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Dancing Hor


T e 8th Annual Ride for Life show, held June 25-26 at the Prince George’s Equestrian


Center, went well… but it was the Dancing Horse Challenge Saturday night that had ev- eryone talking. More precisely, it was Bent Jensen’s


appearance


as Lady Gaga that topped the evening. Riding last and mounted on Vanessa Swartz’s


sor Manor,


(Wind- Sandy


Spring) Grand Prix horse, Orlando, Bent was an apparition all in white danc- ing in the spotlight. Topped by a spiky white, um, hat?, and down to those white over-the-knee boots with the platforms soles and high heels! Stirrups were out of the ques- tion with those heels but Bent carried on with his ride unconcerned. Orlando did his best to keep up with the music and was brave to per- form in the spotlight with so much cheering going on from the crowd. “Who made your outfi t?” I asked Bent the


ancing Horses Steal the Show Silva Martin rode an off -the-track T orough- Bent Jensen aboard Vanzessa Swartz’s Orlando


bred named Sea Lord dressed as if they both were on their way to the post with racing silks and blinkers. Sea Lord was a hero to fans of off -the-track T oroughbreds. He came to the attention of eventer Philip Dutton when he was in training at the track in Middle- burg, Virginia. Silva went to pick him up and learned they called him Big Bird, probably due to his 17.1 hands. He learned a new job and evented up to Prelim- inary under a diff er- ent name with Philip and Boyd Martin, Silva’s husband. She reported that he al-


ways won the dressage but he never liked jumping. Phillip and Boyd felt he could be an Olympic horse if his jumping were better, and they even got help from Joe Fargis. But after


by Betty T orpe


Vitor Silva of the Sons of the Wind


yet another bad round with lots of faults in the stadium phase, Sea Lord was handed to Silva. He appears to love Silva and performs with a surprising amount of suspension and elastic- ity. Silva plans to move him up to Grand Prix this season. She said, “he enjoys the crowds and thought all the cheering and clapping Saturday night was great.”


next day, and he answered that he did. He got the boots online and they are size 13, he re- ported. He had already ridden in this costume in Wellington for a winter Freestyle series. He tried to use stirrups that time but not surpris- ingly, kept losing them, which made his horse nervous. So he made the decision to go without for this performance. His longtime Maryland friend, Jeannette Bair, let the other Dancing Horse Challenge riders know that Bent was going the crazy route with his costume, and that seemed to inspire the other riders to beef up their performances.


Julio Mendoza with Flamenco dancer Lindsay Winkler Behind the Scenes at Ride for Life


Michele Wellman has worked tirelessly as Chairman all year to keep the committees for the Ride for Life on track. She attended to millions of details as the event approached. And there was no rest for her since she had to leave the show by 4:30 Sunday to meet an aircraft carrier where she spent 10 days for her day job as a project manager for Northrop Grumman. Tim Lewthwaite was Michele’s assistant. Jeannette Bair organized the Gala, assisted with the publicity and sponsors and raised her


usual record amount of pledges. David Geyer was in charge of the “Front of the House” for the Gala and Dancing Horse Challenge. Kathryn Tedford invented a new project, the very success- ful Kids Activities, and helped Ann Hosmer organize the army of volunteers for the weekend. Dorie Forte was in charge of Rider Donations, ably assisted by Jennifer Tingley. Julie Gross was the manager of the show with Carolyn Del Grosso as the entry and show


secretary. Jessica Katz was in charge of the beautiful show program. Melanie Snyder was in charge of landscaping and Betsy Novotny managed the stabling. And as every year, Pat Artimovich was tireless as liaison from PVDA to the sponsors, the media, and to Johns Hopkins.


www.equiery.com | 800-244-9580


It was the second year that the popular Sons of the Wind performed. T ey embraced the cause for Johns Hopkins so completely that they ac- tually sponsored a fund- raiser in their home state of Massachusetts at the Portuguese Festival be- fore the show. T ey raised enough money to cover their travel expenses to the Ride for Life, plus handed over $5,800 for a Hopkins donation. Fans of Vitor Silva, head of


Sons of the Wind, should note that he is com- ing back to Maryland for a clinic in October at By Chance Farm in Union Bridge. Michael Barisone was a bad boy rocker rid- ing to music of Queen. Shannon Dueck and Jane Hannigan had plenty of pink and sparkles while Julio Mendoza rode his Friesian stallion and danced with a beautiful fl amenco dancer. Add the Western reiners, the Friesian at lib-


erty and other Barteau acts, the Sons of the Wind quadrille and hands down, it was the best horsey entertaining evening the Ride for Life has ever had. T e Showplace Arena was almost full that night for the exhibition with over 2000 fans in the seats. T is year Pat Arti- movich worked hard to have TV and radio


continued... SEPTEMBER 2011 | THE EQUIERY | 21


838747-110911


Christina Dale - Phyxius Photos


Kimberley Trumbull


Christina Dale - Phyxius Photos


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