryneiberg.com

sharonmcelvain.com

Excellence in competition training enroll (575) 835-1845 www.ranchocorazon.us

Rancho corazon strength–empowerment–connection

CORAZON’S BOUGAINVILLEA DEL IMPIRIO, PHOTO BY SHARON MCELVAIN

THE ART OF

THE HORSE

ART

AN INTRODUCTION

Santa Fe’s Artistic Prominence is No Accident

by KEIKO OHNUMA

T

he plethora of art galleries in downtown exhibit, use of a darkroom and printing equipment, Santa Fe is sure to catch any visitor’s eye, but and the instant camaraderie of other artists. it still comes as a surprise to many that this Opened in 1917 as an example of the Pueblo Reremote town of fewer than 75,000 residents boasts the vival architectural style that Hewett promoted and third-largest art market in the country, after New York which was eventually codified as “Santa Fe style,” and Los Angeles. What can explain this anomaly? the museum served as a crucial support system for Certainly the appeal of the landscape and culartists long before the town supported galleries tural history has played a role in attracting artists, or collectors. Moreover, Santa Fe—as one of any among others. But it was really a campaign by savvy number of art colonies that sprang up with the rise entrepreneurs in the early 1900s that kick-started of Impressionism and plein-air painting—offered the transformation of a sleepy colonial village into a the added attraction of the Sunmount Sanatorium, top-ranked destination for cultural tourism and, 100 which proved as decisive an incentive as rumors of years later, found Santa Fe designated the nation’s the region’s magical light and exotic Native Amerifirst UNESCO Creative City in 2005 for putting culcan and Hispanic cultures. ture at the heart of its development plans.

Finding welcome, painters began to stay in Santa Credit goes primarily to Fe: Carlos Vierra, Warren RolCertainly the appeal of the Dr. Edgar L. Hewett, an lins, Sheldon Parsons, Gerald artist, archaeologist, and anCassidy, and Robert Henri landscape and cultural history has thropologist who was among were among the pioneers. played a role in attracting artists, the first to see the potential They were followed by an in New Mexico’s unique important trio who painted among others. archaeological treasures. in the new Modernist style: Backed by businessman Frank Springer, Hewett Marsden Hartley, John Sloan, and Randall Davey. persuaded the Territorial Legislature to create the Then came the likes of B.J.O. Nordfeldt, Olive Rush, Museum of New Mexico in 1909 as an archaeologiAlbert Schmidt, Gustave Baumann, and Frank Applecal institution, and then to build a large museum to gate—names that appear throughout New Mexico’s house its collections. museums, historic buildings, and cultural institutions.

Until this point, few artists who ventured West Artists began forming societies to promote their looking for fresh landscapes to paint remained in work to a new audience. The most noteworthy of Santa Fe, heading instead to the famous art colony these was a group of young artists who had not yet esestablished in the early 1900s near Taos Pueblo. But tablished themselves back East. Los Cinco Pintores (The Hewett intuited the role that artists could play in Five Painters) arrived in the 1920s and built adobe promoting Santa Fe to their well-heeled clientele back homes next to each other near Canyon Road. Fremont East, now that the Santa Fe Railroad had actually byEllis, Will Shuster, Walter Mruk, Joseph Bakos, and passed its namesake. As director of the new art muWilllard Nash were still in their 20s and came to be seum, he offered artists use of studio space, a place to known as “the five little nuts in the five adobe huts.”

50

As the nation plunged into the Great Depresin supporting artists. Notably, Gerald Peters Gallery sion, Santa Fe offered artists a safe haven centered (an art museum in itself), Nedra Matteucci Galleraround music, literature, theater, and like-minded ies, and LewAllen Galleries (then Elaine Horwich) bohemian souls such as the visiting luminaries are today among some 250-plus venues that offer a Willa Cather, Aaron Copland, Thornton Wilder, staggering range of art in every medium and style, and Martha Graham. Much of their activity was serving collectors who come from around the world centered in the area below Sunmount Sanatorium, to attend such blue-ribbon events as Santa Fe Indian leading eventually to the designation Market, Spanish Market, and the InSanta Fe now has the in 1962 of a Residential Arts and ternational Folk Art Market. The 1995 Crafts Zone along Canyon Road. opening of SITE Santa Fe to house the nation’s highest This move by city planners again nation’s only international biennial concentration of set the stage for what would blossom of contemporary art has anchored artists per population. a rapidly growing third art district, over the next four decades into the thickest concentration of art galleries focused on contemporary art, at the in the world—at least 125 of them in six short blocks. revitalized Railyards.

Santa Fe now has the nation’s highest concentration The best times to tour all three art districts—Canof artists per population, according to an analysis by yon Road, Downtown, and the Railyards—are the CityLab, and consistently ranks among the top ten first and last Fridays of the month. Galleries open travel destinations in the country. their doors into the early evenings, and visitors can In the early 1970s, commercial galleries began fillexperience the full dizzying scope of what can haping the role played by the Museum of New Mexico pen when you build it, and they come.

we buy every day InsIde La Fonda Hote Ins HoteL 100 E. San Francisco Street Santa Fe, NM 87501 866.983.5552 505.983.5552 www.thingsfiner.com tfiner@aol.com

TF.06.15 Horse Show Ad.indd 1

SOUVENIR PROGRAM 2016

51

5/17/16 2:11 PM

As part of the Art of the Horse celebration at Hipico, Santa Fe Exports agents Bobby Beals and Eric Cram asked four artists to each paint an image inspired by fine art photographer

The Hipico Art Connection

Sharon McElvain’s photograph (page 49) Corazon’s Bougain-

VISITORS TO THE SANTA FE SUMMER AND FALL FUN SERIES will experience

villea del Imperio. Each of the

Santa Fe’s artistic culture on the horse show grounds, thanks to the efforts of

artists worked in their own

Santa Fe Exports, a fine art dealer and art events coordinator representing 60

style, creating four paintings

fine artists. The Art of the Horse tent allows Hipico Santa Fe visitors to meet

which are on view in the art

fine art photographers, painters, and sculptors. They may view works by artists

tent. The work of Bregelle

such as equine photographer Bri Cimino, fine art painter Kiki Martinez, native

Whitworth Davis graces our

sculptors Doug Coffin and Upton Greyshoes Ethelbah, and experience a special

cover. Those of Sarah Beth Banning, Micqaela Jones, and

installation of world-renowned sculptor Allan Houser (see page 93).

Santa Fe Exports will also offer special events including curated dinners, live

Kiki Martinez appear in their profiles which follow.

artist demonstrations, and photography and painting commissions.

THE WORK OF ALL THE ARTISTS IN THIS SECTION CAN BE FOUND AT WWW.SANTAFEEXPORTS.COM

Artist profile photos provided

by Santa Fe Exports.

The Equestrian Collection by

MADE IN THE USA SINCE 1975

133 W San Francisco St, Santa Fe, NM 87501 • 1 block from the Plaza

matijewelers.com 505.467.6913

52

Take

Santa Fe

home with you!

Custom

Pr e v i e w s • Fall Art Furniture

nt Out R o a d Pa i • Canyon

October/Nov

ember 2014

Subscribe Today!

e u s s i e m o h the

n-day marvels adobes, moder d ire sp -in an si ciendas, A history-filled ha

1 y e ar ( 6 is s u e s ) f or $14. 95 s u bs c r i be t od a y a t s a n t a f e a n . c o m

B E L T S

•

B U C K L E S

•

108 East San Francisco Street Santa Fe, NM 87501

B A G S

E S T. 1 9 8 4

S A N TA F E

To m T a y l o r B u c k l e s . c o m 505 984 2231

SHARON MCELVAIN

A LIFE FORCE

by PHYLLIS GONZALES | photography SHARON MCELVAIN

W

HEN YOU VISIT “The Pokey” Old Horse San Lorenzo Galerià, in Polvadera, New Mexico, it’s as if you can travel the entire world in the span of three meticulously curated rooms. “The Pokey” is Sharon McElvain’s gallery, housing images from her travels from Athens to Antarctica, as well as those shot closer to home in her wildlife sanctuary at Rancho Corazon, where the family business of breeding, training and showing Holsteiners provides ample opportunity to capture the life force that is the constant theme of her photographic body of work.

The theme of this year’s souvenir program, “The Art of the Horse,” was inspired in large part

by McElvain’s work, which adorns the entry to the Hipico VIP Lounge each show season as well as the walls of the Hipico clubhouse year-round (McElvain, with her husband, Guy, is a co-owner of Hipico Santa Fe). In partnership with Santa Fe Exports, the theme blossomed into the multidimensional art installations that can be seen throughout the show

58

grounds during the 2016 Santa Fe Summer and Fall Fun Series.

