2015

It’s a new year and that means yet another migration to Aiken, SC.

     

     

I welcomed the end of 2014 gladly and have been preparing for what hopefully, fingers crossed, will be a great year. It has all the makings to be just that. We’ve got a fabulous group of talented horses who I’m really excited for. Benita’s sitting on the best horses I think she’s had yet- they’re talented and honest and will teach her a lot. We’ve got the greatest, kindest, hardest working group of women: Katie P., Katie T. and Laura, with us and we made the best decision when we brought all three of them south. We are supported by the most amazing Sponsors- a few new and exciting ones have joined us but more on that later- we couldn’t do this without their generosity and faith in us. My parents are, as always, simply THE BEST. As I sit here on Day 5 in Aiken, after a morning of flatting and trotting the horses, I’m hopeful that this is the start to a great season for them.

This year we’ve moved into Lewis Lane Farm. It’s a great property with turnout, plenty of trails, a lovely barn and 4 awesome barn cats. The horses have settled in wonderfully and are so happy to be out enjoying the warmer weather and sunshine. Benita and I are getting back into the groove of things in preparation for the first events of the season and for some much needed lessons to polish us up. Kim will be arriving in Aiken this week and it will be great to get back into a lesson routine with her- and have her meet the new faces in the barn! 

As far as plans go- our first outing will be at Sporting Days HT on February 1st. I’ll be competing Logan (OS Dassett Player), Roy, Theo (A Real Cooley) and Piper. Benita and her girls- Minnie (LVS Dassett Charisma) and Aoife (Cooley All Out) will be having their first runs stateside! From there we will head to Full Gallop, Pine Top I, Paradise, Advanced Pine Top, back to Sporting Days HT, Red Hills HT, Pine Top once more and then up to the Carolina International and then on home. It’s quite a busy schedule when I sit down to plan it out! We’ve got a bunch of youngsters and Aiken is the perfect place to get them out schooling and competing at some really great venues. It’s also great to have the upper level guys back from their vacays and I’m excited to see how this year shapes up for them. 

 2014 was a really big year- when I look back on it a LOT happened. A lot of ups and downs, a lot of learning, growing up and embracing new experiences. I’m undoubtedly happy  to have closed the book on 2014 but I can’t deny that I learned a lot from it. Both Benita and I did and we will take those lessons and experiences with us as we embark on a new season, a new year. 

Here’s to 2015. 

-Lucia