Training Camp

Now that our whole team is in one location, we are finally posting our first blog for the exchange. Our training camp began on Monday. Jenn Price and Ema Klugman had their first lesson with team coach, Janna Ritacco, in the afternoon on two lovely preliminary horses. Fugitive, owned by Tayler Stewart, and Stafford Place, owned by Barbara Werther, both helped us practice the dressage test we will perform in Canada for the Maple Leaf Challenge. We focused on the movements that were newer to us, such as the transition to walk across the diagonal and the giving of the inside rein in canter, which are not in the USEA tests that we are used to riding. 

Ema and Fugitive

On Tuesday, Nicole Ligon arrived from Pennsylvania! We started our day with some more dressage practice on Bendigo, owned by Ema, Tayler Stewart's Fugi, and Barbara Werther's Stanley. We all switched around to practice the test skills with different horses-- Stanley was extremely excited to show off his trot lengthen across the diagonal, so it took a bit of convincing to put in a walk transition at X like we do for the Canadian test! Fugi and Ben danced around for some extra practice before we made a quick switch to another mount whom we had not ridden. In the afternoon, we reconvened for a brief jump school in the lower outdoor at Ema's farm on Fugi, Stanley, and Ema Klugman's Joker's Win. We practiced an efficient warmup that helped us sort out our new mounts while still conserving energy for the switch ride later. The arena was relatively small and rounded, so we were able to practice a twisty course while maintaining proper balance and energy through the turns. 

In the afternoon, we visited Will Zuschlag--a former student of our coach Janna--who is a working student at Raylyn Farms in Frederick, MD. He gave us a fantastic tour of the farm. Overall, it was a very productive day! 

At Raylyn Farms with Will Zuschlag

On Wednesday, we borrowed three lovely horses from Jenny Barnhard, a member of Potomac Pony Club. We had a jump school with these three horses-- Maverick is an incredibly well-schooled horse who was tons of fun to jump, and Ari was a greener 6 year-old, but Jenn and Ema helped him gain some confidence on the flat and over fences. The third horse we were going to borrow fell through, so Jenny brought out her old quarter horse, Teddy, who ended up being everyone's favorite because of his enthusiasm and awesome jumping style! 

Lunch!

Teddy and Jenn

After our rides, we headed to the Klugman's beautiful home in the suburbs of Washington, DC for a swim and some lunch. Allyson, Ema, and Nicole ventured into the city to take a look at The White House, the Washington Monument, and the Lincoln Memorial. Along the Mall, we stopped by the Mounted Police Stables to envision where the USPC Barn Plan Contest would come to life. We also had some time to explore the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum and the Natural History Museum. One of the cool parts about the DC attractions is that they all offer free admission. Allyson and Mrs. Klugman picked KC up from the airport after she arrived from California, and we had a lovely evening swim and dinner with our entire team together at last!

Nicole and Ema sizing up the Washington Monument

On Thursday, we had a cross-country school with Packy McGuaghan. We rode a wide range of horses in terms of experience--the lovely four year-old A Capella, owned by Judy McGuaghan, the green but willing mare named Lucy, owned by Jamie Rees, the experienced preliminary horse Stafford Place, owned by Barbara Werther, and the talented thoroughbred Fugitive, owned by Tayler Stewart. Packy discussed theory behind cross country riding and we had a fabulous time riding on the Banbury Cross Farm cross country field. Jamie Rees generously created a video of our jump school, which you can view here. 

 A photo of the girls wearing our generously sponsored IRH helmets

Left to Right: KC, Jen, Alyson, Nicole, and Ema

Stanley made quick work of the angled log question, but he also had a sense of humour. Our Chef d'Equipe Allyson's shorts ripped when he rubbed his itchy face on her leg.

In the afternoon, we flatted Kevin Bowie's horses. KC rode Lily, Ema rode Bo, Jen rode Ali and Nicole rode Shrimp. We all got a chance to ride our dressage test in front of the very talented Kevin Bowie, a National Examiner with USPC.  We focused on correct geometry and Kevin gave us some last minute strategies on catch riding our Canadian mounts.  We are now back at Snowy River Farm getting ready to enjoy some Australian BBQ before we head to Canada tomorrow!!!

After a productive flat school with the one and only Kevin Bowie!

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Next stop, Canada! GO USA!!!

Jennifer Price

Hi everyone! 

 My name is Jennifer Price and I am an A Certified USPC member of the Seneca Valley Pony Club in the Capital Region! I am 20 years old, a student and the University of Maryland College Park studying Animal Science: Pre-Professional. I was SUPER excited to be selected for the exchange for multiple reasons - I love to ride, I love to travel, and I love every opportunity to represent my country! 

