| My husband and I sponsored through the Mannatech
Corporation, the inaugural Fun Freestyle at Linda Rands' July
Dressagefest Show, Lake, Michigan, through the Mannatech Corporation. Because of our
involvement, I felt comfortable taking full poetic license on the word "fun". There are barely any rules for the Fun Freestyle.
Per AHSA, head to be covered and a heel on the shoe. Per Linda,
".....one movement in the level you're showing, keep it under five minutes, and
please try to stay in the arena."
Adomino and I were the second to go. The first pair had
encouraged audience participation and the audience responded by creating a Spanish walk
for us. No wonder the entire audience of 500 was yelling, yes yelling, at
a dressage show. Half way around the arena, I gave the wave at the extended walk.
Judge Max Gahwyler said, "Let's have fun!" to
which I replied, "No problem here!" Little did he know, 'fun"
was my mission. From the halt, I led off in a counter canter to Gary Lewis'
"Just My Style."
When the song got to the part about "She's So Fine", I
trotted my black/bay, yellow-polka-dot-rumped horse next to Col. Kitts, unzipped my black
terry cloth coverup, wadded it in a ball, and tossed it to him. (I chose him because
he had awarded us a 72% on our freestyle the previous day when I had been fully clothed.)
I wanted to shout to Dr. Max, "Are we having fun yet?"
but he wouldn't have been able to hear me over the roar of the crowd as the song,
"Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" harmonized with my attire.
The song screams for lateral trot work, so lateral we did, and threw in some canter
and a turn on the haunches. I was really getting into the song when the crowd
escalated several octaves. I glanced over at the judges and counted three (there had
been only two before). Klaus Fraessdorf climbed over the rail and proceeded to blow
me kisses and dance to my music.
My halt salute was practically in the judges' laps with whip in hand
for additional punctuation. My doctor husband, posing as a beach boy, delivered me a
towel, a martini in a yellow glass, and sweet lumps for Adomino. The announcer first
said: "Well, that was Debby. Probably more than
most of you have ever seen of Debby and her horse Adomino." Then she reminded the
judges that the score is based on the horse's movement, not the rider's. We scored
105%!
You would've thought I should have won with this score, but my
coach, Jerry Schwartz riding Finesse to a freestyle I had composed, did double
pirouettes to "How Bizarre" and tempi changes to "I'm Too Sexy For My
Shirt", and the all most entirely female audience screamed for More, More, Encore,
Encore!
All nine contestants returned for the awards ceremony and each
received lead crystal champagne flutes and itsy, bitsy carrots from Carrie Schwartz and my
husband, Dr. Rob DeJonge. The top six also received ribbons but Jerry went home with
the big director's chair as winner.
Klaus Fraessdorf's harmonica "When the Saints Go Marching
In" enhanced the victory trot - the conclusion of the most fun I've ever had at
a dressage show!
Happily, we were asked to sponsor the class again this year.
Two promises: my costume won't take ten months to find, and the class will be
even more exciting. Same time, same place, this year.
[July Dressagefest was held July 9-11 - hopefully we can get a
report on this year's festivities.] |