McElvain is inspired by the Chinese philosophy of Qi, which defines life force as “that which animates the forms of the world. It is the vibratory nature of phenomena—the flow and trembling that is happening continuously at molecular, atomic and sub-atomic levels.” There is an intimacy and power in McElvain’s work that reflects her willingness to challenge the boundaries of her subjects. Leopards in repose respond to her lens as if it were a part of their prowl, staring casually and directly at McElvain in a way that is as unsettling as it is captivating. A salmon, seemingly unseen by the black bear standing in the river bed, shows up in the bear’s jaws moments later.

The subjects come to life, but it’s also the use of color and contrasts that creates mood and tension in McElvain’s photographs. The cool blue of sculptural icebergs is offset by the rounded brown granite walls that surround them, topped with a haze of leafy green that hints at warmth in spite of the photo’s chilly focal point. Sturdy black African water buffalo stand resolutely in place as delicate brilliant white cattle egrets walk brazenly underfoot.

McElvain’s approach to her subjects, her desire

Ophira’s First Adoration, at Rancho Corazon, Lemitar, New Mexico.

Tomia Blues Symphony, at Bosque del Apache.

Panthera Leo Riverwalk, Zimbabwe, Africa

GUY MCELVAIN

to get so close as to become a part of their scenery, mirrors her apparent fearlessness. While always passionate about horses, it was her marriage to Guy McElvain that brought her to the world of show jumping, foxhunting, and the breeding and training of Holsteiners. Sharon has bred, started, and trained several Rancho Corazon progeny including the talented horse, Courchevel. She piloted Courchevel to many wins throughout his career.

Sharon’s mounts have included the licensed American Holsteiner Horse Association (AHHA) stallion, Cesar’s Crack, Gulliver, Eden, Wotan, Corde Querencia, Lamarque and current mount No Nonsense Z (the cover horse), with many successes.

Sharon at Bosque del Apache in San Antonio, New Mexico.

SOUVENIR PROGRAM 2016

59

“It’s all about the horses.

They give us their all, with so much heart…I want to capture them in a way that shows them at their very best.”

McElvain is fond of saying, “Take ’em by the horns,” a reflection, perhaps, of her nature as a fierce competitor and athlete, and of her all-out attitude when it comes to sports and adventure. As an avid horsewoman, skier and golfer, she approaches life with boundless energy that can be awe-inspiring. This willingness to extend and challenge herself in her environment is a constant presence in her body of work.

Her taste for adventure began early: The daughter of an Air Force pilot, McElvain lived in Greece during her formative years, nurturing her love of art and art history as she traveled throughout Europe, the Mediterranean, Asia and Russia with her family. After studying art at the American Academy in Athens, Greece and obtaining her bachelors of fine art at the University of New Mexico, McElvain worked for ArtPress International in South Carolina, specializing in color separation and art reproduction for printing.

She continued to work as a graphic artist for Blue Feather Press after settling in Santa Fe. Her talent as a graphic artist is evidenced in the detailed logos she has produced that are symbolic representations of her

ADRIAN WILLS

- Sharon McElvain

Sharon ringside with Alex Miller at the 2015 Santa Fe Summer Series.

Get on Rosa, shot at Rancho Corazon

THE COVER OF THIS SOUVENIR PROGRAM, The Mane Event (Mixed Media, 30 x 20 in.), by Bregelle Whitworth Davis, is based on an image taken by McElvain of her equine partner, No Nonsense Z, photographed in front of a wall of bougainvillea at the Empire Polo Club in La Quinta, California (see page 49). “Nonnie,” as she is affectionately known, appears coy, playful, graceful and elegant, highlighted perfectly against a tapestry of brilliant deep pink with subtle undertones of lustrous dark green leaves. Once again, McElvain has found the right combination of color, contrast, position and personality to capture her show partner at her very best.

60

passion for horses and the natural world, to include Rancho Corazon, Hipico Santa Fe, Grand Prix de Santa Fe, Caza Ladron, McElvain Energy and Wapiti.

When she is not training or competing, McElvain can be found arena-side behind the camera, capturing each horse and rider in their unique relationship with one another as they move through their courses. She’s known for her ability to capture the excitement and spirit of equestrian sport in startling clarity. From thousands of images, she will distill those that meet her exacting standards for horse and rider. Her equestrian photography, which has been featured in Horse Connection, Sidelines, Hol-

steiner Magazine, CWD Magazine, and iJumpSports, among others, points to her keen understanding of horse movement. Perhaps more notable, though, is her ability to access through her lens the individual mood and personality of the horse—they may be fierce, they may be sweet—through a subtle arch of the neck, the look of the eye, or the horse’s stance.

Horses in her images appear vibrant, caught in motion and connected intrinsically to their riders.

“It’s all about the horses,” says McElvain. “They give us their all, with so much heart… I want to capture them in a way that shows them at their very best.”

MICHAEL ROSENBERG

“The Pokey” Old Horse San Lorenzo Galerià in Polvadera, New Mexico

ELAYNE PATTON Santa Fe’s Premier Equestrian Property Specialist

PROUD SPONSOR of the

2016 Santa Fe Summer Series and

Fall Fun Series Representing the McElvain and Gonzales families in their purchase of HIPICO ✜ Santa Fe

505.690.8300 mobile 505.988.8088 office elayne.patton@sothebyshomes.com Sotheby’s International Realty and the Sotheby’s International Realty logo are registered (or unregistered) service marks used with permission. Operated by Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc. , an equal housing opportunity.

SOUVENIR PROGRAM 2016

61

ARTIST PROFILES

LEFT: Sarah

Beth Banning, Through the Gate. Oil on canvas with silver leaf, 60 x 48 in.

ABOVE: Sarah Beth Banning,

I Dream Of Horses. Acrylic, 40 x 30 in.

Sarah Beth Banning

S

ARAH BETH Banning began drawing horses when she was four years old, and she has never stopped.

Growing up in the middle of nowhere in south Texas, she was so obsessed that she spent hours drawing and writing about horses. “I had this book when I was young.

I stole it from my mom’s bookshelf. It was paintings of unicorns and Pegasus, and I would try to do them,” she recalls. “I would draw horses every day.”

Banning earned a BFA in

62

painting from Texas State University and ran a gallery in Wimberley, Texas, where she taught art lessons before moving to the Hill Country near Austin.

Banning likes to paint on a grand scale—canvases are often five feet wide to match the majesty, beauty, and power she tries to convey in the subjects that inspire her: animals, sometimes people, and horses most of all.

“I like to capture their spirit and paint so when you look at them you get a feeling, like power. It’s hard to explain,”

she says. “It is because everything I paint has such a deep connection to my spirit, such an impact on my being, that I feel the need to paint on a grand scale,” she says.

In the video she made to document the process of creating I Dream of Horses, her Hipico cover horse, the artist ranged across a symphony of emotions, from freewheeling splashing of paint and frenzied muddling to careful modeling and affectionate shading—a measure of the grandeur of a love to which she continues to devote her life.

Micqaela Jones

Passing Secrets.

Acrylic on Canvas, 30 x 60 in.

M

ICQAELA JONES didn’t find art as a child. Instead, she relished the outdoors. She joined her family’s construction business, and she hunted and fished. The family lived on an Indian reservation 100 miles from Elko, Nevada, where they eventually moved.

Art found Jones, however, after the first of her five children was born. “When you’re pregnant, you feel like you 64

have to have an outlet,” she says. She followed a friend’s suggestion to pick up a paintbrush. “It was great—I felt so happy.” And with those first stress-relief paintings, a door opened, and out flowed all the colorful imagery of her childhood on the Duck Valley Indian reservation, among her Western Shoshone community.

“We have vibrant sunrises and sunsets, like in New Mexico, and I spent a lot of time hunting and fishing,” she says. “We had horses and a great love for animals—I think you can feel that in my work.” The selftaught artist at first refused to show her work outside of

her home. But a gallery owner in California found her an audience that could not get enough of her colorful contemporary graphic style combined with Native American iconography.

With her “surf bum gypsy” husband, Jones and her brood traveled across the continent before settling back in Elko, where she has learned to work quickly, using acrylics, before little fingerprints smudge the canvas. Layering paint with texture pastes, she achieves a sculptural, animated quality that comes entirely from working out techniques in her head, between family tasks.

Jones says she was excited to hear about the Hipico

Valor. Acrylic, 30 x 30 in.

cover opportunity because she had just started a series of horse paintings. The portrait created for Hipico’s art tent is a preview of the work she will bring to the prestigious Santa Fe Indian Market in August.

Get a Jump on the Future!

Celebrating 20 years serving the Southwest!

Brian K. Gonzales, LUTCF, CLTC

Danine C. Baca, RHU, REBC, LPRT

Benefits Consultant Brian@fincepts.com

Benefits Specialist Danine@fincepts.com

FINANCIAL CONCEPTS 1421 Luisa Street, Suite G, Santa Fe, NM 87505 505.983.9646 phone • 505.984.1365 fax

Kiki painting on Four Seasons Rancho Encantado property.

