The rest of WEG (hey, it's a once in a lifetime thing!)
WEG, WEG, WEG...
Well, it is huge in many ways! One way is the SPACE that it covers. After the first day I broke down and rented a golf cart. It has worked out great and in between events we have used it as a taxi service!
My favorite story from WEG might be the one that happened right before the Opening. I had dropped a couple friends off at the Main Stadium (with the cart) and then I headed back to get ready. Along the way I was stopped by a group of women that were lost (yes, you can get lost here!).
They asked me which way to the exit and I told them to hop on. We drove around and just before we got to the exit the woman sitting next to me said 'Are you Stacy Westfall?". I said "Yes" and then showed her my badge to prove it. They took some pictures (they were going to tag me on Facebook- I am locked out of Facebook at the moment...anyone know how to help?)
Here is my photographer-Nathan!
Another great choice if you don't have a golf cart is a bike. I have been seen driving the golf cart being followed by four bikes....Jesse & Boys!
The fun was driving around and watching all the other horses warming up.
We watched some endurance but I forgot to grab the camera. You almost had as much chance to see the endurance while you were driving on the road! They went everywhere.
BEAUTIFUL!
And then this morning I had a chance to do a TV interview with WLEX channel 18. It aired at noon and again at 5 pm!
Here is my last photo for now. Pretty good photo for an eight year old photographer! It was taken during my last clinician teaching spot.
Now on to the freestyle and then off to Congress!
Yes-more WEG
"Well Stacy, I saw the opening games and You & Roxy were great. Very touching. You are so brave. that's one big scary arena!"
From one of your biggests fans!!
Gail
Wow! That is about the best expression I have for the WEG. The arena for the opening performance is HUGE.
This is a photo of us riding on the first day of practice which was Monday Sept 20th.
The main goal this day was to look around and to give Roxy a chance to do some looking. Also we wanted to check out the special 'Otto' footing. The footing is silica sand and synthetic fiber over special mats. Very good for not slipping...rough on trying to slide though!
Can you find Stacy in this photo?
Here is a more zoomed in version. Now that's a BIG arena!
These are photos of the new big outdoor arena at the Kentucky Horse Park.
It is exciting to watch all of the horses being hauled in. Semi after semi hauling horses in. I am glad that Roxy and I hauled in a day earlier.
I need some sleep!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
To everyone who submitted a name for the foals I would like to say ‘Thank-you.’ Now I have enough reading to last me half of the summer :) If you get the newsletter (if you don’t you need to sign up on the right) then you will know that I received over 2,000 names. At last count it was 2118.
Click here to read a big list of MOST of the names entered.
Maybe I should have you pick the top ten?
Photo Above: Meet Gus...Maggie's Colt!
Click on any photo to watch a video clip of Stacy and Roxy in WEG Opening Ceremony!
After five days of practice (multiple practices per day) the opening ceremonies finally were here! Is there a way to prepare for 25,000-30,000 people clapping? Do all you know and then trust God for the rest!
Roxy was great. Completely calm...the first practice with music and lights a few days earlier had gotten our hearts beating! No slides due to the footing and a slightly funny story about the spins...
That night was the first time I have ever gotten dizzy/disoriented while showing-but I did have a good reason! All of those spot lights and side lights were pointing in my eyes AND in practice I had been 'spotting' the stage as it spun by. The night of the performance the two 'jumbo-trons' were blazing in the corners of the arena. So as I was spinning I was seeing 'stage, jumbo, jumbo, stage, jumbo, jumbo'...it all became a blur! So I decided I better stop!
What is it like going on the road with Westfall Horsemanship? Perhaps no one can answer that question better than Charydin! Pictured here in the pink Westfall tee, Charydin has been all over the country with Stacy and the team...as well as out of the country!
This photo is from the most recent trip to Waco, Texas. Charydin was especially excited about the oppertunity to watch many of the worlds best barrel racers compete.
