Bock Dressage News
We Pray For Everyone's Health and Safety as WE Wind Up the Shortened Season
March 15, 2020
We are living in strange times indeed. The CoVid-19 outbreak has rapidly turned American life upside down, and every sector of the community feels it. After the abrupt end to the Winter Season, those of us who have had Team, Championship, Award, and other goals may be let down, but we are all fortunate to have our horses and the equestrian community for emotional support.
I hope you are all safe and you and your loved ones weather this wild, invisible storm with as little disruption as possible. For those who are facing more serious consequences, I am praying for healing, rest, and Peace. God bless us all.
Full Barn for 2020
Jan. 10, 2020
Can you believe how quickly the time goes? It is hard to believe we are going into our 9th year at HighBar Farm.
We are pleased to have Sharon and So Special back at the farm this year for training and competition! We missed Special while he was away in Texas for the summer.
Welcome to new seasonal arrival Kerstin and her lovely mare Sarafina! We are enjoying her company and look forward to Jim Koford's visits to work with her.
Amy's youngster Qraft is making his debut in the ring at 3rd Level this season -- hold on tight, he can be a bit explosive! And the amazing Cash returns to the Grand Prix ring as he prepares for the CDIs.
2018 Winter Season Off and Running!
January 15, 2018
As we kick off the 2018 season we are excited to see so many friends back in the arena. We're particularly happy to have friend and trainer par excellence Michell Gibson back in Welli-world for the season. Not only for her amazing training insights, but also for some great fun, getting into a bit of trouble, and laughing till we cry.
This season watch for Cash (Walk The Line) in the Grand Prix ring and Gale Reichhart's Wildest Wish competing in the Prix St. Georges. Qraftwerk (a.k.a. Chunky Monkey) is busy growing and learning . . . and still trying to jump over everything in sight.
Ready For the Rest of 2017
April 10, 2017
What a wild winter season at HighBar Farm! We enjoyed moving Cash up to Grand Prix, getting Qraft more miles under saddle (including ordering a custom saddle for the short-backed powerhouse), and hosting good friend and trainer Michelle Gibson and two of her clients for the final weeks of the Global Dressage Festival. We are looking forward to continuing the momentum through the summer and fall!
Michelle Gibson and Clients at HighBar Farm
March 20, 2017
HighBar Farm and Bock Dressage happily welcome Olympic medalist Michelle Gibson and several of her clients to HighBar for the final weeks of the Global Dressage Festival. We are so happy to have our good friend and extraordinary trainer here at home, along with her wonderful clients and the four superior horses that are taking up residence with us for a short time. And Amy and Cash are enjoying a bit of "boot camp" during their stay!
Bock Dressage wishes luck to Shelly Francis and all the US Team hopefuls for Rio!
May 28, 2016
Shelly Francis and both of her Grand Prix horses - Doktor and Danilo, owned by the wonderful Patricia Stempel - are on the short list for the US Olympic team and currently competing in the European selection trials. We could not be more prooud of coach Shelly and wish her straight centerlines and perfect piaffes! We are also sending good vibes out to the rest of the qualifiers, including favorite competitors from the local scene Tuny Page, Kasey Perry-Glass, and Ali Brock, as well as Laura Graves, Steffen Peters and Guenter Seidel. Go USA!!
New addition arrives at Bock Dressage training barn
April 15, 2016
Our young horse has finally arrived from Pennsylvania and we could not be more pleased! Amy purchased Qraftwerk (Qredit x Revien/Riverman) in 2013 on the basis of his Oldenburg NA inspection video, and let him grow up at the scenic and spacious Trevelyan Farm in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, with a group of colts his age romping in the rolling pastures. He certainly thrived under the watchful eye of Lesley Feakins! It was rather bittersweet to remove young Qraft from his idyllic setting, but he settled in to HighBar with no trouble at all and is beginning to learn from the likes of Douwe and Cash what it means to be a show horse. Watch for him in the 4-year-old classes next year!
Walk The Line makes successful GP start
May 1, 2016
Amy finished off the 2016 Florda season by moving 10-year-old Oldenburg Walk The Line ("Cash") up to the Intermediare A & B tests, scoring from 65 - 69% in their first 3 rides. So, taking a shot at the USEF Developing Grand Prix Horse test just for grins, the two earned a respectab;e 66.5% in a qualifying ride. Cash is getting stronger and more confident in the GP work by the day, and we are excited for the 2017 season!
Successful 2016 Winter Dressage Season in books!
March 28, 2016
Bock Dressage horses and clients have enjoyed a fantastic early 2016 at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival and White Fences Equestrian Center.
Long-time client Gale Reichhart and her new mount Wildest Wish have taken huge steps forward, and Amy rode "Wish" in his first couple of competitions, scoring 66 and 62 in Third Level classes at White Fences. Not bad for the unexperiences big guy!
Pittsburg-area professional trainer Dana Fiore calls Amy in for coaching while seasoning in Florida and has torn up Second Level on her own youngster So Special, scoring high 60s and into the 70s while winning her classes. Tis will be a pair to watch as they climb the levels!
Good friend and student Asbley Davis, who fills her days building thos impressive looking jumps for the Winter Equestrian Festival and other notable shows around the country, finally got her wonderful fellow Lotosco into the ring for some serious schooling and is looking forward to donning her new Equiline show jacket to go down centerline at last!
And Amy's own Walk The Line - the black pony - graduated from small tour after grabbing some ribbons in the AGDF CDIs, and is finally getting to show off his piaffe and passage in the ring. Our first crack at it was at White Fences where we had some mistakes and need a bit of polish, but we were happy to finish Int. A with a 66.4 from Natalie Lamping.
Amy and Walk The Line Take Fifth in an Impressive Field at National Developing Horse Championships
August 22, 2015
Walk The Line ("Cash") was on the money all week during the Markel Developing Horse National Championships August 20-23. In sixth place after a good Prix St. Georges ride on Thursday, Amy and Cash stepped up to improve to fourth in the Devloping Horse test on Saturday, with one judge placing them first in the tough class full of elite international trainers. The overall result was fifth in the national championship and many compliments from the judges and US Team coaches. A successful trip!
See video of Amy's rides at USEFNetwork! PSG at 1:48 :