Kiki Martinez

T Kikimartinez.com

66

HE LITHE AND fast-moving Kiki Martinez thinks big and paints big, so horses are her natural subject matter. At her ranchito in rural Nambé north of Santa Fe, “I had a Morgan and two palominos that I would paint,” she says. “At first I was running back and forth, checking on them,” she laughs, “and eventually started painting from photographs.”

The decision made practical sense, since Martinez works in large—sometimes huge—format. Her paintings measure up to 12 feet tall (she uses a stepladder). Applying watercolor techniques,

she renders directly on unstretched canvas in bold, confident strokes, using the white of the canvas itself for the animal bodies. Her monochromatic horses and other large animals emerge from the shadows and come to life as she pours on glaze to create texture and reflections, an effect borrowed from her love of the Baroque-era Old Masters.

It came as a surprise, then, to find herself adding brilliant color to the Hipico cover horse, an image that seemed to cry out for pigment. “It opened up my world to using color, and I plan to do more like this in

Fleur de Lis. Oil on canvas, 48 x 36 in.

my next body of work,” she says. “As I was playing with the colors, I started adding more and more paint, layering, and texture was created.

I just went with it, and it was really fun to do!” The result is a leap in direction as bold as the artist’s spirit.

Valley View Stables

wishes the best of luck to all HIPICO competitors!

Always a nice selection of quality hunters for sale. valleyviewhorses.com 713-503-6892

SOUVENIR PROGRAM 2016

67

Bregelle Whitworth Davis

The Mane Event. Mixed media, 30 x 20 in.

B

REGELLE Whitworth Davis says she attended her first gallery show at the age of 1­—one day old, that is. As the daughter of a wildlife sculptor living halfway between Yellowstone National Park and Jackson Hole, Wyoming, her 68

major artistic influences were present almost from birth.

Davis loves playing with color, but paradoxically that has led to what some might consider an odd artistic choice: restricting the color palette—first to two colors, then to three, which proved most difficult. Such formal constraints help unleash creativity, she says, and it’s true that the signature look of her wildlife portraits owes

as much to her three-color technique as to the Pop Art silkscreens she aims to reinvent. Unlike Andy Warhol’s mass-produced prints, she says, her portraits are unique, richly textured paintings—and in the case of the Hipico program cover horse, further enhanced with gold leaf.

“This was actually only my second horse that I’ve painted,” Davis confesses, but “I was really excited about it because it wasn’t just painting a horse. It was painting someone’s horse.”

Her graphic animal portraits range from intimate to wallsized, capturing bison, bear, squirrels, birds, even insects in their natural environments, and domesticated creatures (house rabbits are

a personal favorite) with an affectionate eye—often after many attempts to arrive at the right color combination.

Whether referring to the wildlife photos she shoots herself, or snapshots sent to her for commissioned pet portraits, “I know there’s a personal connection people have to animals, and that’s what I love, creating that personal connection.

“Even though I grew up in a small town in Idaho, I didn’t grow up around horses,” Davis says. “I have a friend in Santa Fe who lets us spend time with her horses, and I have plans to do more, because I like to go experience the animal before I paint. For me it’s a new relationship I’m building, and I would love to learn.”

Lost in Thought. Acrylic, 24 x 36 in.

Serving The Equestrian Serving The Serving The Equestrian Equestrian Community Nationwide Community Nationwide Community Nationwide

Å” 4JOHMF EPVCMF BOE CPY TUBMMT Å”

Å” 7JEFP NPOJUPSJOH Å”

Å” "JS SJEF USBJMFST Å”

Å” 3FGFSFODFT BWBJMBCMF Å”

Å” %JSFDU SPVUFT UP EFTUJOBUJPOÅ”

Å” 4QFDJBMJ[JOH JO TIPX DIBSUFST Å”

Å” -JDFOTFE BOE JOTVSFE 64%05 Å”

24 Hour Emergency Service Available during the CHP Summer Circuit

THANK YOU to our many clients for your continued support.

WE TAKE CARE OF YOUR HORSES JUST UST LIKE OUR OWN

Contact: Joel Rifkin, Owner 303-324-6486 Email: runamok410@gmail.com

Bri Cimino

“I

WAS INSPIRED by my grandfather, who was always carrying a camera,” says Bri Cimino, who also started carrying a camera about 10 years ago.

Her grandfather often said his favorite place to shoot was “in the moment.” Cimino, born and raised in New Mexico, found inspiration for her photo series, “Beneath the Saddle” from watching people ride horses for the first time.

“It had been on my mind to do a photo series with horses, but I wasn’t sure what direction to go with it; there are so many images out there of horses,” she says. Her moment of clarity came when she spied her horse trailer in the rear-view mirror, and she thought, “For years horses carried us, and we were in the trailer.” The horse has evolved—he’s no longer transportation. Instead the horse provides a unique human experience, teaching us about risk, trust, communication, kinship, patience, devotion, attention, and intention.

70

Shadows on the Sand. Photograph, 22 x 28 in.

In her evocative equestrian portraits, Cimino frames that holistic relationship in anonymous tableaux of rider, horse, and environment—all shot from horseback, a vantage point that invites viewers into the alchemy of riding. “I capture a moment of [the person] with their horse in that land,” she says, echoing a here-and-now approach that belies the technical mastery of her work. Cimino shoots in the rawest possible form—on film—which would make her grandfather proud.

Cimino is excited to show her photography at Hipico and to share her stories of

Sound of Hooves.

Photograph, 24 x 40 in.

connection between rider and horse with “people who work all their lives with their horse to capture a goal”— just as she does in the present moment.

An extraordinary setting to enjoy an ideal life.

The Club at Las Campanas is a private, member-owned club near downtown Santa Fe that has garnered a reputation as a premier facility featuring world-class amenities.

We invite you to explore this lifestyle through a trial membership during HIPICO Santa Fe. Members of the Club have access to Dining, Fitness, Tennis, Indoor and Outdoor Pools, Spa, Salon, Golf and Equestrian Facilities.

JOIN US for the 2nd Annual HIPICO Invitational Golf Tournament Hosted by The Club at Las Campanas. Enjoy a round on our Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course followed by a private reception August 8, 2016.

For golf tournament reservations and membership information, contact Colleen at 505.995.3544 or cedwards@clublc.com.

Private club membership is by invitation only.

LEFT:

Deer Dancer. Limited Edition Bronze, 32 x 12 x 16 in.

BELOW: Basket

Dancer. Honeycomb Calcite, 24 x 8 x 4 in.

Upton “Greyshoes” Ethelbah, Jr.

A

N EXEMPLARY model to young and old, Native American and non-Native alike, stone carver Upton “Greyshoes” Ethelbah, Jr. never attempted to sculpt before retiring at age 55 from his job as an administrator at the Santa Fe Indian School. A sculptor friend suggested that he take some classes, where he discovered a surprising knack for

72

whacking at stone. “Nothing else appealed to me,” he says of the other mediums. “I think part of it is that I’m an ex-football player.”

Greyshoes, as he calls himself (translating the family name Ethelbah from the Apache language), transforms chunks of rock into graceful, flowing, stylized representations of traditional dancers from New Mexico’s Santa Clara Pueblo, his mother’s tribe, or the White Mountain Apache of Arizona on his father’s side. He works primarily in marble, limestone, alabaster, onyx, and clay, which are then cast in bronze.

After just one year as a sculptor, he took home his first art award. Ten years later, he was winning blue ribbons at the prestigious Santa Fe Indian Market—six of them to date. In 2009, he was named a “living treasure” by the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture in Santa Fe. Still, Greyshoes spends every morning with his father, age 99, and sculpts in the afternoon.

Vitality clearly plays a role in his heritage, as he still takes part in Native dances at

age 73—a source of inspiration to him. When he heard that he would be showing his work at Hipico, Greyshoes began sketching some fourlegged animals—a departure from his usual subject matter.

Although this is his first experience with a horse event, the sculptor shares a familiar work ethic: “Seventy-five percent [of the] labor behind the scenes, commitment, working and working, and of course, outside all year ‘round.”

WE DON’T HORSE AROUND. WE DO ONE THING AND WE DO IT BEST! Home loans are our only business. That’s why we’re so good at making the entire process fast, easy and painless. First Mortgage Company is well-known for:

• Loan programs that meet your needs • Local processing from application to closing

• Fast response • Great rates • Quick closings

CALL US TODAY!

(505) 780-5800

FIRSTMORTGAGECO.COM 1048 Paseo De Peralta | Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501 Branch NMLS #1120933 | Co. NMLS #2024

SOUVENIR PROGRAM 2016

73

BY CHANCE

by MEGAN KAMERICK

SCULPTOR DOUG COFFIN’S SPIRIT TOTEMS FROM SMALL-TOWN NEW MEXICO FIND A WORLDWIDE AUDIENCE.

D

ICE SHOW UP A LOT IN DOUG Coffin’s work. They adorn paintings and are attached to some of the totem-like sculptures that dot his Abiquiu studio. A bowl of them sits on a low-slung coffee table.

