Back into the Ring: The Vermont Summer Festival

Yesterday was spent working in, for me, a rather old arena (pardon the pun… couldn’t resist). Some of you will know by now that, before writing and photography became a full-time career, I used to make a living in the equestrian industry. Said career involved managing a large boarding / training barn, a wide variety of lesson clients, and a string of horses in training.

After a stint working in Europe within that industry, I burned out. And burned out hard. The brain needed something different, and eventually that transition landed me where I am today. (And who the hell would have ever guessed Vermont?)

That said, some of my favorite assignments over the years have come in the form of something horsey—covering famed the Masters Tournament at Spruce Meadows in Calgary, part of the World Cup of Eventing with Event at Rebecca Farm in Montana, and a plethora of rodeos and rough outs along the way. I find myself frequently writing for equestrian magazines, dithering on about a new form of equine conditioning or a new industry trend.

Horses always come back one way or another.

And so, it was with a gleeful step that I made my way to the Vermont Summer Festival yesterday, held an arduous trek of about ten minutes from my apartment here in Manchester. (Small town win.) Photographing jumping horses is something I know and I love, and so, all in all, it was a pretty relaxed work day.

I have discovered a certain proclivity to a particular type of horse—those that most resemble my old competition partner. He was big and bay and rawboned, with monstrous ears and a bold Roman nose. Uploading images yesterday I discovered an inordinate amount of images that reflected that type of mount.

I also fell into the old habit of making internal bets as a horse enters the ring, debating if it will be a clean round or not. Force of habit—long years in the industry make reading equine quality second nature.

The Vermont Summer Festival runs from 1 July to 10 August; suffice to say I’m feeling pretty happy and pretty spoiled to have this kind of equestrian community in town for six weeks. It’s an interesting experience—I came home from the show yesterday bearing the signature scents of a horse show… sweat, the sweet smell of well-cared-for horses, and fly spray. Nostalgia reigned. At the same time, watching the trainers and the grooms and the riders who only ride as a social, society trend, it made me very much not miss that lifestyle.

Thought-provoking, at any rate.

The show’s weekly $30,000 Grand Prix takes place every Saturday, and I was able to catch it yesterday. Despite the hot, sticky weather, horses and riders looked to be fit and in fighting form. The course was wide—lots of odd half strides where the riders had to know their horses and the mount’s ability to either lengthen or shorten strides in between combinations.

As always, it was a pleasure to be back ringside. I’m looking forward to hitting the Vermont Summer Festival several more times this summer. Look for the images in an equestrian publication near you!

Off to the International Fly Tackle Dealer (IFTD) Show in Orlando this week. If you’re there, give me a shout! Looking forward to networking and meeting friends, both old and new.

Tags: Equestrian

Tagged as: Grand Prix, horse, horse show, Vermont, Vermont Summer Festival Horse Show