February 17, 2009 Hello and Welcome to the B-Eventing website!

We are so excited that the site is up and running and the credit goes solely to web designer Lisa Hall and to my mother Carol who took the reins from me this fall and whipped it together. Thank you sooo much both of you.

As many of you know B-Eventing is in Aiken again for the winter. I miss Massachusetts but I sure am enjoying the warmer weather and good footing. This year we are renting a farm in the New Bridge Polo Club community. http://www.newbridgepoloclub.com/ This is a perfect location for riding as all the roads are dirt and they go on for miles. Plenty of flat for the real work and just a nice quiet atmosphere all together. Sarah and Gary Eakins' farm (where we were located last year) has been rented full-time by Peter Van Borst but Sarah's horse Maddie has joined us at New Bridge. Wehope to get her out and about by the end of the season.

We started the Area III season off in fantastic fashion. I hope that all of you have checked out Pam Ecklebarger's blog-- http://www.hoofpix.blogspot.com/. The pictures are, of course, incredible and she really gives the best details of what is happening down here.

The highlight of this week has been the first show. Megan Smith and Emily Merrill started the team off in high fashion with two great runs at Full Gallop Farm. Both horses and riders were superb. They are primed for a great season. Next show is Pine Top. Check out the calendar link for the list of shows as the season progresses.

The B-Eventing horses are loving the warm weather. Joey thinks this is a much better place for his walking and trotting rehab, and both Dex and Oliver are so VERY excited to be out of the indoor. Dex should start his season off at Paradise Farm February 20-22.

Oliver will begin at Jumping Branch March 6-8. B-Eventing is sharing the Aiken barn this year with Eric Horgan, http://www.erichhorgan.com/. He has a great group of riders who have come down for the winter to his new winterlocation in Aiken. All feedback has been positive so we are hoping he will now make Aiken his permanent winter base.

Lucy Cheney has been my sturdy right hand mate this winter. She is keeping me in line and making sure I stay on task. Along with Polly and Emily Merrill, we have a very strong group keeping everything in line. Megan Smith has come down to ride for a couple of weeks. She will do one more competition before heading back north to finish her senior year of high school. Merance Adams has rented her own farm about twenty minutes from us. It is very cute and allows her to keep her business in line whilealso having all her animals in one place. And, of course, Pam Eckelbarger (owner of Irish and Oliver) and her fabulous photography continue to impress. She has found a new outlet for her cards and posters here in Aiken (thanks to the astute marketing skills of my Aunt, Betsy Brandt).

That seems to be all the news for now. Stay tuned for weekly updates. Please find below the wrap-up from last year. We are really looking forward to a great 2009! Stay warm.

Holiday Greeting 2008

It has been a good, but interesting year for all involved in B-Eventing. It seems as if we have hit every hurdle--and yet come out on the other side with a smile and another lesson learned! First, I want to give a huge thank you to Asheley Ireland and Lucy Cheney. Their commitment to thebusiness and myself this year has been one of the best gifts I could receive. If it had not been for their unwavering support and help, I would not have survived the year. I am extremely lucky to have some great clients and friends that support me through everything. It is at the end of the year one reflects on those who are always there. You are only as good as your team-- and I have one amazing team!!!


There is a lot of news from 2008 to report. The highlights are:

• We had a great winter in Aiken in 2008. Lots of success and lots of friends made. We are going down again this winter for a shorter period of time, but with hopes of the same success.


• Tomcat (Joey), who was injured after his two-start at Red Hills in March, is back in work and looking great.


• As you can see the B-Eventing website is up and running. A HUGE thank you goes to Lisa Hall of Sheltie 5 Productions http://www.sheltie5productions.com/ for all of her help with the site.We have two new horses on the B-Eventing team for me to compete.


• Little Oliver, owned by Pam Eckelbarger, was purchased from Bobbie Griener this summer. Oliver has done two Novice events, finishing off with a 6th at the New Jersey Horse Park in October. He is showing a lot of potential and Pam and I are very excited about him for next year. Fernhill Silver Springs (Dex) owned by Heidi Beaumont is a young Irish horse. He shows a ton of talent, and we hope he continues to develop that talent has he gets older.


• Clinics in Maine this year were a huge success. A huge THANK YOU to Pam and Kevin Eckelbarger for the use of their facility. I really enjoy the group that comes there to train, and Pam and Kevin's continued maintenance of the field--even when the weather was not 100% perfect—is superb. I am looking forward to continuing to teach there next summer. Another BIG thank you to Michele and George Cheney's farm Rest and Be Thankful; I was lucky enough to do some teaching there this summer and good times were had. Thank you for the use of your great ring and jump storage!


• The biggest news for 2008 is in 2009 year I will be starting with a new direction for the business with a full-time teaching position at Gathering Farm in Hamilton, MA. http://www.gatheringfarm.com/. I will move the business to the farm on a full-time basis, starting when I return from Aiken in April. Gathering is moving in a new direction. They are stepping away from strictly a boarding facility to more of a training and competition facility. This is a big change for Gathering and me, but I am extremely excited about it. I will be doing a lot of teaching while still being able to compete my horses, continue to travel to Maine to teach, and travel south for the winter. Change is exciting and Gathering is offering me an opportunity to change in an exciting new direction.


• Finally, I could not close out the year without thanking my sponsors and friends of B-Eventing—old and new--for their support: HoofPix Sport Horse Photography and Adams Pet Supplies; John and Betsy Brandt, The Lenna's, Heidi Beaumont, The Merriall's. I am so appreciative of theirbacking and look forward to their involvement with the B-Eventing team in 2009 and beyond.

Look forward to seeing all of you again in 2009. As always, feel free to contact me if I can offer assistance to you and your horse as you continue the journey with your horse!