“They’re kind of like taking chances in life,” he says. “Some people don’t want to take them too much, and other people say, ‘What’s next?’”

Coffin definitely falls in the latter category.

He’ll be 70 this year, but he shows no signs of slowing down or running out of ideas. His studio holds massive canvases, including a new series with definite Asian influences. There are sculptures and totem figures, and a jewelry bench in the corner holds several pieces in various states of completion. A bird sculpture he dubs “Abiquiu Raven” is perched on a bench waiting for its tail to be attached. A closer look reveals rows of pointy teeth. “A coyote donated them,” Coffin quips. “It’s an Abiquiu raven. It can’t be a typical one.”

It all gives the impression of someone bubbling with creativity and moving between projects as the muse dictates. Coffin is probably best known

74

“At this point in my life, it doesn’t take much of a spark for me to get an idea.”

for his large, brightly colored steel sculptures that are contemporary interpretations of totem poles. But he also does smaller, more intimate pieces and paintings. And he often incorporates materials such as bones and feathers, beads, horns, leather—and dice.

Coffin’s work has found devotees worldwide.

He’s been featured in U.S. embassies, at the National Museum of the American Indian, the Heard Museum in Phoenix, the Grand Palais in Paris, and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. For Hipico Santa Fe, he’s creating shields that adorn one of the jumps at the event and feature motifs he uses often—such as buffalo heads, hand prints, and stars—that will float off the background on the jump support stand (called a standard). He’s

- Doug Coffin

PHOTO COURTESY SANTA FE EXPORTS

also reconnecting with the horse dance sticks he created years ago. They’re based on small horseshaped pieces of wood that Plains Indians used as part of their oral tradition, to tell stories around the campfire of their exploits or battles.

These new creations—part of his show in the Hipico art tent—have granite bases and balance on a bronze rod. The impression is of floating or flying, a characteristic that Bobby Beals of Santa Fe Exports, which represents Coffin, says reminds him of Marc Chagall’s work. Beals has worked with Coffin for years, and guided the placement of the monumental sculptures you see on the Hipico show grounds.

Beals says Coffin has been successful because he draws inspiration from his Native American roots, combining universal symbols and designs with an almost post-modern aesthetic. “They almost look spiritual, like when you stumble across petroglyphs while hiking,” Beals says.

Coffin researches Native artifacts to prompt ideas, looking for shapes and colors and textures that speak to him. “At this point in my life, it doesn’t take much of a spark for me to get an idea,” he says.

Phyllis and Ron Nolan began collecting Coffin’s work about 15 years ago. He did a major piece for their condo in Kansas City, Missouri, as well as one for their second home in Santa Fe. “His pieces are very contemporary, but they have the sensibility of the American Indian,” Phyllis Nolan says. “So you don’t have to be in love with American Indian art to love his pieces, but it’s still there.”

SOUVENIR PROGRAM 2016

75

Horse Dream Stick.

Limited edition bronze, 13 x 16 in.

VARIOUS EARLY INFLUENCES Coffin still recalls the first time he was on a horse.

Ironically it was a former U.S. Cavalry horse. He was three years old and visiting his grandfather on the reservation. A native of Kansas, Coffin is Pottawatomie and Creek. He grew up surrounded by Native Americans from many traditions at the Haskell Institute, an Indian boarding school in Lawrence, Kansas (now called Haskell Indian Nations University). His father was the school’s head coach, and his name now graces a building at the school. One of Coffin’s totem sculptures stands out front.

Much of Coffin’s work evokes nature, with skulls and antlers sprouting out of heads or hearts, or topping massive totem sculptures. Nature was his first inspiration, and it continues to exert a strong influence on him. The Haskell school had a lot of open space, and he recalls coming home from school and running through the fields, seeing birds and other wildlife. It was also a way to stay out of trouble, he says. “Because my brothers and I could be naughty if given the chance,” he says.

76

Coffin’s house and studio, which he dubs “The World Headquarters,” are perched atop a mesa near Abiquiu, the former home of Georgia O’Keeffe. It’s conducive for paying attention to the natural world, he says—and for smoking cigars with a good glass of wine. Between his rammed-earth house and his studio is a circular structure that looks vaguely like a hogan. It’s actually an expansive wine cellar.

When he graduated from high school, Coffin decided he wanted to be an artist, even though he’d never been to a gallery or an art museum. But he knew how to sketch a trout jumping out of a stream, or a deer. “I knew I had a facility for that,” he says.

He also saw work Haskell students had done and absorbed many of those traditions. It was a rich environment in which to grow up. At the same time, local laws in Lawrence dictated that Haskell students could go to town only every other Saturday, he recalls, and they had to walk there on one specific street and back on another specific street. He recalls some Anglo parents discouraging their children from interacting with Native students at the local high school.

Coffin was kicked out of school a few times, and his high school principal predicted he wouldn’t

“He’s very contemporary, and yet he has old traditional feelings of spirituality in his work.”

- Paul Rainbird

amount to much. But he went on to get his bachelor’s degree in fine arts from the University of Kansas. He laughs as he remembers the call from his old high school telling him he was being proclaimed an honored alumnus.

He received his master in fine art degree at Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan. “I loved every minute of being there,” he says. That’s where he did the first iteration of his monumental totem sculptures. They’re inspired by actual totem poles, but as with much of his work, he did a contemporary take on those objects.

“I’ve always seen Doug’s work and talent as exceptional,” says Paul Rainbird, a friend and former president of Southwestern Association for Indian Arts. “He’s very contemporary, and yet he has old traditional feelings of spirituality in his work.”

were more important then, Coffin says. It was easier to make a splash, which he did. Several collectors saw one of his totem sculptures at a show and thus began a string of commissions around the world, including one near Nairobi, Kenya. Coffin oversaw 22 African workers for weeks. When it was finished, they gave him his favorite compliment. “They said ‘Bwana Doug, we don’t know what it is, but we like it,’” he says laughing, something he does often.

Totem poles have always impressed him with their power. A friend, Jack Stamm, urged Coffin to develop a totem project, dubbed Spirit Totems.

Stamm and Rainbird are working with Coffin on a prototype that will be installed at the Drury Plaza Hotel near downtown Santa Fe. Rainbird is hoping that will prompt donors to step forward and fund more totems. “When I think about indigenous people and the power and knowledge and cultures that

ONLY ART Coffin went on to run the jewelry department at Spokane College for three years after Cranbrook, then moved back to Kansas to be near his mother. He then landed a job running the sculpture department at the College of Santa Fe around 1979—despite the fact the school had no money to start a sculpture department. He also worked at the famous Shidoni Foundry in Tesuque, pouring bronze back in the days when Allan Houser (see page 93) and others used to cast there.

Coffin moved to the Institute for American Indian Arts the next year to run its sculpture department, but eventually the pull to be a full-time artist was too strong. And Santa Fe was much different in the early 1980s. There were fewer galleries, and shows

78

Crossroads Series.

Mixed media, 72 x 36 in.

Why Aluminum Jumps?

VIRTUALLY INDESTRUCTIBLE • LIGHTWEIGHT BUT STURDY • WEATHER-RESISTANT • EASY TO HANDLE & CARRY

OUR HIGH QUALITY ALUMINUM JUMPS HAVE A PREMIUM POWDER COAT FINISH AND ARE DESIGNED TO BE PRACTICAL, SAFE, GOOD-LOOKING AND LONG LASTING.

CUSTOM OPTIONS

MANY DESIGN CHOICES

ALU Jumps is committed to providing you with the best quality product at the best competitive price!

ALU JUMPS USA • THOUSAND OAKS, CA • 800.287.1738 •

WWW.ALUJUMPSUSA.COM SOUVENIR PROGRAM 2016

79

still exist today—regardless of how they’ve been marginalized and decimated—they’re still powerful people,” Rainbird says. “They still have that power, and his totems, to me, embody that symbol of contemporary Indian art as well as the traditional art and spirit of indigenous people.”

Commissions for massive pieces like the totems have pulled Coffin into the rarified world of palatial estates and palazzos. He’s rubbed elbows with celebrities and actors. Dean Stockwell and the late Dennis Hopper have hung out in his studio, sharing his love of cigars. But despite all that, he seems remarkably free of pretension or ego. “He’s got a great sense of humor,” says Rainbird, who knows all of Coffin’s brothers as well, most of whom are also artists. He also knew Coffin’s mother and says she did a great job dealing with a mischievous bunch of boys. “He was always creating something special for her that would make her laugh,” he adds.

One project Coffin is working on deals with Manifest Destiny and takes a decidedly sardonic tone.

A vintage typewriter holds golden paper where

Sun Heartline Series. Mixed media, 60 x 60 in.

Coffin plans to type out laws that used to be on the books about Native Americans, like the ones dictating when and how Haskell students could walk to town. The game of life means always moving forward, Coffin says, and taking chances.

Proud to Support HIPICO Santa Fe First National Santa Fe is focused on building your personal and business success. As the oldest bank in the Southwest, our charter represents a rich heritage of empowering economic growth in the communities we serve.

