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Thursday, April 3, 2008

Dressage World Cup News - Jane's Journal

Jane Hannigan and Maksymilian made it to the World Cup to earn their USA Patch and flag on their saddle pad, and they finished 12th in a field of the best horses and riders in the world. Go Jane!
Jane has been e-mailing her experiences from Europe.

Friday afternoon (March 28) after schooling I went to the farm where Mak was born in a town called Dussen 30 min away from s'Hertogenbosch. Mak's mom Elanor is huge, she is a Gelders horse and Mak is a riding type. The first thing I noticed were the traditional wooden clogs that Henk and his son Martin Hoogward were wearing.

Henk jogged out Elanor several times in his wooden clogs, he and she both still move quite well, Elanor is 23 and Henk is 73. We went in for coffee and looked at photos of Mr. Hoogward's horses. Mak's half brother is a Gelders type and pulls the Golden Carriage for the Queen in the Netherlands; Henk has bred some very good horses.

That night we broke bread with the judges at the competitors’ party. What a fun night because it ended with hanging out in the bar with Kyra K. I was living the dream!

Saturday started with a sound check at 7.30am, I made it with 5 minutes to spare. I cried from hearing my music in the Brabant Halle. I was living my dreams and it was quite emotional, I wanted to savor every moment. I schooled Mak in the morning while Isabel and Anky rode, what can anyone say but wow! They are as good as you imagine. I went back to the hotel for a nap, and then it was show time.

I was very excited to do my freestyle in front of so many people. I knew I needed to take some risks so I changed my choreography, without changing the music, a bit of a risk. I felt very good in the warm-up with Klaus Balkenhol's watchful eye keeping me on the correct path.

Entering the arena was electric! I have a strong nerve so for me it was exciting, the footing was perfect, I was ready to rock! I stayed ahead of my music to fit in a few more things, but it was too far ahead. I was raising my degree of difficulty by adding changes on two bending lines and a canter to the piaffe. Since I was focused on the hard things I lost points in the easy things. I needed to be more in the moment and less in the future. I learned at the World Cup that one must be sure of the program and not change your mind in the middle of your ride.

I need to thank everyone that has supported me through this wonderful life experience:

• Mushroom Matrix people for helping Mak to be brave in the big arena; his temperament has improved greatly in the last year since he has been on the supplement.
• My Mom Sibley as been the one that made all this possible by letting me take a loan on her house.
• To Carolyn Ain, Mak's original owner; thank you for seeing my potential seven years ago when we first got Mak.
• Toine Hoefs and Kathy Connelly, thank you for finding Mak for me.
• My sister Kerry Munz supported me by making me 6 different freestyles; this took many nights until 3am.
• Mak's massage therapist "Sal" has been working on Mak since I got him, I need to thank him for taking a week out of his life for the World Cup, and he made a big difference.
• My boyfriend Peter Tonelli, thank you for the emotional support.
• Klaus and Judith Balkenhol are a wonderful support to have in Germany, all the details of my trip are smoothly handled, and the training support is fantastic, thank you. Thank you to Gil Merrick from USEF.

I need to also thank all my students for being patient with me traveling so much. Cheers Jane Hannnigan and Max

Next stop on Jane’s Euro tour - Hagen

Help Fund Jane's Journey
Purchase the Matrix Equine Calm Performance this Month and Help Jane and Maksymilian Travel to the Dressage World Cup

As part of its campaign to support the American team of Jane Hannigan and Maksymilian at this year’s Dressage World Cup, the Matrix will donate a portion of sales of Equine Calm Performance (ECP) to Team Hannigan. For every purchase of ECP made over the internet this month, $7.00 will go toward helping Jane and Mak cover the costs of traveling to the Dressage World Cup, being held in the Netherlands from March 27-30.

Purchase the Matrix Equine Calm Performance now!