Equestrian Vaulting Magazine - American Vaulting Association

Transcription

www.americanvaulting.org 1
EQUESTRIAN
EQUESTRIAN
VAULTING
VAULTING
Editor in Chief: Megan Benjamin Guimarin, [email protected]
Assistant Editor: Alicen Divita
Copy Editor: Katharina Woodman
Photographers: Gaelle Cimetiere, Lynne Owen, Kate Revell, Michelle Solorzano, VaultingPhotos.com
Writers and Contributors: Katariina Alongi, Sheri Benjamin, Alicen Divita, Kalyn Geisler, Isabelle Parker
Designer: Leah Kucharek, Red Hen Design
Equestrian Vaulting magazine is the official publication of the American Vaulting Association.
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Vaulting magazine is published three times a year.
American Vaulting Association Directory
2013 AVA VOLUNTEER BOARD OF DIRECTORS
EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS
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2
EQUESTRIANVAULTING | Volume 45, Issue 3
USEF Youth Council Member: Annalise VanVranken, [email protected]
Volume 45, Issue 3
Equestrian Vaulting Designed by: Leah Kucharek, Red Hen Design, [email protected]
EQUESTRIAN
VAULTING
FEATURES
6
10
12
8
Team Vaulting Drills: Building a Foundation of
Confidence and Trust Kalyn Geisler
10
Extending the Ladder, Coaching Coaches:
Using Self-Reflection to Become a Great Coach
Katariina Alongi
12
2013 AVA National Vaulting Champions
16
Event Photos
22
2013 AVA USEF Youth Sportsman's Award
Nominee: Miranda Prints
24
Beginners Guide to Competing Internationally
Alicen Divita
28
Mastering Vaulting After 30 Sheri Benjamin
COLUMNS
ON OUR COVER:
24
28
Abigail Huckaby of Golden Gate positively
shines in her trot freestyle with Chunky
Monkey.
4
Vaulter Fitness Circus Fitness: Mastering the
Perfect Handstand Alicen Divita
6
Horse Smarts Forming a New Partnership:
The Logistics of Borrowing a Horse at Home or
Abroad Alicen Divita
20
Coaching Corner How to Assess Your Vaulting
Season: Setting Goals & Planning the Season
Ahead Isabelle Parker
31
Events Calendar
Photo courtesy of Kate Revell/VaultingPhotos.com
VAULTER FITNESS
By Alicen Divita
CIRCUS
FITNESS
It’s time to mix it up and get upside
down! Get your teammates together
and try these fun exercises that are
guaranteed to help improve your
handstands (and impress your friends).
Mastering the Perfect Handstand
Instead of just holding a handstand against a wall, try it with a partner
who is actively helping you find your balance point. Have them start
holding you with both hands, then slowly release one at a time, gently
tapping you back into place every time you start to fall. With a tight body
and legs squeezed together, make sure to spread your fingers and use your
whole hand to balance.
TRY LIFTING
A LEG TO
CHALLENGE
YOUR CORE!
Feet on Ball
A great exercise to develop core strength: play with
different versions of plank with your feet on the ball. As a
challenge, try one-legged handstand pike-ups, pressing to
full handstand and gently landing with the opposite leg on
the ball before returning to plank.
Level 1: Plank with feet on ball
Level 2: Plank to pike
Challenge: Plank to pike, one leg lifted
4
Photos courtesy of Kate Revell/VaultingPhotos.com
Handstand Balance with a Partner
Starting in a push-up or a plank, toss your
partner into a controlled handstand. A third
partner can spot from behind.
Handstand Partner Toss
To develop core strength and practice maintaining
tight form in a handstand position, have a
teammate toss you from a plank position to
handstand. If you lack tension in your body, your
partner will not be able to toss you no matter
how hard she tries!
For an added challenge, bend your arms into
a deep push-up before the toss. This is a great
exercise to develop strength for swing exercises.
Squeeze your core as you
pedal one arm at a
time in a plank.
Arm Pedals
Stair Climb
Put the strength you learned in the arm pedals
to work by walking up a set of stacked mats. Try
it first with a partner in a wheelbarrow position,
and then in a handstand once you’re ready.
Level 1: Stair climb in supported
wheelbarrow
Level 2: Stair climb in handstand
with a spot
Challenge: Walk the stairs in
handstand without a spot
This exercise will show you just how much core tension is needed to
balance on your hands. Starting in a wheelbarrow or plank position,
try lifting one arm straight back by your side.
Once you have mastered this exercise, try the same pedaling action
in a handstand with a partner’s support. Make sure to keep pushing
up out of your shoulders throughout the exercise. When you get
comfortable with this exercise, try it without a partner. Soon enough
you’ll master the one-armed handstand!
Practice your perfect
handstand as you pedal
one arm at a time.
Plank
Hands on Ball
Holding plank with your hands on a yoga ball or other unstable
object helps to develop an awareness of how you can use your
hands and fingers to balance.
Bonus!
Challenge yourself by handstanding on various
objects for balance!
About the Author: Alicen Divita is a certified yoga teacher
and a graduate of the University of California Berkeley. Alicen is
currently studying to become a doctor of osteopathic medicine.
She is a two time Gold Women’s Champion and placed eleventh
at the recent Vaulting World Championships in Le Mans, France.
Athlete pictured: Woodside Vaulters'
Tessa Divita, Audrey Kiernan, Siddartha
Kreaden, Kristen Kuhn, Rachel Polati,
Miki Yang
HORSESMARTS
Forming a
PART
Vaulting at any level is about the
partnership we vaulters and lungers share
with our horse. We know their gait, their
likes and dislikes, and often, we have
tailored our entire vaulting style around
our equine partners. When we travel,
however, sometimes we don’t have the
luxury of toting our horses along with us.
This is the guide for vaulters borrowing
horses at home and abroad.
Photo courtesy of Lynne Owen/VaultingPhotos.com
Getting to Know Your New
Partner… From the Comfort of
Your Own Home
It’s a good idea to check out videos of the
horse with whom you are going to compete
before you arrive for a practice or competition.
Look for signs that he is comfortable. From
what you can tell, what moves make him
uncomfortable? What makes him swish his
tail? Find former scores from the horse if you
can and ask vaulters who have worked with
the horse before for advice to help you piece
together your horse’s story.
Additionally, here is a checklist of questions
you might consider asking your new lunger, or
asking yourself as you get to know the horse,
to determine if the horse is a good fit:
• Are there any particular moves or areas
of the horse’s body to which he reacts
sensitively? You may want to start recrafting your routine to accommodate for
the horse’s sensitivities if needed.
• What level of vaulter has the horse carried
in the past? Advanced vaulters performing
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tricky, weight-shifting exercises require horses
with excellent balance, while less advanced
vaulters might want a horse that can
withstand the occasional thump and bump.
• How many competitions has this
horse been to, and is his behavior at
competitions different than at practice? If
it is, how can you recreate that “competition
behavior” in the practice circle… or vice versa!
Things to Find Out Before the Competition
Borrowing a horse can be logistically
complicated—beyond the challenges of
vaulting with a new partner! Here are some of
the logistical questions you’ll want to answer
before you even arrive for your first practice:
Financial Questions
There isn’t one specific way to arrange
payment for the use of a horse. You will want
to make sure to discuss as much as possible
beforehand, so there are no false assumptions
or issues down the road.
