Welcome
to Sjaantje & Gail's 2009 IFSHA World Championship Site 
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Our final Friesian show of the year was in St. Louis, MO. Thomas & I flew in and headed straight for the barn, where we met up with Sjaantje's trainers, Bruce & Staci Griffin of Griffin Sport Horses [Gretna, VA]. We had to wait a bit for the horses to arrive, so had the education of setting up a show barn with a living room, dressing room, and tack room, and then the experience of helping settle in the horses. Since I had entered a few riding classes, I was anxious to ride my show girl. I had ridden every day for 3 weeks before this show to get legged up, but living in PA, I wasn't able to ride Sjaantje, who was in VA with the Grifins. Bruce & Staci spent a lot of time with Sjaantje and me at this show, guiding & coaching, instructing, and giving me both riding and driving lessons. Although I neither cantered nor drove in any of o classes, I did canter in the warm up ring and drove a victory lap, so those dreams came true. This show experience was the stuff fairy tales are made of: a year earlier, as I was sitting in the stands at this very same show, watching the exhibitors having so much fun and sharing their gorgeous black horses, I started dreaming about riding one of my beautiful Friesians in such as show. A year later I was living that dream: Bruce showed Sjaantje in 5 classes and they won every one, and I rode in 4 walk/trot classes, earning 3 reserve championships and a 3rd, which was definitely pretty darn good for my first national horse show! Not only do my Dreams Come True, but they come true to the nth degree! |
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 Waiting for the judges' results |
 Staci warming up Sjaantje |
 Bruce giving me a lesson |
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Created on November 23, 2009 by Gail Aumiller, the owner/photographer, and last updated November 23, 2009.
2009
IFSHA
Show Results 
