Stonegate Stables, Aldie,Virginia - November 13-15

Narnia Farm, Inc. is thrilled to welcome Jennifer Olsen to our staff.  Jennifer brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our farm. In addition to teaching lessons and riding the training horses, she will also be attending local/one day shows with our clients!

Jennifer Dow Olsen grew up riding at her family’s hunter/jumper farm, the Westbrook Hunt Club in Westbrook, CT. and trained there with Jane Dow.   Jennifer also had the unique pleasure of training with the great Victor Hugo-Vidal, as well as being invited to teach alongside him, as a professional. 

After a successful Junior career which included qualifying for Indoors with her Junior Jumper, Hill Street, Jennifer stayed on at Westbrook Hunt Club as the resident professional. Her duties included bringing young horses along from basic ground work to competing on the “A” circuit. 

Jennifer has shown successfully in both the Hunter and Jumper rings.  She has had great success on the local CHJA and NEHC circuits, as well as winning Year End Zone Championships on the National Circuit.  Her expertise ranges from the Pre-green Hunters through the Regular Working Hunter divisions.  She has also competed up to level 7 in the jumpers with horses like Westbrook and Hill Street.

Narnia Farm is excited about this new development and it ensures that our customers will continue to receive the highest quality instruction and training, even while some members of the team are attending various shows.

Both horses and riders had limited time in the ring the first week, as the weather consisted of torrential rains, NOT spring showers.  Heavy downpours turned the arenas to slippery mud pits, but the sun broke through on the weekend and the fun continued.

Just a little rain!

 Kelley Norton rode NF Come Back to top ribbons in Novice Adult Equitation and earned a Division Championship for her efforts.

NF Come Back and Kelley Norton

Alyson Powers showed Wellington in the Childrens Hunters and Marshall and Sterling Medal class.   Welly and Aly continued to put in outstanding performances in their classes and earned great ribbons for their efforts.  

Narnia Farm horses continued to excel in the show ring, with NF Rutchspun having great rounds in the Schooling Hunters. 

Alyson Powers and Wellington

Preparing for the Young Jumper Championships, Narnia Farm was  looking forward to continuing our success in the Young Jumper classes, but Mother Nature was having none of it!  Landor 003  didn’t show early in  the week but continued to impress us with consistent clear rounds late in the week, earning ribbons in the Level 3 Jumpers.

Alyson Powers competed in the Low Childrens Jumpers on the Narnia Farm owned Toddy Roman.   Never one to shy away from speed, Aly and Toddy competed in their first Low Childrens class together and blazed to a 2nd place finish. 

Headed for the jump off!

Week 3 at HITS brought some interesting developments.  In preparation for the $10, 000 USHJA Hunter Derby the main Hunter Stadium  was decked out with beautiful natural hunter jumps.  NF Rutchspun and NF Comeback were both lucky enough to compete in the Schooling Hunters which went in the main hunter ring.  With Hunter Derby’s being on the horizon for both these talented young horses, it was a great opportunity to get a taste of what the future will bring.

Landor 003 was very enthusiastic about competing in the Level 2 and Level 3 jumpers, galloping and bucking his way to clear rounds in both classes!

 Not to be outdone, Kelley Norton decided the Jumpers looked so much fun, that she would try it, too!  Not to be deterred by the fact that she had never stepped foot in a jumper ring, Kelley borrowed Toddy Roman  (whom she had only flatted before) and headed for the Jumper  warm up. 

Judy can't believe her eyes!!

Bright and early Saturday morning, Kelley did a short warm up, jumped just a few  fences and headed for the ring.  Much to the  delight of everyone in the barn, Kelley piloted Toddy Roman to a double clean jumping effort in her Jumper ring debut and earned herself a pretty pink ribbon for her efforts.  Watch out, there is no stopping her now!   

Studying the course

NF Rutchspun went straight to the Open Hunter division where he was awarded multiple ribbons in the division and Sherry guided him to a 3rd place finish in the Classic.

Fun, Sun and Friends

Kelley Norton and NF Comeback continued to be successful in the Modified Adult Hunters.    Earning top ribbons in all her classes, Kelley and Tikki were happy to be back in the ring. 

Toddy Roman shows Aly the ropes.

The Fieldstone show was also a great show for Alyson Powers.  Continuing her success in the Children Hunters with her mount, Wellington; Aly opted to try her hand at Jumpers.  Riding none other than Toddy Roman, Alyson was 3rd in her very first Jumper class.  Aly and Toddy finished an outstanding 6th in her first Jumper Classic; bringing home a prize money check on her first outing!  Way to go, Al!

However, our riders did get some good showing done in between the rain drops!

the beautiful Grand Prix ring in Atlanta

 Landor 003 continued to impress with his consistent clean rounds.  Affectionately called “The Muppet”, this horse made his debut in the 6 Year Old Young Jumper classes.  Landor 003 was piloted to a very respectable 5th place finish (and his first check!) in his first YJ class.  With our sights set on the YJ Championships this summer, look for this outstanding horse in the up and coming shows.   