For a branch near you, visit www.firstnationalsantafe.com First National Santa Fe, a division of First National Bank of Santa Fe I Member FDIC I All Rights Reserved

80

505 795 0054

neubleu.com

interior design

Santa Fe

photo by Kate Russell for ShowHouse Santa Fe

photo by Narrative Media

Interior Design Services

SOUVENIR PROGRAM 2016

81

sharonmcelvain.com

At the heart of success is peak performance - built on years of knowledge, dedication, training, and practice. In elite equestrian competition, just as in event management, circumstances can defy even the most superior strategy. The ready competitor dynamically interprets and

TURN YOUR EVENT INTO A LEGACY We perform so you can perform.

SANTA FE USA - VANCOUVER CAN - LONDON UK WWW.SPARROWHAWK.COM

responds, translating a challenge into greatness and creating the ultimate unrehearsed, powerful performance. Sparrowhawk is very proud to support the delivery of HIPICO Santa Fe’s 2016 show season. We wish all of you the best in reaching your own peak performance.

THE CRAFT OF

THE SHOW

SHOW

FROM HORSE SHOW

F

ROM ARENA TO GALLERY, stable to table, equestrian

fashion has long transcended tan breeches and navy coats.

Today’s horsewomen (and men; there are a few of you, after all) know that a hit of bling on a pocket spices up a show coat, as does a funky belt or a collar offset in a different fabric. For gallery hopping, pair some striking breeches with an edgy shirt and vest, some great jewelry and switch out the field boots for rockin’ cowboy kicks. photography & styling MICHAEL & SHELLE NEESE STUDIO SEVEN PRODUCTIONS/ABQ studiosevenproductions.com

TO

GALLERY

LEFT: On Kathryn, Master-

mind Alexandria show jacket and Jill polo shirt; Oblia breeches by Sarm Hippique. Scharf of Denmark helmet (also from Mastermind). Kabana horse ring and bracelet; earrings from Sunwest Silver Co.; boots by La Mundial.

On Marissa (RIGHT), Sarm Hippique Antea show coat, with Kastel Denmark Charlotte shirt; Legacy breeches from Goode Rider with Sarm Hippique field boots.

Hipico prize buckle and cuff by Clint Mortenson.

Tom Taylor belt and Sunwest Silver earrings.

On Marissa (facing page), Goode Rider military vest with a Kastel Denmark Charlotte Hipico shirt; Abbie Caplin custom leather hand bag, sterling and onyx earrings from Sunwest Silver and red tiger eye necklace. Alpaca scarf, Lilo Collection.

Previous page: On Luke, Goode Rider Tech jacket and Jean Rider pants with a Noel Asmar long sleeve tee. Inlay belt buckle by BG Mudd. On Teresa, Kastel Denmark Christine Collection/Hipico Santa Fe jacket, paired with an Equi in Style shirt with Goode Rider Iconic breech and Sarm Hippique field boots. Hat

by Couture Heads, with a leather Abbie Caplin cross body and Kabana cuff. On Landetto (gray), Vespucci Fancy Raised figure-8 bridle, CWD 2GS saddle and a Mattes half pad with Couture Collection quilted pad.

On Cardigan, Vespucci Fancy Raised Hunter Bridle.

SOUVENIR PROGRAM 2016

87

88

On Kathryn (facing page, left),Vintage Collection Navajo top paired with Noel Asmar breeches and suede Double D Ranchwear shawl (from Wild Rose of Albuquerque); Back at the Ranch Sheridan boots and a Douglas Magnus handmade belt and buckle. Kabana “Running Horses” neck collar with cuff bracelet.

On Luke, Goode Rider Tech jacket and Jean Rider pants with a Noel Asmar long sleeve tee. Inlay belt buckle by BG Mudd. On Marissa, Goode Rider military vest with a Kastel Denmark Charlotte Hipico shirt; Goode Rider Legacy breech with an Abbie Caplin custom leather hand bag, sterling and onyx earrings from Sunwest Silver and red Tiger Eye necklace. Alpaca scarf, Lilo Collection and authentic Louis Vuitton boots from Back At the Ranch.

On Teresa, Brazilian cowhide vest by Abbie Caplin, Noel Asmar Active Compression top; Lilo Collection alpaca shawl; Back at the Ranch boots, along with a turquoise cluster sampler concho belt, cuff and multi strand oxy bead necklace, all from Sunwest Silver Co. On Marissa, Noel Asmar Sofino vest with a Middy ‘n Me shirt; Sarm Hippique Rebecca breeches with a leather Abbie Caplin bag; Couture Heads hat and peacock boots from Back at the Ranch. Abbie Caplin earrings and Sunwest Silver pendant.

On Kathryn (this page), Goode Rider Vogue vest with Noel Asmar merino turtleneck; sterling silver horse head buckle from Douglas Magnus and Sunwest Silver sterling silver cuff.

FIND THESE FASHIONS www.vintagecollection design.com www.ddranchwear.com www.middynme.com www.abbiecaplin.com www.gooderider.com www.equiinstyle.com www.kasteldenmark.com www.asmarequestrian.com www.galleriamarusso.com www.backattheranch.com www.ridemastermind.com www.sunwestsilver.com www.kabana.com www.tomtaylorbuckles.com www.silverandsaddles.com www.lilocollections.com www.douglasmagnus.com www.coutureheads.com

SOUVENIR PROGRAM 2016

89

On Teresa (left), Double D Ranchwear suede coat (from Wild Rose of Albuquerque) with Mastermind Adina breeches and Abbie Caplin earrings. Sunwest Silver’s sterling silver Repose Horses necklace with Carico turquoise pendant; Back at the Ranch Annie boots. On Marissa (center), Sarm Hippique Rebecca breech with Back at the Ranch Carin boots; Abbie Caplin earrings, with sterling silver oxy bead necklaces from Sunwest Silver Co.; Vintage Collection Winter Garden jacket. On Kathryn (right), velvet maxi dress/duster from Double D Ranchwear (from Wild Rose of Albuquerque).

90

855-295-6401 DOUGLAS

MAGNUS

sales@huntleyequestrian.com

Available at: Malouf on the Plaza

505-983-6777 • douglasmagnus.com

Santa fe, new mexico

92 magnus_hipico.indd 1

5/18/2016 2:41:25 PM

www.huntleyequestrian.co

Allan Houser Sculpture Garden, by Wendy McEachern

A WORD ABOUT THE VENUE: Our photo shoot took place with the gracious cooperation of the staff of the Allan Houser Sculpture Garden, just 15 minutes from Hipico Santa Fe. Allan Houser (né Haozous), a Chiricahua Apache, is credited with establishing the Native American contemporary aesthetic we know today.

Born in 1914 near Fort Sill, Oklahoma, he enrolled at the age of 20 in the Dorothy Dunn painting program located at the Santa Fe Indian School. Houser experimented with many mediums, but he’s most well known for his sculpture. During World War II, he worked at the Los Angeles shipyards, and spent his free time at the Pasadena Art Center, where he discovered the European modernists such as Jean Arp, Constantin Brancusi, and British sculptor Henry Moore. He constantly pushed toward abstraction.

Several Allan Houser works are on display at Hipico Santa Fe thanks to our partnership with Santa Fe Exports.

The studio and sculpture gardens are open to the public by appointment. Call (505) 471-1528 or email toursandevents@allanhouser.com models MARISSA LIVINGSTON, KATHRYN KINGSLEY, TERESA MARTINEZ, LUKE LONGFELLOW CARDIGAN OWNED BY SUSAN YEPEZ AND HANDLED BY JIM PORCHER; LANDETTO (GRAY) OWNED AND HANDLED BY ANNA ALGERMISSEN make-up/hair BRITTNEY RAE SANCHEZ additional styling JAIMEE MCCABE, ABBIE CAPLIN

Euro Western Wear Accessories Handmade Boots & Jewelry The Largest Selection of Double D Ranchwear in the Country!

323 Romero St. #15 • 505-247-9505 Historic Old Town, Albuquerque

SOUVENIR PROGRAM 2016 WILDROSE_HIPICO.indd 1

93

5/19/2016 11:15:20 AM

BEYOND BLUE RIBBONS

by CRISTINA OLDS

T

he awards that some Hipico Santa Fe Summer and Fall Fun Series winners take home are more than mementos from a passing event. Each three-piece Ranger-style buckle, loop, and belt tip are handmade wearable works of art by Santa Fe’s renowned silversmith and saddle maker, Clint Mortenson.

Mortenson’s team at Mortenson Silver and Saddles custom designed the buckle sets individually—cutting every letter and graphic, soldering each piece together, and engraving the surface embellishments—completely by hand. Mortenson also designs and fabricates bits, spurs, headstall buckles, hoof picks, bracelets, earrings, flasks, and more.