Little did she know she would be so 'up-close-and-personal' with the show. As you can see in this photo Charydin was able to wait on customers with the big show going on just behind her. She was on a perfect line from first barrel to second barrel which gave her a unique view...as well as some excitement.
As horses dug in to leave the first barrel headed to the second-more than one threw dirt in Charydin's direction. 'A rock shot just past me and and hit a chair behind me', Charydin reported. So if you see her working in the booth at our next event while wearing a hockey mask...you will know why!
They say that “A Picture is worth a thousand words”, and what better way to add to an informative article? If you go back through the many horse magazines that you own and find all the articles that stood out to you and helped you gain a better understanding about training, horses, tack, etc. you will also find photographs.
Stacy Westfall has authored many articles on various topics dealing with horses and training. It takes more than sitting down and writing the text to make an article, it takes hours of photo shoots to really make an article and make it successful.
The time that goes into preparing for a photo shoot is spent in dragging the arena (if it takes place in an arena), scoping out the best location for the photos, taking numerous test shots, discussing what photos are needed for that particular article, cleaning the tack and equipment, bathing and grooming the horses, and of course, bathing and grooming the people. :)
In the photo above: Stacy is demonstrating ‘the spin’ for up and coming articles that she has written for the Horse Illustrated and Young Rider magazines. Husband Jesse Westfall and Photographer Tanya Corzatt make up the team that help capture those ‘ah-ha’ photos that make visualizing the article a little easier.
Stacy will also have an article coming out in Horse & Rider about selecting a saddle! Look for new articles from Stacy in the beginning of the New Year.
Stacy and Roxy were reunited at the Change through Chance Therapeutic Riding and Youth Mentoring event, An Afternoon with Ohio’s Own Stacy Westfall. All the proceeds for the event went to Change through Chance.
Change through Chance is an amazing program that inspires and empowers individuals through the aid of a horse whether it’s through therapeutic riding or mentoring troubled adolescents. Inspiration and empowerment were the themes woven throughout the event; everything from Stacy and Roxy giving a demonstration of bridleless riding to a young girl’s wildest dreams becoming reality when she got to meet Stacy and even RIDE Roxy!
The event was started with an opening ceremony and then the Cowgirl Express Rodeo Drill Team really kicked things off. The next demonstration was of a therapeutic riding lesson, the demonstration was given by Change through Chance and their volunteers. Stacy first discussed Basic Groundwork and reading your horse’s body language. She taught on the importance of teaching your horse emotional control….safety for the handler and rider is always important. After Stacy finished up her first session she signed autographs, answered questions, and just hung out with the event attendees.
Change through Chance put on a live and silent auction. The silent auction went on during the whole event and the live auction took place after Stacy’s first demo. It was a huge success! Attendees were excited to bid on their favorite items all while supporting a good cause. Stacy even signed some of the items that went up for auction!
The last presentation Stacy gave for the event was about riding bridleless. It was an inspiring end to a very inspirational day!
Anniversary of BreyerFest at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky. Roxy was the 2009 Celebration Horse and received her very own Limited Edition Breyer Model replica. Stacy and Roxy demonstrated several of their memorable freestyle routines including the Ghost Riders’ and Wedding Dress freestyle, and in spite of Roxy being retired for over a year, Roxy and Stacy even performed a cou
ple of the rides bridleless!
Stacy was busy with signing autographs, over 200 in one sitting and even more over the course of the day, and posing for pictures with the fans and their newly signed Roxy model. Roxy also had a busy day posing with fans for photos, in between her mouthfuls of grass, and enjoying all the pets and attention from her followers.
Back at the Westfall Horsemanship booth the “Dare to Dream” posters were flying off the tables. Everyone was so excited to have a signed poster of Stacy and Roxy’s famous ride from 2006. Some supporters wanted to display the beautiful bond between horse and rider by buying a trendy tee-shirt with the “Dare to Dream” photo of Stacy and Roxy sliding to a stop bareback and bridleless.