 This summer leading up to the exchange has been a busy one! I ride and train professionally as a job pretty much all year round, so I have been riding 25-30 times a week in addition to taking summer classes at UMD and assisting a PhD student with her equine research on campus. Yikes! It has been awesome to have conference calls and group text/emails to keep in touch with everyone and know what needs to be done to prepare for the trip. We have recently received our luggage and team wear, which is making the reality sink in that we leave next week! I am very fortunate that both and Ema are from the same club and region and have the amenities in our area to host the Training Camp, so I do not need to travel until we leave for Canada. I can't wait to finally be on the plane there! I can't wait to meet Nicole at USPC Championships tomorrow when we walk in opening ceremonies, and the remainder of the team next week. Trying to check everything off my list of things-to-do before I run out of time! I know it will be worth it! 

KC Van Solinge

Hello! My name is KC van Solinge and I am honored and excited to be representing the United States in the Inter Pacific Exchange Team. I was born and raised on the beautiful central coast of California in the city of Santa Maria. I am currently going into my third year at California State University, Fresno studying Animal Science with a Pre Vet emphasis. I began riding horses at the age of 4, riding and showing both English and Western. I joined the Santa Ynez Valley Pony Club at the age of 8 and have been hooked ever since. Last summer I got my B traditional Certification on my OTTB and I am now training a baby that my family bred and I recently completed her in her first BN 3 day event. I have been very involved with Pony Club throughout my whole life even during my college years. 2 years ago I served on USPC National Youth Congress and I am currently serving my 2-year term on the National Youth Board. Pony Club has given me so many more opportunities than I could have ever imagined. I cannot express my excitement for IPE and cant wait to all be in Canada meeting new people and experiencing the Canadian culture. 

Nicole Ligon

Hi! My name is Nicole Ligon and I am extremely excited to be on the 2015 Inter-Pacific Exchange Team. I am from Glenmoore, Pennsylvania, originally from Phoenixville, PA. I recently graduated from West Chester University of Pennsylvania with a degree in Middle Grades Education (4-8) with specialization in Math and English.

            I’ve been riding since I was seven, dabbling in many disciplines including Arabian breed shows, hunters and equitation, games, polocrosse, showjumping, and endurance before settling in to eventing. I have spent the majority of my time working with young and green horses, but I got the chance to compete for a few seasons at the Preliminary level with my OTTB before a lameness sidelined him. I am now back to the beginning, taking my new OTTB from her last race in November of 2014 (after 66 starts) to her first Novice event this July!

            I feel that I have taken advantage of every opportunity the United States Pony Club program has to offer, including competing at Championships in four disciplines, attending National Youth Congress, being a Visiting Instructor for the past five years, being the Co-Chair of the National Youth Board, and my most proud moment- achieving my “A” certification the weekend of my 21st birthday. What a way to celebrate, right? I will continue to contribute to those in this incredible organization through teaching at my family farm, running summer camps, and shifting into leadership roles through Pony Club after I have a whole lot of fun in Canada with the Inter-Pacific Team. I look forward to blogging about our adventures in a few weeks! Go USA!

Janna Ritacco, Coach

We are less than a month away from our trip and everyone is starting to get excited!  

I am Janna Ritacco, the coach for the 2015 Interpacific Exchange in Canada.  I have had the honor of coaching the USPC team in the last three IPE's:  Hong Kong/China in 2010, New Zealand in 2011, and Australia in 2013.  I am looking forward to coaching this team when they compete in Ontario.  

This IPE will be slightly different for me this time because I will not be there for the whole trip.  Team chaperone Allyson Hartenburg and I will go straight from Championships East in Lexington, VA to the IPE training camp.  I will be able to attend most of the training camp, generously hosted by IPE team member Ema Klugman and family in Maryland, but then have to get back to South Carolina because I am the organizer for our region's HB/HA and C3/B/A certifications.  I have a lot of Pony Club irons in the fire this summer!  I will meet the team in Ontario in time for the Nations Cup horse selections and competition.  I am disappointed to be missing out on the majority of the trip but am happy to be able to participate at all.  The team will be in good hands under the care and guidance of Allyson.    

A little bit about me:  I am from Greenville, SC and I am a National Examiner for the United States Pony Club.  I am a graduate HA Pony Clubber from the Carolina region and Greenville Foothills Pony Club has their "home base" at Riverbend Equestrian Park, the facility that I manage.  I am also the coach for the Furman University Intercollegiate Dressage Team.  

I am excited to meet the rest of the USPC team as well as the other IPE teams.  The neat thing about the IPE's is the friends that you make.  I am still in touch with members of each team I've coached as well as members, chaperones and coaches from other countries that were on the trip.  

Cheers for now!
Janna Ritacco