Hipico Santa Fe spoke with the artist and horse trainer at his 16-acre ranch and studio south of Santa Fe. He’d just been working with a horse that put him out of commission for a day after it spooked at a gate. “He kind of mowed me down,” Mortenson shares. “I’m a little bit bruised up, but I’ll be OK.” The 50-year-old Mortenson also competes in team roping and ranch rodeos, and hosts arena polo matches at his ranch.

What’s your background with horses?

WE TRAINED, BRED, AND RACED HORSES in South Dakota; that’s what my family did. I’ve been helping The Horse Shelter (http://www. thehorseshelter.org/) for a few years; I’m on the board.

I helped start Gimme Shelter, a horse trainers’ challenge where 10 trainers each get a horse that’s never been saddled and work with it for 100 94

days and then show what they can do with it. I won it the first two years, and this is the third year we’re doing it.

How did you get into the art of saddle making and silversmithing buckles?

MY GRANDPA DID LEATHER WORK so I started as a kid making belts and billfolds, little stuff. Later, I went to saddle-making school in Lusk, Wyoming, and spent a year

there before opening my own saddle shop, which I’ve had for about 25 years. I started doing silver just shortly after opening the saddle shop.

The first buckles I did were for Euro Disney in France for the cowboys’ union working in the show, and business has just kept growing and growing since, fortunately. I started small, of course, with just me.

I’ve got good help with a good

team right now of four people working for me, and that lets me work a lot more on the creative side, making new designs and new products. I had the retail store [located on Rodeo Road] for 17 years and since I moved the shop out here, I’m able to do more custom orders as well as help people with horses instead of being in the shop six days a week, so it’s been a good evolution.

LEFT, HIPICO STOCK. RIGHT, BLAIR CLARK

Can you describe the award buckles you’ve designed for the show this year?

WE DO A LOT OF BUCKLES FOR RODEOS and individuals, and ours aren’t cast.

They’re all handmade with different elements cut out and overlaid with western and hand engraving. Traditionally, rodeo buckles are large, one-

In the tradition of the West, some Hipico Santa Fe horse show winners receive a prize Mortenson belt buckle.

What are the steps you take to create these pieces?

piece buckles, but for Hipico and the Grands Prix we’ve been doing three-piece sets for the English crowd.

We made some sets for a polo tournament for Princes Charles, William, and Harry, and we used the same design for the Grands Prix, but these incorporate the Hipico and Grand Prix de Santa Fe logos along with the lettering for the event.

FIRST THE DESIGN IS DRAWN OUT, some by hand and some by computer program. Once the design is drawn, the lettering, logo, and scrolls are transferred onto the metal. The design elements are hand sawn out, then soldered onto the buckles. After that, we hand-engrave the buckles and inlay the stones. We’ll use some rubies and some turquoise for the Hipico and Grand Prix de Santa Fe buckles.

What’s your creative process for designing your pieces?

I COME FROM A HORSE TRAINING FAMILY but I also went to art school, so I enjoy getting to combine something beautiful and something functional. I try to gather knowledge and designs from all over­—I’ll study classic watches, architecture, plants, and even tattoos. I’ll try different designs to see if it works better with leather or silver, and I like to work with both.

SOUVENIR PROGRAM 2016

95

Mortenson’s buckles have been given as prizes at top equestrian and rodeo events around the country.

Your website and Facebook page show several photos of custom jobs you’ve done for the movie industry here in New Mexico.

OUR WORK VARIES from doing repairs [on saddles] for ranches locally all the way to making stuff for the movies. If there’s a Western filming here, we usually end up making wrap gifts [personalized takeaway mementos] like buckles and knives.

Marlboro has filmed here on the ranch, too, and we do a lot of pieces for them. I keep livestock at the place so the actors and actresses can ride here.

96

Longmire [the television series] filmed out here a few times; they’re good people.

We made them props used in the show and gifts for directors and actors. We did the spurs for the main actor and some money clips.

We’ve built some old-time saddles for the movies. We made a silver Mexican saddle for Tommy Lee Jones in The Missing. I got photos from the Smithsonian and worked with the movie props guy. I also called the Guerra family in Mexico, one of the biggest collectors of Mexican saddles, to get the tree historically accurate for the 1870s.

Any particularly challenging custom items you’ve created?

WE DID A CUSTOM TRUCK FOR THE BAND BROOKS AND DUNN a few years ago.

We did all kinds of silver and leather, like engraved silver door handles and a handtooled leather bed cover with conchos around the edges.

The bronze cast of their logo [with a steer skull on the front grille and the tailgate handle] was pretty challenging. [The truck traveled with the band on their 2010 tour and was donated to the Country Music Hall of Fame.]

What’s on your studio workbench right now?

I’M WORKING ON A CUSTOM SADDLE made completely out of alligator hide that we got from an overrun lot made for Ralph Lauren. The majority of the saddles we do have conchos and some silver corner plates, and I have some interesting saddle silver I’m working on now.

We make a range of saddles: some for ranchers, some for ropers, others for trail riders.

We’re making several lightweight saddles for women trail riders. Those are real popular.

COURTESY CLINT MORTENSON

How much input do you receive from clients for the custom work they request?

SOME CLIENTS ARE SUPER SPECIFIC about every line and detail, and some say, “I like what you do and I like you to do what you think looks best and have fun with it.” I get both kinds.

Will you be at the Santa Fe Horse Show?

I’LL GO OUT AND SUPPORT IT and I enjoy it. I always appreciate the horsemanship in every discipline, and I have a lot of respect for the level of

expertise of the horsemen and women out there. I’ve taken a few jumping lessons and enjoyed it. It gave me respect for everybody out there doing it.

Cristina Olds is a writer, designer, teacher and creative thinker who lives in New Mexico.

MORTENSON SILVER AND SADDLES 96 Bonanza Creek Road, Santa Fe (505) 424-9330 silverandsaddles.com Open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday-Friday.

SOUVENIR PROGRAM 2016

97

JOHNNY DAWSON-ELLIS

BEHIND EVERY GREAT HORSE, THERE’S A GREAT GROOM.

PREPPING AND PRIMPING Story by JOANNE MESZOLY

A

s you watch a horse and rider on course, glance at the in-gate and you’ll likely spot a groom standing nearby, watching intently, with a rub rag in

98

hand and a grooming box by his or her feet. While that horse may compete for just a few minutes, his preparation probably required hours of time, effort and sweat equity. A groom shoulders the

bulk of that load, managing virtually every aspect of that horse’s daily routine, from diet and warm-up exercise, to hygiene and health.

Whether a horse is a hunter or a show jumper,

appearance is paramount.

Grooms spend hours at home currying, brushing and rubbing to give their horses lustrous, gleaming coats. (Bathing with soap or shampoo is minimal, as

products strip the natural oils from the hair.)

If a groom has done her homework, her charge will look pretty sharp as he walks down the trailer ramp at the show. But on competition days, grooms use all sorts of products (many of them off grocery store shelves) to enhance a horse’s turnout and highlight his physical attributes.

“Attention to detail matters. A well-turned-out horse shows that you take pride in appearance and you respect the sport,” says Hunter Messineo, who has competed as an amateur and worked as a groom on the show circuit.

“Appearance isn’t something that a judge is going to mark on his card, but subconsciously, it makes an impression.”

So, what goes on behind the scenes to optimize turnout?

Those blazing white socks on a chestnut or bay horse might have been washed with a bluing shampoo—a product with a blue or purple tint—which, when rinsed out, enhances white and reflects light. Some grooms also apply cornstarch or baby powder to brighten white legs.

Baby oil is another staple in grooming boxes. It is often rubbed on the muzzle and sometimes around the eyes and ears to accentuate these features.

Hoof oil, while not found in grocery stores, is ever-present in the stabling area and ringside. It is often applied just before a horse enters the ring, as this oily sheen fades relatively quickly.

If a horse has to return to the ring to jog for soundness, a groom will work hastily to rub away any unsightly girth and saddle sweat marks, and he or she might use a spray bottle with rubbing alcohol to speed evaporation.

HAIR CARE What about those braided manes and tails? Plaiting is one of the few tasks handled by someone other than the groom. While you (and the grooms) are fast asleep, a crew of nocturnal professional braiders are working efficiently through the night, moving from stall to stall, braiding dozens of horses and ponies. In some cases a braider might find a false tail—the equine version of hair extensions—hanging outside a stall. That is added in the braiding process to give a thin tail more volume.

While bathing is minimized at home, it is a necessity on show grounds. The grooms who log the most time in the wash bays, squatting down or doubled over to scrub manure stains from hocks, bellies and hindquar-

VIRGINIA & CLAIRE with Keller Williams and SANDRA & ANNETTE with First Mortgage have partnered to help you with your real estate and financing needs

Annette Alvarez 505-920-8325

Virginia T. Henry 505-500-6447

Claire Brouillette 505-699-0624

NMLS #296002

Sandra Claymore 505-715-0278 NMLS #492523

T

HESE SANTA FE EQUESTRIENNES might not be competing in this year’s Hipico, but they are always very competitive and performance oriented when it comes to finding, STOP BY financing and acquiring the OUR TABLE right property in Santa Fe!

at Hipico Santa Fe

WITH OVER 50 YEARS of the last week combined experience in Real of each Series and talk with us.