• What is the fee for full use of the horse
during the competition?
• What is the fee for training beforehand?
• What other expenses will I be required to
cover?
• Will the costs be divided evenly between
everyone using the horse?
Training Questions
Practice time is often scarce when borrowing
a new horse. Be sure to make the most of it by
knowing as much as possible ahead of time.
• When will we be practicing on the horse?
• What does a typical practice with this
horse look like? Do vaulters work at the
walk, trot, and canter? How much horse
time (roughly) is allotted per vaulter?
• Will other vaulters be practicing on
the horse as well? Will practice time be
divided evenly between vaulters?
Competition Logistics Questions
Different clubs and lungers handle the details
of a competition differently. Knowing how to
help your lunger and groom on competition
day will make everyone’s competition run
more smoothly.
New
NER S H I P
• Who will handle transportation logistics
for the horse?
• Who will pay for the lunger’s fees,
including transportation, hotel, etc.?
Who will pay for the groom’s fees (if
applicable)?
• At the competition, who is responsible
for tacking the horse up before/cooling
him down after we compete?
• Do they have competition-appropriate
tack? If so, what kind of surcingle do
they use? Can you use your own if the
handles are vastly different?
• If the borrowed horse does not pass the
vet check or if something happens, do
they have a reserve horse they will be
bringing? Do you have to pay for the use
of the reserve horse?
• When do they plan on arriving at the
competition? When do they expect me
to arrive at the competition?
Note: While all of these things are important to
know, it’s also important not to bombard your new
lunger with questions and expectations when they
aren’t expecting it. Set up a time to chat on the
phone (or Skype/Google Hangout works great for
international calls) so that your lunger is prepared
for a plethora of questions. Also, when borrowing
a horse abroad, it is important to be mindful of
language barriers. Choosing to be concise and to
the point may be appreciated.
By Alicen Divita
The Logistics of Borrowing
a Horse at Home or Abroad
time as possible bonding with him on the
ground. Offer to take him on long walks, to
feed him, and ride him if you’re capable. Spend
time with him in his stall, mucking, grooming,
and just hanging out. The more comfortable
he is with you and the more comfortable you
are with him, the better.
clean full routines you have under your belt
before entering into the competition arena,
the more confident you will feel. Make a point
of running through your routine at least once
each practice.
If you have time, take it a step further and
stage a dress rehearsal before you leave for
the competition. Test out new pad covers,
uniforms, and equipment. Practice your run-in
and bow, and get a sense for the timing of
a trot circle. You will definitely want to have
played your music (run-in, compulsory, freestyle,
and technical test if you have one) as much as
possible for your lunger and horse to hear. Make
sure your lunger knows your routine, so they
know when the opportune times are to send
the horse forward or keep him steady.
Build Confidence
The first practice should be spent developing a
relationship with your new equine teammate.
You should do a basic warm-up as you would at
home, followed by a few of your easiest, most
confident moves. This is as much to allow the
horse to become used to you as it is about you
getting used to him.
Practice Full Routines
If you only have one practice, it’s a good idea
to start with compulsories. After that, take a
competition-style freestyle warm-up round, and
then try running through your entire routine. If
things don’t work, simplify until they do.
The better you know your horse and lunger,
the more confident you will feel in the
competition arena. Borrowing a different
and unknown horse can be stressful, but it’s
also a great opportunity to meet new equine
teammates, lungers, and to make new friends
from new clubs.
If you have more than one practice, you can
take it a little more slowly. That said, the more
Bond on the Ground
No matter now much time you’ll have to
practice with your new horse, spend as much
First, find out how many practices you will
have with your new horse and how many days
you will have before the competition itself.
From there, work backward to figure out what
you will need to accomplish at each practice.
Making the Most of your Practice Time
FEATURE
TEAM
VAULTING
DRILLS
By Kalyn Geisler
BUILDING A FOUNDATION OF CONFIDENCE AND TRUST
“You don’t set out to build a wall. You don’t
say ‘I’m going to build the biggest baddest,
greatest wall that’s ever been built.’ You
don’t start there. You say, ‘I’m going to lay
this brick as perfectly as a brick can be laid.’
You do that every single day. And soon you
have a wall.” –Will Smith
1
Vaulter 1 mounts to seat and moves to seat
on the neck
8
2
Vaulter 2 mounts to seat
W
e spend countless hours working to improve our
compulsories by practicing drills to improve form,
build strength, and gain flexibility. This drill-based style
of training can be applied to team vaulting as well.
Somewhat counterintuitively, independence is a very important
part of team vaulting. Each vaulter in a double or triple must be
independently stable and capable of moving in harmony with
the horse and their teammates. If a standing base cannot stand
on her own with proper alignment and balance, she will not
have the strength or balance to support a flyer. Likewise, if a neck
base sits with bad form and poor posture, she will not be able to
provide the support needed by her teammates. This is also true
3
Vaulter 2 assists Vaulter 3 in mounting
behind Vaulter 2
for flyers, who are the pinnacle of any team freestyle. The flyer must
be able to remain tight and in control so as not to influence her
bases’ centers of gravity.
When learning new team moves, vaulters must first learn to do their
piece of the structure independently. For example, if a vaulter wants
to base standing backward, he should be able to stand backward
freely and confidently on his own. Oftentimes, stand bases are too
reliant on their supporting bases (i.e. sitting or kneeling bases),
which limits team freestyle options and adds greater risk to any
position. Being able to balance while remaining supple and relaxed
makes a competent base.
Similarly, if a flyer wants to stick a juggler (a supported arm-to-arm
handstand), she needs to have a solid handstand on her own first.
Frequently, flyers do not have the body control necessary to perform
their piece of the structure. The more independence each team
member has, the more stability and harmony they can achieve
when working together.
A great way to drill this concept is to practice line freestyles, a team
drill in which each member of the team cycles through positions on
the horse in height order. The focus of this drill is to work in harmony
with each other while sharing space and practicing independence.
Line freestyles are the perfect tool for early season training, because
they give team members a chance to get comfortable on the horse
together and focus on clear communication.
A basic line freestyle could look something like this:
1. Vaulter 1 mounts to seat and moves to seat on the neck
2. Vaulter 2 mounts to seat
4. Vaulter 2 moves to a kneeling position and Vaulter 3 moves
to a standing position
5. Vaulters 1-3 put their arms out and independently share
space on the horse for a count of four strides
6. Vaulter 1 dismounts from the neck
7. Vaulter 2 moves to sitting on the neck
8. Vaulter 3 moves forward and assists vaulter 4 onto the
horse behind them.
… and so on. This process repeats until all members of the team
have performed each position.
Once the team has mastered this basic line freestyle, start to adjust
it to meet your difficulty level. For example, practice mounting your
flyers from a standing position instead of sitting or even try adding
simple lifts and more complicated structures. In any line freestyle,
the transitions are just as important as the moves, so make sure
to practice communication and maintain balance, harmony, and
coordination when moving from one position to the next.
If your squad has lofty goals, go after them! See the big picture and
create building blocks to achieve those goals. Remember: drills are
not just for compulsories!
