14/ JUNE 2012 THE RIDER
New Executive - New Attitude Don’t miss out on the fun. Join today!
2012 OPHC Executive Patty Picard, President 519-582-1999 Marcy Brown, Vice President 705-506-2370 Betty Threndyle, Secretary 519-353-5112 Bryan Ramsay, Treasurer/Membership & Show Manager 905-692-3343
Shari Irwin, Website/Newsletter 905-440-5941 Shelley Cassels, Fundraising 519-698-2732 Chris Retterath, Constitution 519-638-5095 Glen Patterson, Conflict Resolution 905-692-3748
Todd Bailey, Promotion, 519-674-5312 Tracey Patterson, Banquet 905-692-3748 Brent Tuplin, Futurity 905-440-5941 National Directors:
Mike Tucker, Racing Director, 905-892-5610 Jim Muir
www.OPHC.net
NEW - YOUTH MEMBERSHIP Let’s a youth show in all OPHC approved youth classes for FREE! Office fees will apply.
What’s New success! rity!!
VDL
Ulando H Continued from Page 1
The show season has kicked off with Huge Time to think about entering the OPHC Futu-
All classes have $250 in Added Money Do you own an Ontario bred & Ontario owned weanling? Enter the Skye Whitmann class with $1500 money donated.
Stallions Owners…Why not sponsor a OPHC Futurity class?
By sponsoring a class, the class will be named with your stallion, free advertising on the OPHC website and regular announcements at all our OPHC approved shows plus recognition at the Annual Banquet.
Contact
shari_irwin@hotmail.com to sponsor today. OPHC Show Schedule
* All shows are held at Ancaster Fairgrounds August 26th September 16th - Combined with OPHC Futurity
Eventing in Georgia. She was just down the road from the accident at the Pollard stable when she answered the unforgettable call on her cell phone from the girls. She arrived min- utes later and realized her emergency kit was trapped in the rig as well so she called for someone to come with sedatives and pain killers to provide relief until they could be trans- ported for medical care. Fire fighters who arrived were unfamiliar with horses and under- standably reluctant to enter the trailer of huge thrashing animals. However, friend and farrier, Matt Winkler of Chatsworth, showed what he was made of when he bravely climbed up on top, and dropped into the chaos armed with seda- tives. He managed to sedate and calm the injured and frantic equines, ulti- mately rescuing them by cutting bolts and freeing parts of the trailer. Other farriers at the scene began taking the trailer apart with tools borrowed from the fire fighters. Eventually the roof had to be cut off to get to the remaining animals. For the forseeable future, many will refer to the farri- ers as heroes for their quick action and life risking manoeuvres to make the rescue. Local vet, Dr. Eric Miller was also in the fray, providing care and admin- istering fluids. The freed horses were finally loaded onto Winkler’s trailer by 9:30 or 10 am and were rushed to Pollards’ for treatment where Dr. Miller followed to continue care. Michael Pollard is proud of his team who worked a 20 hour marathon to stabilize the injured horses until the last stitch was put in place at 4 am Saturday morning. He was away at the time of the accident but obviously affected by the loss, he explained “To lose a lot of your top horses, we spend a huge amount of time with - they’re like members of the family”. On Friday after- noon, sports medicine vet, Dr Chris Newton arrived from Kentucky. His son, Dylan also came to assist, manning needed supplies and equipment throughout a long friday and Saturday morning.
• Schoensgreen Hanni (Hanni), 9 year old German Warmblood mare owned by Nathalie Pollard. Hanni surprised the grooms by climbing out of the upturned trailer on her own when they opened a door after the accident, and suf- fering only superficial cuts. May 29th was a memorable day as she had recovered enough to be lightly ridden. Hanni is expected to resume preparations soon for Bromont CCI3* June 8- 10th in Canada.
• Carl Bouckaert’s Raphael, who won the Chatt Hills Open Prelimi-
Judes Law. Photo by Hilary Bates
nary division a week earlier survived with just some bruising and will be given time to recover from the shock before returning to work. He was pinned between other horses which in the end may have pro- tected him. The athlete looks beat up but is already healing well and will ease back into work slowly but surely.
• Little Star, a much loved brood mare, looked pretty bad at the time of the acci- dent. She suffered more cuts to her hind legs and body than you could count, but miraculously the cuts missed all major veins, joints, organs, tendons, lig- aments - anything that would cause complications. After receiving countless stitches and staples, she is recovering well. • VDL Ulando H, Canadi- an Warmblood was born at Hogendoorn Sport Horses in 2001 and was owned and adored by Ruth Arm- strong from Ontario. His was the first life lost. The stallion was pronounced dead at the scene due to head and neck trauma. Michael Pollard had been excited about the deal he had recently made with Ruth Armstrong to ride the promising Canadian stal- lion but the partnership was sadly cut short by his untimely death. “He was the love of my life, an ath- lete and a gentleman and deserves a good send off,” said Ruth. “Ulando was both loving and mis- chievous . He would not keep his blankets on, he’d tip over his buckets and poop in his water buckets, pull my hair elastics out, and steal your drinks: he could drink out of a can of pop or beer….though I do think he preferred beer. My 12-year-old daughter Tiffany could lead him around like a puppy and yet with me he could have a day where he would be a fire-breathing, piaffing dragon to his paddock and you would shout at him and he would say, “But I was only playing”
..and give you his tongue. On
more than one occasion I had turned him loose in his paddock, closed the gate, and I was almost at the house gate to find him behind me…laughing as only he could do. Ulando was all about knowing him as a person, gaining his trust and love that was his key, all the talent was there naturally and he never for- got anything good or bad.” • “Icarus (Fly), 14 year old grey Thoroughbred gelding owned by Michael & Nathalie Pollard. Fly was known to have suffered the most serious of lacerations with severe rear fetlock damage. With guarded hopes, he was transported to Rood & Riddle Veteri- nary Clinic in Lexington for emergency surgery but the injury was too severe and he was reluctantly euthanized. It is a horrible twist of fate that Icarus’s journey ended in Kentucky just weeks after competing at the Rolex Kentucky CCI4*. The grey gelding’s friends at Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event posted this poignant Oscar Wilde quote in tribute to their friend: “Never regret thy fall, O Icarus of the fearless flight. For the greatest tragedy of them all Is never to feel the burning light.”
• Jude’s Law (Jude), 11 year old Irish Sport Horse Gelding owned by Michael Pollard & John Bryant for the past year. At the time of the accident, Jude was believed to only have lacer- ations and abrasions which he would easily recover from. However, two days later, he took a turn for the worst and was rushed to Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital. Emergency surgery revealed a ruptured cecum, which is part of the large intestine, and it was necessary for him to be euthanized. From Hilary Bates, previous owner of Jude’s Law: “He was a once in a life time horse; it was one of my many for- tunes in life that he was part of mine.” - Words that describe all three amazing horses lost that day.
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