Estate and Finance they are true champions in their fields.

Call them today for your Real Estate and Financial needs!

I N V E S T I N S A N TA F E . C O M

505-983-5151 SANTA FE

EACH KELLER WILLIAMS OFFICE IS INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED

SOUVENIR PROGRAM 2016

99

Vintage

Squared

Collection

Editorial Services Custom Publishing / Editing & Writing 2016 PREM IUM

JULY 27-31

Santa Fe Welcome

Week 1

AUGUST 3-7

Santa Fe Fiesta

Week 2

AUGUST 10-14

Grand Prix de

Santa Fe Week

3

AUGUST 24-28

Bienvenidos Week 4

AUGUST 31-SEPTE MBER 4 Turquoise Trail

Week 5

SEPTEMBER 14-18

Chile Harvest

Week 6

SEPTEMBER 21-25 Ristra Week 7

USEF NATIONAL “A” RATED, USEF JUMPER RATING 4

THE ART OF

THE HOR SE 27 JULY - 25 SEPTEMBER 2016

Our Team + Your Project

Available at: Cowboys & Indians Santa Fe

Equals compelling publications that your audience will cherish.

Ph: 212.944.6533 • Fax: 212.764.6377 • vintagecollectiondesign.com

VINTAGE_HIPICO.indd 1

100

5/16/2016 2:52:17 PM

www.e-squarededit.com

ters, are those who care for gray horses. Maintaining a picture of cleanliness with a gray is a herculean task, and baby powder and cornstarch go only so far.

“They are definitely labor intensive and you’re always bathing them, all the while trying not to dry their skin out,” says Molly Greene, who has groomed foxhunters and A-circuit hunters. “Sometimes you have to get creative with stains, especially the ground-in ones that usually appear on a hock, knee or hip. There are touch-up sprays that cover stains, but I find that peroxide works pretty well, too.”

BEYOND THE BRUSH BOX Beautifying a horse is just a fraction of the job. In essence a groom is part beautician, nutritionist, personal trainer, physical therapist, maid (i.e., stall mucker), equipment manager and golf caddie.

Grooms keep track of all the minutiae necessary to maximize a horse’s performance.

They know which horse is sensitive to noise and needs ear plugs, and which show jumper needs grass studs in his shoes for better traction.

There are oodles of details and bits of equipment that help an individual horse succeed in the ring.

And then there’s the job of managing the horse’s state of mind. “Some horses need to get down to the ring early and chill out, others need to walk a bit, and some need to stay as far away from the ring as possible until the last minute,” says Messineo. “As a groom you get to know their personalities and quirks and you do whatever it takes to keep a horse comfortable and happy before he competes.”

All of this care and devotion has an added benefit: The grooms have some of the closest relationships with their equine charges, and they are usually the first to notice if something is amiss.

“It’s a special bond,” says Greene. “You can tell when they are not themselves. You might catch some subtle soreness, or an illness that others might not notice.”

At day’s end when the rings are empty and the spectators file out of the stands, you can be sure that there’s a flurry of activity in the stabling area, as grooms remove braids, wash and bandage legs, fill feed buckets and clean mountains of tack. And prepare for the next day.

Joanne Meszoly is a Maryland-based freelance writer and is also an avid equestrian.

SOUVENIR PROGRAM 2016

101

sharonmcelvain.com

102

Paint colors and distracting standards are all part of the puzzle designers use on course.

THESE PROFESSIONALS CHART COURSES TAILORED TO CHALLENGE EXHIBITORS AND WOW THE CROWDS.

DELIBERATE DESIGN story by JOANNE MESZOLY

C

AST YOUR EYE AROUND a show jumping arena: If you’re horse show savvy, perhaps you can spot the tricky jumps and the questionable striding between obstacles. But if you’re a novice to the sport, that same course might look like a jumbled mass of colorful fence-ware, scattered around the ring with little rhyme or reason.

There is, in fact, a method to the apparent madness. A course designer selects the precise placement of each jump, measures the angles of the turns, determines the fence height, and even chooses the specific rail color—based on the fact that certain colors are knocked down more often than others. The goal is to create a series of questions for horse and rider, based on level and ability, to challenge exhibitors and their mounts just enough—but not too much.

To succeed in this endeavor, course designers like to know their audience—that is, the competitors, not the masses in the stands. “We want to know the quality and capability of the riders at the show,” says course designer Hector Loyola, who is back for a second year at Hipico Santa Fe. “Is it a big show with seasoned, veteran competitors?

That’s going to set the tone of what we design. We want to build a challenging course, but we need to be safe, and we don’t want to have accidents because the course didn’t match the level of the competitors.”

At most venues, show management supplies the jump materials, and the course designer is tasked with mixing and matching—or mismatching—materials to create the physical and visual challenges from the jumps themselves. The designer must also test exhibitors with the strides between jumps and the sharpness of turns or complexity of the overall course—all of which require the rider and the horse to work as a team in adjusting their ride.

“I like to play with the angles of the turns and try to find different approaches to a jump,” says course designer Oscar Soberón, also a Hipico course designer. “Let’s say you have two jumps with a 180-degree turn in between them. I might set it at 195 or 170. This slight variation changes the way the riders have to approach it.”

“Courses have become much more technical over the years,” says course designer Catsy Cruz. “In the ’60s and ’70s, the jumps were very big, but the striding was consistent. Nowadays, we play with the distances, asking riders to ride very forward and then shorten [the horse’s stride]. And the time allowed must be very precise. Four seconds can make the difference between the success of a class.”

Much like artists, course designers have their own subtle styles, but most designers begin with an inviting first jump, to help settle both horse and rider into the class. Fence two might also be inviting, though offer some choice or option in the striding or the turn, but by fence three, “the game

Designs by

ORIGINAL HANDBAGS ARTFULLY MADE IN N.M., USA

Available at:

the jump.

Tom Taylor - Santa Fe In the La Fonda TomTaylorBuckles.com

“You are In Style No Matter Where You Go” Choose from Infinite Colors, Styles & Designs 104

abbiecaplin.com • 928-205-9119

is on,” says Loyola. “It’s not a bad thing to see all of the jumps come down at least once. What you don’t want to see is that boogey jump—one that scares the horses or causes real trouble.”

So how many horses should go “clean”—which means that they have no rails down and no time faults—in a given class? Course designers are reluctant to offer up such numbers, as they fluctuate based on the competition level and the caliber of the exhibitors. The primary goal is to maintain the integrity of the sport—and entertain the spectators in the grandstands.

When pressed to provide an average number of those who should go clean per class, course

COURTESY OF SOUTH FLORIDA SUN SENTINEL

designer Anthony D’Ambrosio tosses out 25 percent—as a general figure. “Apply that percentage to 40 horses and you see 10 go clear. That gives the class a nice flavor,” he says. “But really, it depends on the competition. In a champion Grand Prix class, 10 could be too many, and the course might not be difficult or interesting enough. And in a [low-level class], maybe 75 percent of the class should go clear. You want to give those novice competitors experience and let them learn.”

LOOKS MATTER Course designers scrutinize every detail, down to the jump cup. Heavier rails might warrant

Redefining Hospitality The new hotel in the heart of historic Santa Fe, walking distance to The Plaza, sits on five beautiful acres and brings friendly, award-winning hospitality to the City Different.

The 182-room hotel features all of the renowned amenities of Drury Hotels, as well as modern, spacious light-filled rooms with stupendous views of the Santa Fe skies.

Relax and unwind at Bar Alto, located on the rooftop, adjacent to the pool with panoramic views of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.

Savor locally inspired, modern Southwest cuisine at our on-site restaurant Eloisa.

2016 James Beard Foundation Best New Restaurant Semifinalist

10% HIPICO DISCOUNT when booking, use rate code 326289

1-800-DRURYINN • DruryPlazaSantaFe.com SOUVENIR PROGRAM 2016

105

Show Jumping Glossary VERTICAL A straight up-anddown fence.

OXER A wide jump made of two or more verticals.

The verticals are sometimes sloped.

RAILS Wooden poles used to create fences.

STANDARDS The upright structures that holds the fence rails.

COMBINATION More than one jump in a row.

STRIDE The amount of ground a horse covers in one canter step. An average horse stride at the canter is 12 feet.

REFUSAL When a horse stops before an obstacle.

FAULT A penalty incurred during a jumper class. Penalties include downed rails, fence refusals or exceeding the allotted time.

CLEAR ROUND No faults (downed rails or extra time) incurred.

JUMP-OFF If more than one jumper achieves a clean round, a jump-off is held against the clock to determine the winner.

OFF-COURSE If a jumper deviates from the prescribed course he or she is off-course.

This is cause for elimination.