About the Author: Kalyn Geisler is a coach and lunger at Wildfire Vaulters, a club she founded with
her husband Kenny in 2013. A successful vaulter herself, Kalyn earned the team bronze medal at the
2004 Vaulting World Championships in Stadl Paura with Coastline Vaulters and has won multiple
team and pas de deux National Championships.
5
6
Photos courtesy of Kate Revell/VaultingPhotos.com
4
3. Vaulter 2 assists Vaulter 3 in mounting behind Vaulter 2
Vaulter 2 moves to a kneeling position and
Vaulter 3 moves to a standing position
Vaulters 1-3 put their arms out and
independently share space on the horse for a
count of four strides
Vaulter 1 dismounts from the neck
Vaulter 2 moves to sitting on the neck
Vaulter 3 moves forward and assists vaulter
4 onto the horse behind them
FEATURE
Coaching Coaches: Using Self-Reflection to Bec
Extending the Ladde
T
hirty years ago, when I was fifteen years old, I became a vaulting
coach. Having only vaulted for one year myself, I knew little
about vaulting and even less about coaching, yet I found myself
in charge of a group of eight children and a pony. I remember being
excited but also somewhat overwhelmed. How would I teach the
children what I knew? And what about all the stuff I didn’t know?
(Which, in hindsight, was a lot.) It was the eighties and the sport of
vaulting was completely new in Finland, my home country. Having
learned vaulting from a German handbook and a three-day eventer
who had once seen vaulting in Germany, I was everything but
equipped to coach.
Luckily, I didn’t realize how much the odds were against me when I was
fifteen. Had I known what I didn’t know, I might have quit right there and
then. Instead, I found the seed of my inner teacher, a completely new
characteristic in my still-developing persona, and put myself to work.
Years later, I worked with several coaches from Germany, who helped
me further understand what vaulting was all about. I soon realized
that there was more to coaching the sport than knowing all the drills
for compulsories or how to put together a decent team freestyle, so I
decided to pursue an education in the field of athletics. Could a college
degree in coaching perhaps help me become the coach I wanted to be?
moments from which we can learn. What could I have done differently?
What knowledge, help or resources do I need next time? What do I
do well already, what is my expertise, my asset, my strength, and how
can I build on that? All these are valid questions every coach should
ask themselves at some point in time. Self-reflection is crucial for your
evolution as a coach; it is like building a ladder which you attempt to
extend further and further to reach greater heights. If the ladder stops
extending, you are limiting yourself, which is not only a disadvantage to
you, but to your students as well.
Self-evaluation is not always easy, and looking into the mirror can be
humbling. We are all human and despite all the coaching manuals,
there really is no handbook on how this is done. We often rate a
coach by their knowledge of athletic techniques and tactics, but
organizational awareness, leadership abilities, and time management
skills, not to mention the ability to communicate with, give feedback
to, motivate, encourage, be fair with, listen to, and respect the students
can be even more important. It took me years to realize that athletes
I am fortunate to have a coaching degree under my belt, but even with
all the knowledge I gained in school, what has mattered the most in
my coaching career are all the hours I have put in at the barn, the gym,
the rink, the field. At the end of the day, you can study theory until you
are blue in the face, you can read books and attend workshops and
watch others, you can even be a retired world class athlete, but it isn’t
until you actually coach that you have the opportunity to start to grow.
Learning to coach happens informally, through experience. But – and
this is important –we don’t simply learn from the act of experiencing.
If we wish to grow as coaches, our experience has to be examined,
analyzed, and considered before it can make a shift in our knowledge.
How many times during my coaching career have I performed poorly,
made the wrong decision or forgotten to plan ahead? Many. We all do.
Instead of walking away from these mistakes, shrugging them off as
unimportant, we should embrace them as gifts, as they are the defining
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In many ways my college education did just that. I learned about
anatomy and physiology as well as psychology. I learned to train
strength, endurance, speed, and how to balance it all out depending
on the discipline. I studied child development, learning theory and
pedagogy, the instructional theory of education; I even demonstrated
my knowledge in coaching sessions that were graded and evaluated
for organization, clarity, and instruction.
Reflecting on the Results
Look at your numbers. What is your highest score? Is this an area of
coaching in which you excel regularly? What personal strengths do you
By Katariina Alongi
have that help you in this area? For example: If your highest score is
in delivering feedback, perhaps your strength is your positive outlook
in life, which makes it easy to encourage your students. Or maybe
you have good technical knowledge and have a knack for detailed
corrections and knowledge of different learning
People often say that this or that person has not yet
styles. Whatever your strengths are, write them
down, reflect on the importance of these skills
found himself. But the self is not something one finds,
and how you could use them in other areas of
it is something one creates. ~Thomas Szasz
your coaching.
come a Great Coach
der
are not only learning a sport under my guidance, they are learning
about fairness, resilience, perseverance, success, failure, self-esteem,
self-confidence, teamwork, communication, self-awareness, kindness,
encouragement, responsibility, anger management, emotional agility
—the list goes on. A coach is not only creating athletes; a coach is
creating human beings. It can be up to you and me to help a child find
their inner courage or learn to believe in themselves. It can also be up
to you and me to take that courage away. A sobering thought, to say
the least, but assessing your own abilities will help you understand your
strengths as a coach as well as the pitfalls to look out for. In the process,
you will not only grow as a coach, but surely as a human being as well.
How to Self-Reflect
Self-reflection requires time and commitment and is more effective if
done with another person. My best seasons in coaching have been the
seasons I worked with another coach or as part of a coaching team. But
even if you are coaching alone, talking to another coach from another
team or club about recurring problems and issues can be helpful. Often
coaches don’t have a peer to talk to and that is when taking the time
to reflect using a written exercise can be crucial in evaluating how
you operate within the context of a practice, competition or an entire
season. I recommend it to everyone, even those who are lucky enough
to have peer support.
Below is an example of a basic exercise that can help you self-evaluate
and reflect on a single practice.
EXERCISE 1
practice and
each area of the
te
ra
,
er
ov
is
e
practic
n 1 (very poor)
Shortly after the
number betwee
a
g
lin
rc
ci
by
ur benefit.
rmance
this is only for yo
your own perfo
as
,
st
ne
ho
ly
al
!). Be brut
10
to 10 (excellent
123456789
s
an
pl
ecution of
10
Planning vs. ex
123456789
es
et
hl
practice/at
10
Organization of
123456789
/other coaches
es
et
hl
at
ith
w
n
10
Communicatio
123456789
ent
10
Time managem
123456789
y)
tit
an
lity/qu
10
Feedback (qua
123456789
coach)
10
Motivation (of
123456789
e
tic
r the prac
10
Overall score fo
123456789
)
er
th
(o
__
__________
____________
Now, look into your lowest numbers. Let’s say you have given yourself a
four in time management. Perhaps you had planned to work on flight
exercises first on the barrel, run through team compulsories on the
horse second, and work on a part of team freestyle at the walk third,
but you ran out of time and only managed the first two exercises. Also,
practice ran overtime and you had no time to do conditioning because
it took so long to put the horse away. Here are a few questions you can
ask yourself:
How did a low performance in time management affect the other areas
(numbers) on your evaluation? How did it affect the overall score?