Landor 003 in his first 6 year old class

Alyson Powers continued her outstanding riding in the 3′ Schooling Hunters, the Modified Childrens Hunters and capped off her week competing in the Childrens Hunter Divisions.  Aly and her mount “Wellington” placed consistently in the ribbons in all her divisions with the real excitement coming on Sunday when she was 3rd in the NAL Childrens Hunter Classic.  Way to go Al! 

The Narnia Farm team had another big winner in the Pre-Green 3′3″ division.  NF Rutchspun showed outstanding form in this tough division earning ribbons in every class he entered and winning 2nd in the Pre-Green Under Saddle.   Even though this was only his second time in the Pre-Green ring, we entered the Pre-Green Classic and finished a respectable 10th place.  Nice job Baby Rojo!  

Chelsea DesRoche gives Baby Rojo his early morning hack

Narnia Farm was happy to have Chelsea DesRoche and Hilde Higgenbothem join them for week 2.   The girls decided they should go for a much needed “get away” and we were delighted to have them!

Kelley Norton rode NF Come Back to multiple ribbons in the Modified Adults and Pre Adult Hunters in both weeks 1 and 2 of the Atlanta Classic.  They had a slow week 2, as they were rained out 3 days in a row but came back on Sunday and had a terrific performance in the Pre-Adults.

Kelley, Sherry and "the Doodle" enjoy the sun

Aly Powers was enthusiastic about expanding her horizons and taking the Childrens Jumper world by storm.  Who better for her to learn on than the unbeatable Toddy Roman?  Look for this exciting team at future shows.  They will be the “ones to beat”!

Aly Powers is all smiles as she takes Toddy Roman for a test drive

Chelsea DesRoches & Mikki

Narnia Farm is always sad to see the end of the Winter Ciruit.  The Gulfport shows were quite the success and we wrapped up our final week of showing on March 16!   

Sherry Hyland Phillips and "Cavaliers Choice" in the Grand Prix

 Alyson Powers and Wellington started off the week in the 3′ Special Hunter Division winning the Under Saddle class and taking home  red and yellow ribbons over fences.  The duo continued in the ring over the weekend showing in the Older Children’s Hunter Division where they pinned 1st, 3rd, and 6th over fences. In the NCE Children’s Equitation class Aly and her mount placed 3rd over-all and 9th in the competitive Children’s Hunter Classic!

Alyson Powers celebrates a job well done!

 Kelley Norton and NF Come Back were competitive in the Pre-Adult Hunter Division winning first and second place over fences while receiving 2nd place in the NCE Pre-Adult Equitation class!

 Meanwhile, Sherry Hyland Phillips piloted Narnia Farm’s   NF Rutchspun around the Special Hunter Division winning 2nd and 3rd over fences and finishing 2nd in the under saddle. In the 3′3″ Pre-Green Hunter Division, “Baby Rojo” placed 2nd and 5th – quite the accomplishment for his debut at this height! Finally, the pair pinned 2nd, 4th and 4th over fences in the Non-Thoroughbred Hunter Division. 

 CONGRATULATIONS to everyone on a successful Gulf Coast Winter Series!

Narnia Farm continued on to the fifth week of competition this week! We are excited to have Alyson Powers and Mom, Megan Powers, join us this week in sunny Gulfport!

Check out our results:

Joe Jackson, owned by Judy Norton made his 2009 debut in the Sunshine Hunters .  Kelley Norton took over the riding honors this week, at the request of her mother. “Porky Pig” was happy to be in the ring again, as was demonstrated by the 3 blue ribbons he was awarded. 

Kelley Norton and Joe Jackson display the goods!

Kelley Norton also did fantastic this week on Tea Time in the Adult Amateur Hunter Division – they placed 2nd, 7th, and 8th. Kelley also won first place in her Adult Equitation class for her flawless trip! We would also like to congratulate Kelley on her 4th place finish in the Leagues Adult Amateur Hunter Classic!!

Alyson Powers and her mount Wellington jumped right into the 3-foot ring when she arrived this weekend! Aly and Welly won three 1st place and one 2nd place awards and ended the week being named the Non-Restricted Child/Adult Hunter Champions! Congratulations Aly!

Landor 003 continued to move up the ranks with successful trips in the 1.10 and 1.15.  This young horse has continued to impress us with his  bold moves in the jumper ring as he blazes  a trail to the Young Jumper division.

Sherry and Landor 003 in the 1.15

The weather and the competition heated back up for Week 4 in Gulfport! 

Kelley Norton and Tea Time competed in the Adult Amateur 18-35 Hunter Division placing 5th. Additionally, Kelley also showed “Oz” and NF Come Back in the Special Hunter Division early in the week winning two 3rd place ribbons and two 5th place ribbons on each horse respectively. 

Sherry Hyland Phillips rode NF Rutchspun in the Hopeful and Non-Thoroughbred Hunter Divisions. “Baby Rojo” pinned 2nd and 4th over fences and took home a red ribbon in the under saddle class in the Special Hunter Division. The pair also won two 6th places over fences and a 3rd in the under saddle in the Non-Thoroughbred Division. 

Narnia Farm is proud to announce that Landor 003 moved up a level again this week! This promising young horse moved to Jumper Ring 1 where he competed in his first 1.15-meter class – and earned himself a blue ribbon!! 

Sherry is all smiles aboard Landor 003 after he makes a clear effort over his first 1.15-meter class!