The Gypsy Horse continued to show its versatility in activities throughout the spring and summer. From California, Valerie Daidah reports that she has been driving her horses as a tandem, in which a driving team is harnessed one behind another rather than side by side. Valerie’s 22-year-old Friesian Nonning is wheel horse, the horse closest to the cart, and fi ve-year-old Gypsy Azurale is lead horse. Valerie describes herself and her team as still a work in progress, but getting better every day. We look forward to more news of this trio.

Three member farms showed their horses in dressage in May. On May 9, 2009, Dancing Water Stables LLC, owned by Lee Ann Kagy, fielded Eclipse at the Sayre School Dressage Show held in Lexington, Kentucky. Eclipse competed in Training Level Tests 1 and 2, scoring 76.957% and 78.929%, respectively, and was high point winner of the show. As is usual with GHs, Eclipse drew attention and admiration from the public. Rider/ Trainer Laura Wectawski reported that she’d never had so many requests for photographs while at a dressage show as at this one.

On May 20-22, Blarney Stone Acres and Silver Feather Gypsies competed in the Kentucky Dressage Association’s Breeder Classic held at the Kentucky > Horse Park (Lexington, Kentucky). Blarney Stone fi elded BSA Spencer, BSA Diana, and Rossa. Spencer and Diana placed 1st and 2nd on both days of the show with scores ranging from 68.9% to 74.40%. SFG fi elded three of its up and coming younger horses in the Breeder’s Classic – SFG Silver Phantom, Silver Pearl, and Tullamore Dew, all of whom acquitted themselves well.

BSA stayed on to show two of its horses under saddle in KDA’s 23rd Annual Dressage Show held on May 23-24. Three-year-old gelding Rossa took Intro tests A and B with scores of 66.5% and 71.5% respectively. In Training Level Test 1, he scored 67.39%, taking 1st place, and 62.609%, taking 4th place. BSA also showed its senior stallion, Blarney Stone Sailor, in First and Second Level tests. In First Level Test 4, his scores ranged from 62.632% to 65.263%, and he placed 1st with the latter score. In Second Level Test 3, his scores ranged from 52.791% to 60%, and he took 1st, 3rd, and 4th places. Full Circle Dressage, BSA’s associated training facility, as usual did an excellent job preparing and showing BSA’s horses.

On May 31 through June 3, Tom Price of Welsh Gypsy Horses opened his stables for WGH’s fi rst Open House and Gypsy Horse Clinic. GHA members Andrea Betteridge, Carol and Dave Dunbar, Jorge and Kristina Rodriguez, and Elizabeth Sescilla numbered among the 30 or so attendees from Europe and America. All commented on the graciousness which marked the Open House itself and on the value of the educational part of the weekend. Many also attended Appleby Fair following the event. For photos of the Open House, the Tom Price herd, and Appleby Fair, see Elizabeth’s many photos at www.fl ickr.com/photos/dogislove. Elizabeth’s commentary of the photos is particularly valuable.

Heaven Sent Gypsy Farm & Stables’ Ciao Bella and her 2008 foal Raine were featured on the cover of May’s Gypsy Horse World, the newsletter of the Gypsy Horse Registry of America. GHA member Gail DeMarco, professional photographer and owner of Black Jack Gypsy Horses, took the photograph, which depicts dam and foal, both gray, emerging from a dark background. Heaven Sent, located in Pendleton, Indiana, is owned and operated by Debi Bruggemeier. More photos of Ciao Bella and Raine taken by Gail and of Heaven Sent’s other lovely Gypsies can be seen at www. heavensentgypsyfarm.com.

GHA invites you to view its website at www.gypsyhorseassociation.org.

GHA’s homepage contains a link to the list of all GHA-registered horses. Clicking on an individual horse’s name leads to a pdf of the back of that horse’s registration document where photos of the horse, pedigree, and DNA markers are shown. Also present on GHA’s site are an exhaustive list of upcoming events involving GHs, information about GHA, member horses for sale and stallion at stud, and member benefits.