If this practice is what a 4 in time management looks like, what does a
6 look like? What about an 8? Get detailed in your answer; write down
what you would like to see happen. What needs to change to achieve
a 6/8/10? What are the personal skills you will need when improving
this area of your coaching? Do you need outside help (another coach,
the athletes, parents, etc.)? Write down one to three small steps you can
take to better this score for future practice.
Imagine having an 8 in time management every practice. How will this
affect the other numbers? What about the big picture; how will this
affect you and your athletes in the long run?
Repeat this for each number, if desired. Make it clear to yourself what
your goals are for each area.
EXERCISE 2
If you are more
inclined to writ
e essays than pl
can also write a
ay with numbe
short answer to
rs, you
each of the follo
wing questions
What went wel
:
l and why?
What went less
well and why?
What have you
learned?
What can you w
ork on?
Write three thin
gs you can do
differently next
time.
About the Author: A native of Finland, Katariina holds a degree both in Life Coaching and in Sports
Science with a major in coaching. She coached the Finnish National Vaulting Team for over a decade
before moving to California where she teamed up with Coastline Vaulters to win a team bronze medal
at the 2004 World Championships. Along with vaulting she has coached different sports such as
dressage, gymnastics, floorball and soccer for 30 years to children and adults alike. Currently she works
in Santa Cruz, CA as a life coach and writer, teaches rider biomechanics and emotional intelligence to
equestrians, and coaches her son’s soccer team. Website: www.sanityinmadness.com
Photos courtesy of Lynne Owen and Kate Revell/VaultingPhotos.com
Gold Women
Gold Men
Elizabeth Ioannou, Mt. Eden Vaulting Club
Kristian Roberts, Half Moon Bay Vaulters
with Urfreund Rosengaard and Emma Seely
with Hudson and Carolyn Bland
Silver
Siddartha Kreaden
with Limerick
2013 AVA National
Bronze Men
12
Copper Women
Daniel Janes, Warm Beach Vaulters
Carlee Heger, Mile-High Vaulters
with Prize, Patti Skipton, Promise, and Elise Valsquier
with Xena, Shelby, and Jodi Rinard
Coppe
Sequoia Thom
with BHR John Boy J
Women
n, Woodside Vaulters
and Krista Mack Silver Men
Bronze Women
Kaleb Patterson, Warm Beach Vaulters
Kristen Kuhn, Woodside Vaulters
with Prize, Promise, and Patti Skipton
with Limerick and Krista Mack
Vaulting Champions
er Men
mas, Lazy River
Joe and Valerie Carter
Trot Women
Trot Men
Helen Mills-Selch, Blue Star Vaulters
Ari Sanders, Technique Equestrian Vaulting Club
with Prince and Nicole D'Auriol
with Tong du Chon and Chase Kaylor
A TEAM
B TEAM
Mt. Eden Sun Team
Warm Beach Chronicles
with Urfreund Rosengaard and
Emma Seely
with Promise, Elise Valsquier, Prize, and Patti Skipton
2013 AVA National
Open Pas de Deux
Cassidy and Kimberly Palmer, Half Moon Bay
Vaulters
with Cheval and Carolyn Bland
14
Preliminary
Pas de Deux
Hannah Beehler and Carlee Heger,
Mile High Vaulters
with Shelby and Jodi Rinard
C TEAM
TROT TEAM
Above and Beyond/Apex Avant-Garde
Above and Beyond/Cascade Madagascar
with Curious George and
Saacha Deamborossio
with Curious George and
Saacha Deamborossio
Vaulting Champions
Open 2-Phase
Pacific Coast Vaulters
with Cheval and Carolyn Bland
Preliminary 2-Phase
A Vaulting Connection/Therapeutic Horse
Connection Exception
with Caspian and Karin Schmidt
2013 AVA
NATIONALS
16
Photos courtesy of Lynne Owen & Kate Revell/VaultingPhotos.com
CVI PACIFIC
CUP 2013
RISING
CLINIC
18
G STARS
C
Photos courtesy of Michelle Solorzano
HARBOR VIEW
VAULTERS
HALLOWEEN FEST
Photos courtesy of Gaelle Cimetiere
COACHINGCORNER
By Isabelle Parker
How to Assess Your
Vaulting Season:
SETTING
GOALS
& PLANNING THE
SEASON AHEAD
T
he 2013/14 vaulting season is well
underway and it is time to set concrete
goals. Here are some simple steps to
follow as you plan for the coming season.
Look back at last year. The first step to
plan for the year is to do a good assessment of
the past season. This is a critical step.
Collect Data
• If you wrote goals for the 2012/13 season,
find them.
• Compile any results including all of your score
sheets or Compweb printouts of your scores,
medal test results, fitness test results, etc.
• Compile videos. In addition to competitions,
you might also want to include a practice or
two.
• Using the grid on the right, recreate the
calendar for last year as best as you can.
Include the major events and milestones
(competitions, music selected, any injuries, etc.)
• Interview three people about your season.
You can pick anyone who knows you and
your vaulting well. (Ideas include coach,
parent, and teammate.) Ask them to reflect
on your year. What went well? Where did
you have room for improvement? What do
they see as your strengths? What three words
describe you last year?
Reflect
• Review all of your “data”. What can you
20
learn about last year? Honestly evaluate
your accomplishments. Dig in. Why did
you succeed? Or, why did you miss your
mark? By how much? Consider not only
your vaulting, but all of the elements that
contribute to your success – practice,
health, nutrition, fitness, coaching, horse,
mental training, schedule, etc.
• Write down your reflection. Try to be
descriptive and comprehensive.
• Circle three things that you want to repeat
this year and three things that you want to
change.
Set your goals. Based on what you
learned about yourself from the previous
season, set your goals. Remember to consider
all of the elements that contribute to your
success – practice, health, nutrition, fitness,
coaching, horse, mental training, schedule,
and any factors specific to you. Consider listing
four to six goals total. Be specific – and make
sure that your goals address your weaknesses
too. Sample goals include “pass my silver
medal commended” and “earn a 8.0 DOD score
at Nationals.”
Develop your metrics. Every goal
should be measurable. (If it isn’t measurable,
how will you know if you achieved it?) For
each goal, write a metric and state how
you will collect the data to measure it. For
example, if your goal is “to improve your upper
body strength”, your metric could be “do three
sets of twenty push-ups with perfect form”
and you can collect the data by “testing every
two weeks at Saturday practice”.
Create a timeline: Map out the
year on a calendar. Include competitions,
demonstrations, vacations, clinics, and other
relevant events. Also, jot down the following:
• When will you train compulsory drills? When
do you want to start doing full compulsories
with your competition music?
• When will your routines (freestyle, technical
test) be written? When will you take out
moves that do not work? When will you be
able to run them in time?
• When will you pick your music? When/how
will it be edited to your routine? When will
you work on choreography?
• What is your fitness plan? What will you
work on throughout the year? Do you have
SAMPLE CALENDAR
DATE
EVENTS
January SOV Clinic
Co
Ad
February
March Medal Test
Sta
April Dress rehearsal
April 25
May Spring Fest May 15 "M
3x
And so on...
a plan to build strength? Speed? Flexibility?
How about mental training (visualization,
breathing)? Are these skills you need to
develop or build?
