DressageDaily: The Alaskan Trip - Looking Back at the Highlights of 2007

Monday, December 31, 2007

Alaska - Looking Back at the Highlights of 2007
With Sue Kolstad and Mary Phelps for DressageDaily

Dressage in Alaska - Competing and Training

From Homer, we flew to Anchorage where I judged a show at the Chamberlain Horse Center home of the Alaskan Horse Council. This show had both dressage and show jumping, and several competitors rode in both divisions. There are stories about the time a coyote came out of the woods, and sat for awhile ringside until he got bored and moved on. Moose have also been spotted on the trails on a regular basis, as horses and wildlife seem comfortable in each others' presence.

After the show, we went on to Palmer, a town in the valley about an hour from Anchorage. There is a new facility in Palmer started by a group of dedicated horse people, mostly women. They have built a beautiful barn that can hold its own against any top facility in the world.

Marian Sindorf provided 20 acres of land and the rest of the members contributed to the LLC to build the Sindorf Equestrian Centre. It’s organized and run by the group and is quickly becoming a very successful enterprise. Some of the horses at this fabulous facility are top quality and would be competitive against horses at the best shows in both California and along the East Coast. My friend Melinda Glass and her husband, John, hosted all of us in their home on a beautiful lake where sea planes take off and land, and a family of loons calls home.

Melinda has an Oldenburg mare that has been the state champion two years in a row. I met Melinda when she came to Kentucky with her trainer, Jenny Rousey, and Marian Sindorf on a horse shopping trip. At that time, the barn wasn’t complete. It’s been a treat for me to watch the progress. Since I sold Nikki to Melinda, I have been a guest in her home and have been invited back to teach clinics every year.

Last November, I taught a ‘Through-the-Levels’ seminar, similar to the ones often held in the lower 48 states. There was a wide selection of horses and demo riders and we were able to cover tests through Third Level. This summer, Mary was the guest of honor and everyone kept her busy with personal photo shoots. The pictures were breath taking, with the mountains and Alaskan fireweed backgrounds. I can only say that I’m proud to know and to be a part of the success and progress of these wonderful industrious people. Sue Kolstad

DressageDaily - Alaska - Portraits in the Fireweed

Melinda Glass While in Anchorage I found a new calling as a photographer, doing portraits of women and their horses. Visiting a beautiful barn overlooking the Anchorage skyline, we had a photo session one morning meeting a whole new set of friends and people who just love their horses.

I was nervous because I knew there was a big expectation and I didn't want to let anybody down. But once we began it was hard to lose, with the beautiful Alaskan fireweed, and lovely ladies with their horses and dogs.

As the word began to spread, we set up a session in Palmer as well at the Sindorf Equestrian Center. Marian Sindorf is a classic lifetime horsewoman who preserved a special piece of land and with a group of partners created a training oasis.

JJ Panning for Gold Marian took us up the mountain to Independence Gold Mine State Park to visit an old abandoned gold mine now a historical location telling the story of the lives of the miners who lived there.

JJ panned for gold awhile, but didn't come up with anything. Marian and her late husband were geologists, so it made the visit even more interesting, and it was great exercise hiking around the hills.

Our hosts John and Melinda Glass made sure we experienced some of their favorite things; A flight through the Matanuska Glacier in John's plane was two hours of amazing views and magic. We saw moose deep in the wilderness eating from the bottom of shallow lakes, and the wind from the plane made the water glittered all around them. The blue water from the melting ice didn't look real, and the view was so breathtaking it brought a tear to my eye.

John flew along the cliffs of ice, and pointed out spots where he can land his plane. He told the story of the time Melinda and her girlfriends took a horseback ride to the glacier for her birthday, and he flew into meet them with champagne and lunch. What a guy!

Melinda a criminal psychologist enjoyed talking with JJ. a retired police officer and corrections officer. JJ. had been assigned to sit with the mass murderer Ted Bundy during his early years working at the Volusia County Jail in Florida. JJ and Bundy shared a lot of conversation but never about his case, as JJ explains once that happens you can get dragged into court for weeks.It had been awhile since JJ had shared some of his experiences, which also included sending Aileen Wornos off to court each day in shackles. Wornos also housed in the Volusia County jail was the subject of the Academy Award winning performance portrayed by Charlise Theron in the movie "Monster". JJ actually had a few restless nights of sleep after our late night dinners and conversation as memories of his work were revisited.

Later due to the success of my new calling as a portrait photographer, we traded fish for photos and added copper creek salmon and prawns to our frozen stash of fish.

Mary Phelps - DressageDaily.com

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