Ever wonder what it would be like to get one-on-one personal training and coaching time for you and your horse with one of the Nation’s Leading Clinicians, Stacy Westfall? The recent Stacy Westfall General Clinic attendees received their chance this past June, to experience a 3 ½ day clinic with Stacy. Here is what they are saying about their time with Stacy Westfall.
“Stacy has a superb teaching style of being able to demonstrate her techniques as she talks and to apply what she talks about to all of our horses keeping it interesting.”
“Stacy’s ability to work with five different horses and five different people a all different levels of expertise in one clinic and make us each feel like we were achieving our goals is just incredible.”
“Stacy’s one-on-one style made me feel comfortable and I never felt intimidated by her during the week even though her talents are amazing.”
About receiving certificates at the end of the clinic: “Well deserved and appreciated. Stacy goes above and beyond with her critique of everyone. I felt she nailed it as far as accessing everyone at the end presentation.”
“Definitely a 10. I am spoiled now and any other clinic by another professional is sure to disappoint me.”
In the beginning of April, Stacy Westfall was traveling once again, this time she was on her way to Indianapolis, Indiana for the Hoosier Horse Fair and Expo. The crowds flocked to the State Fair Grounds for a weekend of learning and shopping. The venders were endless, offering everything for horse and rider: from apparel to pottery, Training DVD’s, halters, headstalls and “living quarters” horse trailers. Countless demos were presented all weekend showing off different horse breeds and disciplines.
Stacy gave two demos each day. She covered topics from ‘Teaching Emotional Control’ to ‘Bridleless Riding’. The Stacy Westfall Activity Ball was a big seller along with the Stacy Westfall halters, ropes and personalized posters. Posters weren’t all that Stacy signed in Indianapolis; some fans even had Stacy sign their water buckets, reins, and halters!
Another well recognized celebrity made an appearance at the expo, as well: Popcorn, the AQHA gelding Stacy won Road to the Horse with in 2006, was definitely a crowd favorite. He helped Stacy during a Groundwork Demo by kicking and chasing the Stacy Westfall Activity Ball, carrying the tarp around in his mouth and generally stealing the show while Stacy worked with a filly.
Almost all horse people have heard and seen the truth behind the popular quote by Sir Winston Churchill “There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man”.
The Tulsa Boys’ Home provides residential treatment for boys from the ages of 11-17 who struggle with mental health, behavioral, and substance abuse issues. One of the therapy programs offered to the boys is Equine Assisted Psychotherapy. In Equine Assisted Psychotherapy a therapist uses a horse as a tool to help the boys work through issu
es and teach them responsibility, communication, problem solving, and work ethic.
At the end of March Stacy Westfall made the trip to Tulsa, Oklahoma to conduct two demos for The Tulsa Boys’ Home and a smaller audience. Stacy gave a couple demos: the first was on teaching your horse emotional control through the use of groundwork and the second was about reining. The Tulsa Boys’ Home also had Martin Black come out and demonstrate some cow working and roping techniques.
The weekend presented everyone with a little surprise in the form of snow! The boys had spent weeks before planting flowers and maintaining the facility only to have all their hard work covered under blanket of white. In spite of the weather spirits were high as jokes were shared during the demos and an abundance of knowledge was offered to all attendees.
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Success in South Dakota
Last week Stacy returned from the South Dakota Horse Fair where she was warmly received. Stacy taught on subjects from groundwork to bridleless. When she wasn’t in the arena teaching she was in the Westfall Horsemanship booth sharing training tips and swapping horse stories with fellow horse lovers.
Posters, DVD’s, and bits were all popular products along with the sellout items: bareback pads, 24’ ropes, and stick and strings.
The South Dakota Horse Fair had all kinds of entertainment and events to keep the attendees busy. Demonstrations covering multiple topics filled the schedule throughout the day. People could take a tour of some of South Dakota’s top Stallions and observe them in a versatility contest that was held Friday night. Saturday evening offered families a chance to get out and enjoy a rodeo. And for those other times when the attendees weren’t observing a demo or watching contests there was always shopping. Stacy Westfall even found herself a bargain on a beautiful belt that caught the eyes of everyone in the stands and booth.