• If you are getting a uniform, add the design
and fitting to the schedule too. Make sure
you leave time to practice in your new
uniform!
• Make a plan for training during the
competition season. How much time will
you have during the season? Will there be
time for improvements or adjustments to
your routines? Will there be time for rest?
Share your goals, metrics, and
timeline with your support team.
This team should include anyone who can
help motivate you and keep you on track.
Your coach, parents, siblings, friends, and
teammates may also have suggestions.
Incorporate these ideas!
Revisit and review. Your plan should
be displayed some place where you will see
FITNESS
it often. Check the timeline regularly and
complete your metrics. If something isn’t
working or needs to be adjusted, don’t fret make the necessary changes. However, if you
need to make a change, don’t forget to “learn”
first. Examine the data you have and use that
to make your new goal or set your new metric.
Tips for Coaches:
Effective goal setting is challenging. Here are
some things I’ve learned over the years:
• Keep the goals simple. Set a few goals that
target specific areas for improvement and a
few goals which will challenge your vaulter
to improve his/her strengths.
• Write very clear metrics – especially around
the areas of improvement. No one wants to
work on the hard stuff. Check these regularly.
• Include parents whenever possible. They
have their eyes on so many of the things
you don’t see (nutrition, cross training, sleep,
stress, etc.).
COMPULSORIES
FREESTYLE
ore strength
Work flights
Finish writing
routines
dd swimming
Work turns
Run routines in two
parts
art speed training Run in two parts
Run with music
Maintain" workout Drill two moves every
x week
practice. Run
• Post calendars at practice/ the barn and
celebrate milestones.
• And most important, pick a “moves
out” date and stick to it. This is the date
when any freestyle move which is not
working 90% of the time comes out of
the routine. I would recommend that this
happens at least four weeks before the first
competition. It is hard to stick to this, but it
really helps. After moves come out, allow
the vaulter to spend several practices just
running clean routines like in a competition.
About the Author: Isabelle Parker has coached Woodside Vaulters
for over twenty years. She has worked with every level of team
and individual, sending top level vaulters to nearly every World
Championships since 1996. An AVA r judge, technical committee
member, and an FEI steward, Isabelle holds her AVA Gold Medal and
competed internationally for the United States. Isabelle is also the Chief
Financial Officer of Summit Public Schools.
TECHNICAL
Drill all five moves
OTHER
Finalize all music
Uniform ordered
Moves out
March 15!
Run in 1:10
Moves out March 15!
Run in 1:10
Run in 1:00 with
music every week
Run in 1:00 with
music every week.
Drill Two moves
every practice
Run every other
Drill two moves
every practice. Run practice
every other practice
Practice 1 x week
in uniform
Do run-in with
music every
practice
2013 AVA USEF YOUTH SPORTSMAN'S
MIRANDA PRINTS
E
ach year, equestrians from across the United States apply
for the USEF Youth Sportsman’s Award. The application
process starts within each specific USEF national affiliate
(i.e., the AVA for vaulting), who then nominates one candidate for
USEF consideration. The overall USEF Youth Sportsman’s Award
winner receives a trophy, a $1,000 educational grant, and a USEF
life membership ($2,500 value). He/she will also be considered as
a candidate for the USEF Junior Equestrian of the Year, with the
Overall Reserve Winner receiving a $500 educational grant.
The AVA always receives numerous applications for this prestigious
award and 2013 was no exception. We had a large pool of extremely
qualified applicants who easily embody what this award stands for
– commitment to the sport of equestrian vaulting, being a positive
role model to peers, involvement in the community and exhibiting
positive sportsmanship principles.
After careful review, the AVA Member Recognition Awards Review
Committee selected Miranda Prints from Nu Balance Vaulters as the
2013 AVA nominee! As her coach, Michelle Solorzano, said, “Miranda
is a talented vaulter, inspiring role model, highly intelligent scholar,
team leader, extremely motivated worker, and unique athlete.
She wears a coat of many colors and I am lucky to have her on
my team.” According to Ron Maynard, her high school Spanish
teacher, “Miranda is an amazing person. She has spent countless
hours preparing for her future and helping to make the future of
those less fortunate much better.” Her mentor, Rachel O’Laughlin,
shared, “I have known Miranda for over a decade, but I have come
to know her more in depth as a young adult in the last three years.
It has been an honor to watch Miranda flourish and triumph in
every task she has taken on in that time. I am confident that she
will shine as an example for young athletes everywhere!”
Seventeen-year-old Miranda is a senior at Bella Vista High School
in Fair Oaks and the daughter of Andrew and Lisa Prints. Miranda
is an accomplished vaulter who competes on Nu Balance’s
competitive team, as well as their full-time entertainment team,
“Crown Capall.” She has earned such titles as Region II High Point
Champion and Reserve Champion and was also a 2010 WEG USA
Friendship Team Member. Miranda is very active with the California
TOP FIVE RUNNERS-UP DESERVING HONORABLE MENTION
Caroline Shubert of Vaulters del Sol,
New Mexico. Vaulting coach Greta Shryock
says, “Caroline has an unbelievable ability to
find the best in any situation and can pass
that positive attitude on to others. She is a
friend to everyone, a positive role model for
the younger kids, and a motivation for her
peers.”
Sierra Smith of Golden Gate Vaulters,
Colorado. Andy Jennings, competitive
soccer coach, shared, “Sierra’s commitment
to excellence, integrity, and sportsmanship
are some of the reasons why she was
selected as Team Captain this year. She leads
by example and also with words.”
Lizzie Ioannou of Mt. Eden Vaulting
Club, California. Vaulting coach Emma Seely
wrote, “As team captain, Lizzie holds the
team together. Her leadership skills guide
the team through big decisions and while
working toward common goals. She is the
girl with the energy and leadership to make
things happen.”
22
Haley Smith of Golden Gate Vaulters,
Colorado. Noel Martonovich, vaulting coach,
wrote, “Haley has always shown an intensity
and desire to improve while still having fun
and enjoying her work. Her work ethic at
competitions and with the horses sends a
great message to younger vaulters who look
up to her as a role model. She has a great
future in vaulting.”
Clare Sitzer of Tambourine Vaulters,
California. Vaulting coach Kelley Holly states,
“Clare lives by the golden rules that we all
wish to impart to our youth of today. She
tackles the challenges of our horse sport of
vaulting with determination, a fantastic work
ethic, and with gentleness and kindness
towards both her human and equine
competitors.”
AWARD NOMINEE:
By Kathy Smith
State Fair, scholastic clubs, and her church youth group. Miranda
and Nu Balance Vaulters started “Athletes for God,” in honor of two
teammates with diseases. Congratulations, Miranda, on being the
2013 AVA National Nominee for the USEF Youth Sportsman’s Award!
UPDATE – USEF announced that Miranda was selected as the
2013 USEF Youth Sportsman’s Award WINNER! She was the top
choice among an outstanding group of youth representing
their recognized breed and discipline affiliates from across the
country. Miranda is now in contention for USEF’s prestigious Junior
Equestrian of the Year award. Congratulations, Miranda!
FEATURE
BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO COMPETING
INTERNATIONALLY
L
ooking at a poster of your favorite vaulter competing in a World
Championships, have you ever wondered what that experience is
like? No more wondering: here’s a beginner’s guide to competing
internationally! There are more opportunities than ever before for
vaulters of all ages and levels to compete internationally—both at home
and abroad— and there are many benefits to starting early.
