Congrats to Myrna!

[drivin*me*buggy]

I was just walking out of my room which has a Carriage Driving calendar on the door when I looked the picture on the bottom and said- hey I know that horse and driver! It's Myrna and Alax on the March page!!!

Congrats you two

Angie

 

[Knottymare]

We have a celebrity in our midst! How cool! I'd love to see it.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Is this the Mischka (sp?) calendar?

Leia

 

[drivin*me*buggy]

Yes Leia, it is the Miszchka calendar...she is sharing the page with a beautiful bay Friesian Sport horse.

Angie

 

[RhineStone]

Thanks, guys!

There is a bit of a story behind the photo. First of all, when Bob was taking photos at Villa and Chad was watching my classes, Bob figured out that the guy standing by him was my husband. Bob said that it is hard to photograph black horses because the lighting is challenging. (I have heard that from other photographers, too.) So I didn't figure that I had a shot in the dark at getting in the calendar.

So when Bob had emailed me about using a photo of us in the calendar, I was surprized. Actually, I didn't think that was the best photo of me he took at that show, especially because I am wearing sunglasses (for an obstacle class), and that is now my least favorite hat (the hat is fine, but it was my standard hat for a number of years. I am so tired of wearing it, I didn't even take it to Villa last year. That way, it couldn't be photographed!

) And the class that photo was taken in was Gambler's Choice obstacles. It was the last class of the show, and I took a gamble and tried an obstacle that no one else in my division did. If I would have completed it (setting a cone upright, which I got until it fell over the other way....

), I would have won the class, but instead it was the only class I didn't place in!

That was fine, because it didn't affect my point status and that way someone else got a ribbon.

A couple of years ago, I said that if I got in the Mischka calendar, I would have to be done driving because that would be the ultimate! But I guess I am not ready to quit yet, so I will have to go for a big photo instead of a little one!

(Not that I have any control over that!)

The gentleman with the Friesian Sport Horse on the big photo is a friend of our's and a super nice guy! That horse is perfect for him. Dane is fairly young, but he doesn't have mean bone in his body. Dave takes him out virtually every day and sometimes more than that. They drive in the woods and practice standing in the middle of it while Dave drinks his coffee and reads the paper (I'm sure he doesn't put down his reins). Dave was Best of Show at the Columbus Carriage Classic last year against competition that has been to Walnut Hill. We keep trying to convince him to take Dane out East, but Dave wants a different vehicle first.

We have a celebrity in our midst!

Oh, I don't know about that!

(For those of you that don't have access to the calendar, here is the photo

http://www.mischkapics.com/Equines/Driving-Horses/091109-Villa-Louis-Classic/9602573_P56td/59/665941757_FXwti/Medium

Myrna

 

[dreaminmini]

Beautiful picture!! Congratulations!

 

[susanne]

I love that you are wearing sunglasses -- it is much healthier!

I realize that, in the past, wearing sunglasses was frowned upon (even as recent a book as The Essential Guide to Carriage Driving lists sunglasses as a turnout no-no), but driving in the sun without eye protection is at least as bad as going out without sunscreen. To penalize a whip for wearing them is akin to breed shows penalizing for breeching (much worse, actually).

I have no choice, as I am blind without both sunglasses and a good visor, but I say kudos -- being featured in a calendar wearing them is a public service!

 

[RhineStone]

I love that you are wearing sunglasses -- it is much healthier! I say kudos -- being featured in a calendar wearing them is a public service!

I know what you are saying! I don't hardly go outside without my sunglasses normally, but I pretty much only wear them for the obstacle classes. Yes, according to the rules, I can wear my sunglasses for judged classes, but maybe I should have a more "classic" pair instead of my big black Bolle' ones for arena classes.

That might help with the "look" if I wanted to wear them there, you know, maybe the Jackie O. look! (I doubt I could talk Chad into another "Turnout" pair.

) Having the bigger brimmed hats for the arena classes helps with the glare, though. (I knew there was a reason I didn't have one of those smaller hats for my classes even though I have a "smaller" horse!)

Yes, you can wear sunglasses, but maybe try to coordinate them for the judged classes instead of throwing on any old pair. Just like helmets are not against the rules, but don't show up with a red, white, and blue one with your pretty pink outfit!

Myrna