KNOCKDOWN Just like it sounds: A horse knocks down a rail of a jump. This causes a fault.

shallow, flat jump cups. A class comprising young horses in a speed round might receive the benefit of deeper cups, which are more likely to allow a rail to withstand a rub.

Depending on the materials made available at a venue, course designers can construct obstacles that appear solid and sturdy, but which are deceptively lightweight. “We get to play with materials,” says Cruz. “We have planks that look solid but are very narrow—10 centimeters wide. They’ll fall if you blow on them. But there are horses and riders who can handle those.”

Color and pattern also play a role, especially from the horse’s perspecitive. While an odd-looking jump might be distracting, a flashy obstacle often yields a better effort, because a horse notices it and is more careful. “Solid poles fall more often than vividly striped poles, because horses don’t study solid rails so closely and are more apt to rub or knock them,” D’Ambrosio explains.

Ashwin Stable A specially permitted equestrian facility with a unique indoor arena. Ideally located a short drive from the downtown Plaza in the desirable Tano Road area. On nine acres, surrounded by trails and forty acres of dedicated open space. Three separate barns, each stall having its own run. Staff apartment, hay barn, and other facilities. Includes a 2,200 sq. ft. home with 4 bdrms., 3 baths, & large studio. —$1,500,000

Financing available • Buyer’s broker protected

106

Contact owner: 505/471-1183 Don or Jean Altshuler donaltshul@aol.com

“Optically, some colors are harder than others to see,” Loyolla says. “Certainly, yellow, black and white solid rails are more difficult.”

At the Grand Prix level, the toughest portion of the course is a triple combination, where competitors have scant time or room to adjust stride or make corrections. Not to mention that all of those rails offer five separate poles at risk of falling out of their cups—and five opportunities for the rider to accumulate faults.

Other challenges include a narrow jump, which is more likely to come down because it offers little wiggle room. When possible, says Soberón, he includes a skinny jump, a triple bar, a Liverpool (a jump with water under it), and a vertical with a plank in every Grand Prix class.

THE ELEMENT OF SURPRISE Despite a designer’s conscientious planning, some courses contain unintended challenges, such as

beams of sunshine or odd shadows that distract the horse or cause him to alter his path or stride.

Even you, as a spectator, can affect a horse’s success. “Sometimes, horses will struggle with a jump that shouldn’t have caused much trouble,” says D’Ambrosio. “And then when you look at it from the horse-and-rider perspective, there’s a characteristic you didn’t count on, like a fence that blends in with the arena because that section of audience seating didn’t fill.”

So when you’re observing a jumper class, check out the size, color, and placement of the obstacles. Take note of the rails that fall—are they solid or striped? How many yellow poles stay in the cups? And compare successful, harmonious horse-and-rider pairs to the rounds that appear disjointed and rough. Above all, look for the course designer’s questions concerning distance, stride, and turns, and see how well the competitors answer them.

W I NE B I ST R O

Creative Seasonal Menus Amazing & Af fordable Wine List

Lunch Mon-Saturday • Dinner Every Eve 304 Johnson St, Santa Fe 505-989-1166 • terracottawinebistro.com SOUVENIR PROGRAM 2016

107

Top Quality Horse and Pet Care Products

New Mexico's Premier Tack Shop

Vicky Houston and Ceross, Mijas International, Mijas Spain Sponsored by Taos Tack & Pet Supply

710 Paseo del Pueblo Sur, Taos • (575) 737-9798 • www.taostackandpetsupply.com HorseflighHalfPgAd8-13-14_Layout 1 8/13/14 5:46 PM Page 1

108

A CAREFULLY CURATED

HOSPITALITY EXPERIENCE

A WORLD CLASS HOTEL isn’t just a place to get a good night’s rest (or a refreshing afternoon tipple,) it’s a meeting ground, a place where unexpected elements come together to delight, inspire and entertain.

Uniting classic elegance with a natural and easy going Southern touch, The Restoration translates its hometown’s vibrant local history and culture into a casually chic, luxurious hospitality experience.

This is classic Southern Hospitality, modernized with a few twists and expanded to meet and exceed the highest standards of today’s luxury traveler.

We welcome you to experience The Restoration first hand to see what the New South is all about.

75 Wentworth Street, Charleston, SC 29401

Find us online: therestorationhotel.com

SOUVENIR PROGRAM 2016

109

110

NEW MEXICO HUNTER JUMPER ASSOCIATION

BITE THE DUST

Proudly Supports The

Santa Fe

SUMMER SERIES & FALL FUN SERIES At HIPICO Santa Fe

Water-based EQUINE SPRAY & WIPE™ from Pyranha® is specially formulated to repel dust and grime. Its clean and easy application means effective protection is always at hand.

Promoting the equestrian sport within New Mexico since 1962.

We are proud affiliates of the United States Equestrian Federation.

Use it on your horses.

(800) 231-2966 www.pyranhainc.com

For more information about NMHJA, please visit our website AN-SPAD0316132711

www.nmhja.org

SOUVENIR PROGRAM 2016 3396_Bite_The_Dust_3625x4875.indd 1

5/31/16 1:54 PM

111

Advertisers/Supporters Abbie Caplin Bags................................................................... 104

Las Campanas.......................................................................... 71

ALU Jumps............................................................................... 79

LM Custom Boots.................................................................... 111

Ashwin Stable.......................................................................... 106

Malouf on the Plaza................................................................. 2

Back at the Ranch.................................................................... 101

Marilyn Foss Real Estate.......................................................... 44

Barbara Meikle Fine Art........................................................... IFC

Mary Neiberg Photography..................................................... 111

BioZyme Inc............................................................................ 109

Mastermind............................................................................. 46

Sandia Automotive................................................................... 7

Michael Scott........................................................................... 100

Cacao Santa Fe........................................................................ 34

Mortenson Silver & Saddles..................................................... 97

Casa de Brio............................................................................ 42

Neubleu Interior Designs........................................................ 81

Casas de Guadalupe................................................................ 34

NMHJA.................................................................................... 111

Century Bank........................................................................... 35

O’Farrell Hat Company........................................................... 41

City of Santa Fe/Tourism.......................................................... 36

Overland................................................................................. 3

Cowboys and Indians.............................................................. 5

Plum Creek Hollow................................................................. 28

Cowgirl Santa Fe...................................................................... 77

Pyranha.................................................................................... 111

Crooked Willow Farms............................................................ 45

Rancho Corazon...................................................................... 14

CWD Sellier............................................................................. 92

Rancho Corazon Santa Fe........................................................ 48

Diva Diamonds & Jewels......................................................... IBC

RideTV..................................................................................... 27

Douglas Magnus...................................................................... 92

Robert Blackburn Construction............................................... 31

Drury Plaza............................................................................. 105

Run Amok Transportation........................................................ 69

E-Squared Editorial Services.................................................... 100

Sage Inn & Suites..................................................................... 47

Elayne Patton - Sotheby’s International Realty......................... 61

Sandia Farm............................................................................. 63

Endeavor Farm......................................................................... 22

Santa Fean/Bella Media........................................................... 53

Equi in Style (EIS).................................................................... 91

Santafe.com............................................................................. 17

Financial Concepts.................................................................. 65

Santa Fe Exports....................................................................... 54

First Mortgage Company......................................................... 73

Santa Fe Sports & Images......................................................... 32

First National Bank Santa Fe.................................................... 80

Sidelines................................................................................... 24

Goler....................................................................................... 35

Slazer Technologies.................................................................. 110

GGT Footing............................................................................ 1

Sparrowhawk........................................................................... 82

Griffis Residential.................................................................... 33

Sunrise Springs Resort............................................................. 4

Gruet....................................................................................... 81

Sunwest Silver......................................................................... BC

Hell Canyon Farm.................................................................... 9

Taos Tack and Pet Supply......................................................... 108

HomeVestors/Sandia Real Estate............................................. 110

TerraCotta Wine Bistro............................................................ 107

Horseflight............................................................................... 108

Thal Enterprise Inc................................................................... 110

Horse and Sparrow.................................................................. 11

The Restoration ....................................................................... 109

Huntley Equestrian.................................................................. 92

Things Finer............................................................................. 51

Inn at Santa Fe......................................................................... 33

Tom Taylor............................................................................... 56

Invicta Farms........................................................................... 18

Valley View Stables.................................................................. 67

Kabana..................................................................................... 52

Vintage Collection................................................................... 100

Kastel Denmark....................................................................... 84

Wild Rose................................................................................ 93

Keller Williams Team Investment............................................. 99

Wildorado Warmbloods.......................................................... 12

112

SUNWEST HANDMADE

SHOP SUNWEST

THE BIG PINK SHOWROOM 4TH & LOMAS DOWNTOWN ABQ 1-505-243-3781 YOUR DISCOUNT CODE SUNWEST HIPICO

CO.

.

INC

SUNWEST SILVER CO INC 800-771-3781 SUNWESTHANDMADE.COM INFO@SUNWESTSILVER.COM