BRING THE
WORLD TO
YOUR HOME!
You don’t have to go abroad
to reap the benefits of our
international sport; you can host
a foreign vaulter in your own
home! This is a great way to start
building relationships, so when
you’re ready to go abroad, you
might be able to be hosted by
a familiar face. Hosting an elite
international vaulter for clinics or
a foreign vaulter who wants to
train, study, or compete in the US
are both great ways to connect
with the international vaulting
community. Any of the AVA/USEF
vaulters who have participated in
recent World Championships can
help connect you with a hosting
situation.
24
The first ever FEI Junior World Championships will be held in the
summer of 2015. This, along with the recognition of “Children” as an
official CVI class depicts the increased attention given to younger
vaulters looking for an international career. If you are interested in
competing internationally, this article is packed full of wisdom, tips,
and information just for you.
Learning the Language of Foreign Vaulting
I
f the letters/numbers CVI CH 1* look like
your cat jumped on your keyboard, here
are some simple tips to help you navigate
the road of international competition. First,
unlike AVA or even USEF-recognized events,
international competitions are divided by age
as well as ability. All international competitions
are called CVIs, which stands for Concours de
Voltige International (your very first French
lesson… it means “International Vaulting
Competition”). The letters following this
indicate the age level, as broken down below.*
CH = Children Individual Competition,
ages 12 to 14
J = Junior Individual and Pas de Deux
Competition, ages 14 to 18; Junior Team
Competition, ages 18 and under
No letter stated = Senior Individual & Pas
de Deux Competition, ages 16 and older;
Senior Team Competition, no age limit
To move up to a higher level, a vaulter must
earn scores starting at the entry level, or 1*, in
whatever age division he or she competes. A
single competition may host all of these age
and skill levels, or just a few. For this reason, it
is important to make sure when choosing a
CVI that it offers not only the appropriate age
division, but also the star level at which you
have qualified and intend to compete.
Individual Qualification Criteria for
Junior
Ages 14-18
Children
Ages 12-14
CVI J 1*
No Qualificat
Criteria
CVI CH 1*
No Qualificat
Criteria
Junior World Championship
qualification: 6.5 in any one round at CVI
2* or CVI J 2* or at a championship
One of the benefits of competing in the
Children or Junior category is that you
don’t have to be up against previous world
champions and well-established athletes
when you first begin. If you have the
opportunity, start as a junior first so you can
be recognized and stand out for your talents.
By Alicen Divita
*All ages are determined by the calendar year
in which vaulters turn that age. For example, a
Junior vaulter is eligible from January 1st of the
year he or she turns 14 until December 31st of
the year he or she turns 18.
2014
tion
6.0 in any one round
at CVI 1*, CVI J 1*,
CVI CH 1*, CVI J 2*,
CVI CH 2*, OR
CH-EU-V J
CVI CH 2*
5.5 in any one round
at CVI 1*, CVI J 1*,
CVI CH 1*, OR
CVI CH 2*
Resources:
Fédération Équestre Internationale
Check out www.fei.org for a calendar of events and
international rules. Check out http://www.fei.org/sites/
default/files/Qualification_Criteria_for_2014-new.pdf
for full qualification criteria for Children, Juniors, Seniors,
and Pas de Deux.
United States Equestrian Federation
Consider them your go-to resource for everything related
to competing overseas. Familiarize yourself with
www.usef.org.
tion
CVI J 2*
Advice on Competing Abroad from
US Vaulting Stars
“Be ready for anything. Go into the competition and the training beforehand (if
you are lucky to have any) like you would at home. Try not to stress about little
things, like the horse being different or one of your moves not working. Be flexible
and focus on getting used to the new horse and the new environment. Try not to
get too wrapped up in the scores. Have fun, meet new people, and enjoy getting
to travel and vault in a different country!”
–Lizzie Ioannou, 2013 AVA Gold Women’s National Champion and 2006 World
Equestrian Games Team USA Silver Medalist
"Looking back on my first time abroad as a vaulter, I would have prepared myself a
bit more physically as well as mentally, because not only are you dealing with a time
change, you're dealing with a new horse and lunger, too! Don't stress about your
hardest moves not working the first day on the new horse. Keep working toward
them and only make changes if you absolutely must; too many changes might
distract you from performing at your best!”
-Kristian Roberts, 2013 AVA Gold Men’s National Champion
“Don’t get swept away by the fact that you are competing against everyone you
ever idolized. Remember, it's still just vaulting. As men, we may be used to winning
everything more or less by default, but it’s important to understand that we might be
beat internationally—by a lot. Don't get discouraged; use it to motivate yourself!”
–Gabe Aniello, the first American to qualify for the FEI World Cup Final in 2012
“DO NOT LOSE YOUR CREDENTIALS. [CVI competitions require that the barn is securely
monitored 24/7 as soon as the horses have passed vet check. Without your credentials,
you won’t be let into the barn.] Also, make sure you know ahead of time the differences in
logistics and rules between American and international competitions.”
–Emily Hogye, two-time world medalist and 2010 World Equestrian Games Team USA
Gold Medalist
26
ne
Photos courtesy of Lyn
“Allow yourself to enjoy the social aspect of the competition, too. Those are the
memories that two, five, ten years from now, will outlast the results of the competition.
Ultimately, vaulting is about so much more than the vaulting itself. Competing abroad is a
unique opportunity to experience other cultures in a totally immersive way. Appreciate it
and take advantage of it!"
–Rosalind Ross, four-time world medalist and 2010 World Equestrian Games Team USA
Gold Medalist
m
ell/VaultingPhotos.co
Owen and Kate Rev
“Stick to a proper nutrition regimen abroad. For me that means ‘clean eating,’ or eating
fresh foods with as few preservatives and additives as possible.”
–Blake Dahlgren, three-time world medalist and 2010 World Equestrian Games Team
USA Gold Medalist
What to Expect When
Competing Abroad
Here are some terms and concepts that are essential to know before competing in a CVI.
Vet Check
All horses must pass a veterinary inspection (vet check) prior to the start of the
competition. This is your opportunity to make your horse look the best he possibly can
look, and it is not uncommon to see people spending hours beautifying their horses. It is
important that you, your horse, and your lunger show up looking professional.
Vet check proceeds in alphabetical order by country and by horse show name within each
country, with the host country going last.
Chef D’Équipe
As in most national competitions, the head coach of each club is responsible for checking
his or her team members into the office. Internationally, a single “Chef d’ Équipe” must be
appointed for each country. At larger competitions, this person is often an experienced
judge or coach; however, if you attend a competition as the only US athlete, you, your
coach, or your parent will be responsible for filling this role. There will be a meeting for all
Chefs d’Équipes after the vet check to determine the start order of the competition. There
may also be additional Chef d’Équipe meetings throughout the competition.
The Draw
Competing abroad, you will not have the luxury of knowing in advance what order and
time you will be competing. During the Chef meeting, each vaulter and horse pair will
be drawn from a hat in correspondence with a number. Be sure to write the order down
because the schedule is often released much later, and at this point you’ll just need to
focus on getting a good night’s sleep!
