Friday June 17, 2005

The Poulin Family – America’s Dressage Dynasty

A Family Quadrille Introduces the Community to Dressage

On Sunday, May 1, the living inspiration for the equine artists, the horses, came together at Spring Garden Ranch, DeLeon Springs where there was great food and entertainment along with an art fair and auction. Over 650 people filled the stands to experience a demonstration of Polo, Jousting, Dressage, and see a parade of over 25 breeds. The highlight for the crowd was the quadrille to music performed by Olympic Bronze Medallist Michael Poulin, with his wife Sharon and daughters Kate and Gwen.

While the crowd delighted in a staged Standardbred horse race, the Poulin family warmed up in the infield of the training track. The dressage horses were concentrating so much on their gifted riders, they were not even distracted by the racing cart passing them on the back turn. Then the family performed together sometimes admittedly "winging it" but clearly having fun. Grinning ear to ear Gwen spoke for them all when she said "This is an absolute blast!."