Congratulations to Tony P. of Utica, S.D., Debi C. of Lennox, S.D., and Ginger P. of Aberdeen, S.D. our winners from South Dakota!
This week Stacy Westfall is off to Indiana for the Hoosier Horse Fair & Expo.
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After six months of being confined to the indoor arena, riding can almost become more of a chore than a pleasure. Finding ways to keep you and your horse from getting bored gives you an opportunity to get creative with your training approach. Stacy Westfall is currently riding five to seven horses a day, and keeping training interesting for the horses as well as herself can be a challenge.
These last few weeks Stacy has introduced a variety of unusual objects such as: trot poles, small jumps, balls, tarps, etc. to add a fun spin on her training routine. Stacy says “Changing just one thing, such as adding a ground pole, can really make both the horse and rider think differently if you focus on it”.
You can gauge your horse’s reaction by asking yourself questions based on his response to the object that you introduced. Does your horse speed up, slow down, or even refuse to walk over the ground pole? Did your horse round his back while going over the pole and could you feel the difference? Or did he ignore the pole and stumble over it? How about adding more poles? Staying creative and attentive in your training methods is important in preventing boredom and inviting fun.
According to Stacy Westfall, Idaho isn’t all about the potatoes. Stacy was surprised by all the mountains and the warm climate. The Horse Affairs Expo attendees were also very warm and receptive to the topics Stacy covered: Groundwork, Teaching Whoa, and Reading Your Horses Body Language, just to name a few.
When Stacy wasn’t teaching she could be found in the Flynn’s Saddle Shop and the D&B Supply booth posing with fans for pictures, answering training questions, and signing posters. Posters, DVD’s and Activity Balls were several of the big sellers in Idaho. The Stacy Westfall Activity Ball is proving itself to be a hot item by selling out in Idaho and across the country. (Westfall Horsemanship is currently sold out of the Activity Ball, thanks to everyone who has made a purchase. The Activity Ball is on back order and should be here mid to late March.)
Oh and speaking of potatoes….Apparently Stacy was so well received in Idaho that a group of ladies asked her to come back and conduct a clinic. They threatened to send her a potato a week until she comes. (UPDATE: Stacy has yet to receive a potato.)
The winners from Idaho are Joanne S. of Emmet, ID and Christina C. of Ontario, OR. Congratulations!
Flowers, hearts, and candies are what most people find themselves surrounded by on Valentine’s Day but not Stacy Westfall. This Valentine’s Day Stacy found herself surrounded by horses and their many lovers at the Mid Michigan Horse Expo. The attendance was high and the Stacy Westfall Activity Ball, Stick and String, and Bareback Pad were in high demand.
This weekend’s expo was full of information for the attendees including Stacy. Stacy got a couple pointers from Frankie and Brownie, the trusty Equicizer steed, on how to ride like a jockey.
“YOU ARE SO AWESOME!!!!!! I saw you at Birch? Run this weekend and WOW I really enjoyed talking with you. You are so down to earth and yet so knowledgeable! Thank you....you are my hero!”
Congratulations to Amy Arsenault, Julie Tobin, William Morgan, and Crystal Kappen for winning the Ride Safely on the Trail DVD in Michigan!
You might know them better as the makers of TR3 or Kiser arena equipment. We use their products and highly recommend them for anyone looking to improve the surfaces you ride on.
Check out this link for Blue Ribbon Trailer. I need to get out and take a picture of MY new blue ribbon trailer. HUGE photo...you will know its me at the next event!
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To everyone who submitted a name for the foals I would like to say ‘Thank-you.’ Now I have enough reading to last me half of the summer :) If you get the newsletter (if you don’t you need to sign up on the right) then you will know that I received over 2,000 names. At last count it was 2118.
Waco, Texas
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An Afternoon with Ohio's Own Stacy Westfall
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