Armband Number
Leave your AVA armband at home when you compete abroad. In international
competitions, you will be given a new one for use during the competition. Most
competition organizers ask for a deposit, so make sure to return your number after the
competition to get your money back. It may also be a good idea for the smaller vaulters
to bring sewing materials, as these numbers are often quite big and might require some
tailoring.
Awards
Awards are typically held immediately following the performance of the last vaulter of
the competition. All members of the same country must wear the same warm-up suit, so
make sure to arrange in advance with the other US vaulters what you’ll be wearing. Also,
leave your hair up and make up on so you look professional.
Other Tips
Pack your uniforms in your carry-on, as there is always the possibility of things getting lost
in transit and full body custom-fit spandex is not easily replaced!
Plan your workouts under the assumption that there will be no exercise equipment
available. Therabands (stretchy elastic bands) work great to provide resistance without
added weight in your suitcase.
Your Journey
Begins Now
All the best vaulters in the
world started where you are
now. The world of international
vaulting not only expedites
your progression as a vaulter,
it opens new doors, new
challenges, and lets you
explore new worlds. Trust
yourself, get excited, and go
for it!
Bring a journal. This can provide comfort among new things and entertainment for later
years when you will be able to relive the first moments you tasted liverwurst and first
impressions of what could become lasting friendships.
FEATURE
MASTERING VAULTING
30
AFTER
By Sheri Benjamin
"V
aulting is a young person's sport." Watching equestrian
vaulting athletes as they lithely maneuver on a cantering
equine, dismounting with no more effort than stepping
off the curb, no adult spectator would think twice about nodding in
agreement. Most anyone can recognize the extreme strength and
flexibility needed to vault on, perform a routine in harmony with the
horse (and sometimes others), and dismount from the horse.
Yes, most adults would picture mounting/dismounting a horse
while the equine is standing still, and probably with the help of a
mounting block. And then there are the outliers.
Malcolm Gladwell’s famous book of the same name described an
“outlier” as a scientific term to describe things that lie outside
normal experience. Vaulters in their thirties, forties, fifties and
sixties—especially all of them starting the sport after the age
of 30? Yup. Outliers they are.
When asked about her current horse situation, Kerry laughs. I
have… a lot of them,” she confesses. Seven altogether, ranging from
her vaulting horse Toby, a Belgian Quarter Cross, to Sampson, an
Arab Quarter Horse. Of course, let’s not forget her pony and a zebra
named Zoe.
A mechanical engineer by trade, Kerry spends her days as a senior
photolithography equipment technician at a semiconductor
equipment manufacturer. She appreciates precision, and especially
enjoys compulsories, “where
there’s a specific set of moves
and specificity on how they
should be done, so you’re always
working toward perfecting those
movements,” she says.
“There’s the walk,
the trot and then
the canter, so
you can ease into
the levels as you
develop strength
and fitness.”
Take Kerry Noble of Washougal, Wash., for example. A
horsewoman since the age of 12, Kerry was first exposed
to vaulting in her early twenties, yet when she expressed
interest, someone in the horse community “said I was too
old.” But after giving a presentation on competitive mounted
orienteering at an area horse camp some years later, she
was invited to a vaulting lesson by vaulting dad and lunger
Gary Iversen. “I stood on the horse at the walk at my very first
practice,” Kerry remembers, “and I was hooked.” She was 31.
“I love vaulting because it’s different,” Kerry says. “It’s
challenging. It’s terrifying. It satisfies my quest to learn new
things.” She has competed at local competitions, as well
as Regionals and Nationals, since 2006 and holds her AVA
Bronze medal. “I’ve always loved horses,” she reported. “As a
child I wanted a horse, and after my grandparents saw me
riding one of our cows, they convinced my mom to get me
a horse.” She’s been involved in many equine activities, from
4-H and Future Farmers of America (FFA) to buying/selling
horses at auction and competitive mounted orienteering.
28
Kerry Noble
Her advice to adults who want to
try the sport? “There’s the walk,
the trot and then the canter, so
you can ease into the levels as you
develop strength and fitness,” she
“Vaulting is a
young person’s sport.”
Lance Brown
permanently to Root Farms to become the farm’s managers. When
the vaulting coach suddenly moved to Alaska, Pete and Kim took
over the last three weeks of vaulting.
s.com
Photo courtesy of Kate Revell/VaultingPhoto
reports. “Just do it! And don’t worry about the kids; you’re really just
competing against yourself for better scores.”
When Lance Brown of Highland, Utah, first encountered vaulting
a few years ago, it was by watching his children, Malia Brown and
Jonathan Baird, from the safety of a chair in the parent viewing area.
“For two years I just watched,” Lance says, “and I guess somewhere
along the line I started to internalize all the moves.”
At home, it went further than watching. “I’d secretly mess around on
the barrel, supposedly because I was building barrels (LB Barrels) and
needed to get a feel for them,” Lance explains. “One day I was sitting
on a barrel at the barn and did a backward click, and Jake [coach Jake
Fluekiger of Technique Vaulters] said that I should start vaulting. It’s
something that, as an
adult, someone needs
to invite you into.”
Pete started working to make his body mimic the moves in vaulting
books, his only source of beginning training material. “I could only
show the kids how to vault if I understood it, and the only way to
understand it was for me to do it,” Pete explains. “Training for Vaulting
Coaches by Isabelle Bibbler Parker and Emma Seely and Correct
Vaulting by Ulrike Rieder were my bibles, and I also attended as
many clinics as I could.”
Pete Senn
“Don’t let perfection get in
the way! Just have fun!”
“I started vaulting
at 40, mostly for
exercise at first, and then my back started to feel better and I could
bend down to put on my socks more easily.”
Lance’s advice to would-be adult vaulters? “Don’t let perfection get
in the way! Just have fun!” Lance would like to see more competitive
adult classes at local, regional, and even national competitions. “We
had nine in the adult class at our Regionals,” Lance says. “I’d love to
see more support for that, because I believe that competitive adult
vaulting could be much bigger.”
Pete Senn discovered vaulting when he started volunteering at
Root Farms in Verona, NY, a 30-acre farm that specializes in equineassisted therapies. He started trading some horse duties for riding
lessons at age 40, and eventually Pete and his wife, Kim, moved
Photo courtesy
of Lynne Owen/
VaultingPhotos.co
m
Pete went from emergency coaching and “fiddling
around on the barrel” to competitive vaulting, and
has competed at Nationals the last three years—this
past year in the Copper Men’s division. In past years
he had relied on the generosity of members willing
to loan their horses, including Mike Strauss, Karin
Schmidt, and Peggy Van Hook. It was doubly difficult
because not many horses are suited for an adult male.
This year, Root Farms has its first canter horse and Pete
is getting ready for the season.
“I’ll be 49 in January, so I start with a lot of stretching
and yoga, then increase to 100 push-ups and 300 sit-ups a day during
the season,” Pete explains. “I do a lot of barrel work and get limited
horse time, but it always seems to work out.”
His advice for adults considering vaulting for the first time? “Even if you
don’t think you can do it, it’s possible,” he says. “Aside from the benefits
of fitness,
vaulting really
helps build selfconfidence and
balance.”
I could only show the kids how
to vault if I understood it, and
the only way to understand it
was for me to do it.
