Camps
Aikins, MacAulay & Thorvaldson LLP Dressage Development Camp For Young Riders
Aikins, MacAulay & Thorvaldson LLP Dressage Development Camp For Adult Riders
Dressage Winnipeg is very pleased to announce that the Second Annual Aikins, MacAulay & Thorvaldson LLP Dressage Development Camps will be held July 6, 7 & 8 at the Manitoba Horse Council Equestrian Centre at Bird's Hill Park.
Thanks to the generous support of Aikins, MacAulay & Thorvaldson, Dressage Winnipeg is able to hold two camps, one for riders under the age of 21 and one for riders 22 and older. The camps will run concurrently and are open to all riders, Junior, Adult Amateur and Open.
We are planning on bringing in four clinicians, including higher level clinicians who will not only guide our beginning riders, but can work with our higher level riders.
The intensity of riding and expert instruction over three consecutive days produces results! 2009 Camp participants were thrilled at the progress they made and it showed in the competitive ring. One of the key benefits for our club is the camaraderie that develops among our riders from spending three full days in each other's company and sharing in the experience together. These friendships spill over onto the show grounds and help to bring us all together in the spirit of dressage.
Thanks, again, to Aikins, MacAulay & Thorvaldson LLP for contributing to the development of our sport!
Don't miss out - get your registration in right away!
Adult Camp Rider Registration Form 2010
Young Rider Camp Rider Registration Form 2010
If you have any questions, contact Alison Elliott at Alison@dressagewinnipeg.com
2009 Aikins, MacAulay & Thorvaldson LLB Dressage Development Camp
a Huge Success
Thanks to the generous support of one of Winnipeg's most prestigious law firms, Aikins, MacAulay & Thorvaldson LLB, a grant from Dressage Canada's domestic development fund and from Dressage Winnipeg's education fund, sixteen riders and their horses were treated to three days in July of intense work to help develop their riding skills and prepare them for the show ring. In the words of one competitor, "The learning was inspirational, the improvement remarkable, the friendliness heartwarming and the weather barely endurable!"
Two top-notch clinicians, Elaine Potter and John MacPherson, both from Ontario, worked on horse and rider skills in two, one-hour rides each day. Riders were divided into groups of four and were put through their paces. John had all four riders working on various patterns and drills while Elaine worked individually with each rider to hone in on specific areas. The riding sessions were complemented by other practical sessions on a variety of topics. Everyone warmed up to Noah Krol and his yoga for riders. Who knew there was so much to learn about show etiquette? Melissa Bosma, that's who! And learn we did! Brenda Giesbrecht (who was also Camp Director and did, in fact, camp out in the pouring rain to provide overnight security and horse care) went through the Dressage Training Pyramid and gave riders insights into the purpose of the different levels and tips for riding a better test. Dr. Cyndi Kasper joined us for dinner one night and campers learned from the horse's mouth, so to speak, about managing the health of their horses at shows. Dr. Andrea Kilgour helped us all understand the source of our show jitters and to develop strategies to get them under control.
Riders really benefitted from individual feedback from John and Elaine on various test movements on the last day of camp. Riders were encouraged to make these rides be as close to a real show as possible by braiding their horses and turning out in show attire.
Awesome was the word everyone used to describe the culinary skills of Marlene Roy who prepared nutritious, interesting and good tasting meals. Who can forget tacos in a bag (John especially loved these!) and, of course, her chili for which she is famous!
There are always unsung heroes working behind the scenes. Arpee Babain was camp "labourer" extraordinaire, helping Marlene in the canteen and our ring setter-uppers, Tiffaney Pass and Alexa Clayton and generally lending a hand wherever it was needed. A silent partner in the camp was the Equestrian Centre itself. Bird's Hill provided the perfect venue and we couldn't be happier with the assistance and support received from Manitoba Horse Council through the efforts of Geri Sweet and Jerry Magus.
Finally, the camp wouldn't be a camp without the following people: our young riders Virginia Canal, Emily Schulz, Hannah Goddard, Mackenzie Ryall, Emily Wade, Amber Lynes and Kayla Kuebler and our adult campers Anoosh Shinnan, Stephanie Ruud, Merelyn Hunkin, Megan Nunn, Maureen Demkey, Susanna Danyliuk, Karen Tweed and Sandra Hobday. They made the camp a success with their positive attitudes, friendliness, perseverance and dedication to their sport.
Helping to organize the Aikins, MacAulay & Thorvaldson LLB Dressage Development Camp was very rewarding and fun. Our first group of campers gave us some great feedback to make next year's camp even better! So see you next summer!
Alison Elliott