At Root
Farms, they’ve
even turned
adult vaulting into an exercise class. “We use multiple barrels and
incorporate all the vaulting moves,” he says. “The adults have a ball.”
The gold standard for adult vaulting in the United States comes via a
woman who had already retired once, then unretired from vaulting.
Shari Smith-Mead was a dressage and eventing equestrian who
worked as a physical therapist for a living. Twenty years ago, at
age 40, a vaulting coach asked her to come by to watch so that
Shari could put together an exercise program for the athletes. Two
practices later she was getting on the horse to “try a couple of things”
to figure out which muscle groups were activated with specific
vaulting exercises—and she was hooked. “I started in a Mommy and
Me-type vaulting class because my four-year-old niece happened to
be visiting,” Shari explains. “She left, and I kept vaulting!”
She had her first clinic with nine-time Gold National Champion Kerith
Lemon after she’d been vaulting only a month, and was encouraged
to continue.
The AVA bronze medalist quietly retired after her first ten-year
vaulting stint in 2003, when she and her husband, Marshall, retired
to a 120-acre farm in Irondale, Missouri. But three years into the
“retirement” Shari got the itch to vault again and found herself back
at the National Championships in City of Industry, Calif., vaulting in
barrel freestyle, because she had no access to a vaulting horse. There
she met Andrea Brown, and her second adult vaulting career was
launched.
30
Shari Smith-Mead
Photo courtesy of Kate Reve
ll/VaultingPhotos.com
Today, Andrea is Shari’s coach, lunger, and good friend, and Shari
makes the trip to Andrea’s EVX Vaulting Club in Southern California
once a month for a week or more of vaulting time with Andrea’s Foxy
Lady. “My husband Marshall is extremely supportive; he’s my Missouri
trainer,” Shari says. “He’s installed a pull-up bar in the house and barn,
and I do lots of pull-ups
and push-ups once or
twice a day.” Her workout
regimen also consists of
yoga, taekwondo (she’s a
third-degree black belt),
balance board work, and
hours of barrel training.
I’d love to see a Masters
Division so that adult
vaulters could compete
for a longer time period.
Shari also began coaching, starting a vaulting club in Missouri that
put on its first competition/clinic just last month.
How long will Shari keep vaulting? “It’s fun, a challenge, and I keep
getting better,” Shari explains, not quite answering the question. “I’d
love to see a Masters Division so that adult vaulters could compete
for a longer time period,” she muses. When pressed if she has any
plans for a second retirement, there’s a long pause. “Maybe,” she says.
But don’t count on it anytime soon.
(Editor’s Note: If you’re an adult who would like to learn to vault, build some grassroots support with
your club parents and ask the coach to start a three-month pilot adult vaulting program.)
2014 EVENTSCALENDAR
JANUARY 18
Bear Gap Winter Barrel Fest
Elysburg, PA
Sandra Snyder: [email protected]
MARCH 29 – 30
Vaulting Into Spring Selection Trial
TBA, Washington
Kathy Rynning: [email protected]
MAY 23 – 24
CVI 3*, 2*, 1* Chilliwack
Chilliwack, BC, Canada
Barb Schmidt: [email protected]
SEPTEMBER 2 – 5
FEI World Equestrian Games
Normandy, France
Linda Bibbler: [email protected]
JANUARY 19, 6PM PST
AVA Board of Directors Conference Call
Jill Hobby: [email protected]
APRIL 12
Tambourine Spring Fest
Petaluma, CA
Kelley Holly: [email protected]
JUNE 7 – 8
Woodside Spring Fest
Portola Valley, CA
SEPTEMBER 19 – 20
Great Falls/Topaz Fall Fest
Herndon, VA
Marie Brigham: [email protected]
APRIL 26 – 27
USEF Mozart Memorial Selection Trial
Somis, CA
Patty Littmann: [email protected]
JUNE 21 – 22
Region III Championships
Eugene, OR
Kathy Seelye: [email protected]
MAY 2 – 4
CVI 3*, 2*, 1* Pacific Cup
Gilroy Gates: Gilroy, CA
Linda Bibler: [email protected]
JUNE 28 – 29
Region IX Championships
East Coast, TBA
Lisa Zielenske: [email protected]
MAY 10 – 11
Great Falls/Topaz Spring Fest
Herndon, VA
Marie Brigham: [email protected]
JUNE 28
Tambourine Summer Fest
Petaluma, CA
MAY 10 – 11
Region IV May Fest
Colorado, TBA
Robin Bowman: [email protected]
JULY 30
AVA Board of Directors Meeting
Eugene, OR
MAY 17 – 18
Garrods Spring Classic
Garrod Farms: Saratoga, CA
Marianne Rose: [email protected]
JULY 31 – AUGUST 3
AVA/USEF National Championships
Eugene, OR
FEBRUARY 1
Tambourine Barrel Fest
Petaluma, CA
FEBRUARY 27 – MARCH 2
AVA Annual Convention
San Francisco Bay Area, CA
Sheri Benjamin:
[email protected]
MARCH 2
AVA Board of Directors Meeting
MARCH 2
AVA General Membership Annual
Meeting
MARCH 14 – 16
USEF Developing Vaulter Clinic
FallBrooks Farm: North Plains, OR
Carolyn Bland: [email protected]
OCTOBER 25 – 26
Region I Championships
Mojave Crossing Event Center: Fort Mojave, AZ
Connie Geisler: [email protected]
OCTOBER 26
Mt. Eden’s Halloween Fest
Garrod Farms: Saratoga, CA
Marianne Rose: [email protected]
NOVEMBER 8 – 9
Annual Judges’ Forum
Portland, OR
Important Note: These events were gathered
directly from the AVA website calendar. If you
are a member you can add your club’s events/
competitions to the AVA website calendar
yourself by logging into the members-only
website, going to the calendar section,
choosing the year, and then clicking on “add
an entry to the calendar” at the top of them
calendar section.
RULES CHANGE
From the AVA Newsroom
Words Now Allowed in Music for All AVA Classes!
Hear ye, hear ye! The AVA Board voted to remove the rule prohibiting
music with words in all AVA classes starting immediately. Words are
now allowed for all AVA classes!
By removing Article 603.6t - Penalties and Deductions, the AVA is now
permitting music with words and lyrics in all events. "Please do keep
in mind, however, that it is very important to make sure that words
and lyrics are appropriate for our youth sport," says AVA Technical
Committee Chair and EVP Kelley Holly. "If inappropriate words or
lyrics are used, a vaulter could end up eliminated, under Article 603.6
(l)—'unforeseen circumstances'."
Gold Division: Now Three Sections in a Single Round
The board also passed a new rule for the Gold class. Article 301
now states that "Gold Level consists of one round. It consists of
Compulsories, Technical Test, and Freestyle performed in separate
sections." Putting this in layman's terms, Kelly Holly noted, "now,
instead of Gold being competed as two rounds, with a possible cut
after the first round, Gold will now be a single round, with no cuts.
In this single round, vaulters will perform one each of Compulsories,
Technical Test, and Freestyle in separate sections." Each section will
count as one-third of the overall score. This new rule is also effective
immediately.
32

Equestrian Vaulting Magazine - American Vaulting Association

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