Boarding Available at Flying Colors!
	We are accepting a few adult (or college age) boarders here at Flying Colors Farm. Full or pasture board is available. Pasture board includes huge grassy pastures with plenty of shade trees and a shelter. Flying Colors has a lovely jump ring with grass footing, a sandy dressage ring and a small cross country course. There are also trails available for a leisure ride in the woods! We are located in Northeastern Leon County only minutes from I-10 and less than 25 minutes from the FSU Campus. Call Patti today for more info: 850-508-0250 cell or email through this website.
August 7th Summer Show II is cancelled!
	We are very sorry to have to cancel our second summer show that was to be held on August 7th. Please mark your calendar and join us for our next show....our last of 2010....which will be held on October 2nd. There will be lots of High Point prizes for this show, plus all the year end prizes too. It'll be quite an event!!
DERBY DAY SHOW on Sunday, May 2nd
	Thanks to all who joined us for our Derby Day Show!! It had to be postponed a day due to Friday night's heavy rains, but was still a great success! Congratulations to Bethany Houcke and AH Confetti (pictured here) for their great win in the popular Town and Country Hunter Derby. She won the $100 certificate out of a class of 21 participants! The other "Kentucky Derby Prize" weny to another Ace High horse and rider, Katelyn Whitfield on AHB Stonewash. It was great day for Gay Allen, their trainer!! The High Point Adult, Elizabeth Ralston, won the scrumptious hour long massage donated by Roxanne Workman of Premire. The High Point Junior, Allison Wimmer, and the High Point Jumper of the day won, Katelyn Whitfield,won monogrammed saddle pads donated my Pat's Pony Express. We hope everyone will join us for our next SHJA sanctioned shows on June 26th and August 7th........we'll have plenty of shade! Points are adding up for our Circuit Winners who will receive great year end FC prizes...who will they be?????
Debonair and Cate do it again......Newsprint too!
	We're so happy to have returned from HITS/Ocala 2010 where Debonair and Cate Billings were the Champions of her Eq 15-17 division winning both O/F classes! She's also got great ribbons in the USEF Medal and Adequan Hunters. Cate also gave Newsprint his first ride at a show over 3'.....by entering Children's Hunters....a huge class! (he hadn't been in a show in many, many months and hardly ridden this winter due to my injury)...His first 0/f class was a 2nd out of 24..and he went on to win good ribbons in the three other classes too! He took a great ribbons in the hack even though he had one bad transition. Got lots of compliments on how pretty he is.....his black and white sparkled! I look forward to showing him myself soon..........pictures and video on my website and YouTube will follow! Here is a photo of me and Newsprint as we headed out on the X_Country Course of Red Hills Horse Trials on March 5, 2010. I organized the Live Oak Hunt "outriders" who do crowd control/PR on the XC course......Newsprint was looking good and loved all the attention..people and kids underfoot everywhere...he was a gentleman!!
Aiken Hunt Night Winners!!
	Once again, Debonair (aka MR. Perfect), was a star. Two weeks after winning the Talent Search in Jacksonville, I took him to Aiken, SC to participate in the Hunt Night Competition (a horse show for proven foxhunters). We were going with a three "man" (Lady) team from Live Oak Hunt. Unfortunately our third member had a heat stroke!!! so the team wasn't allowed to compete (we rode as two but not judged to win).......however DEBONAIR AND I DID win the FIELDHUNTER CHAMPIONSHIP and my teammate (shown with me),Kathy Nofsinger, was Reserve Champ. Our third member, Dacia Funkhouser Johnson, won both of her classes before getting sick........I joked it was nice of her to win, get sick enough to drop out so that I could be Champion..and then recover! Of course, that wasn't the real case!
Debonair and Cate win USEF Talent Search!
	Earlier this summer I offered Debonair, (Mr. Perfect as I call him!) to my neighbors, Rob and Cathy Billings (Little Pond Farm), for their daughter, Cate, to have as a "back up" EQ horse. Cate works so hard and only has one horse...to compete in all the big shows and indoors! She came over to ride him as often as she could, although it was really probably less than a month because she went to Vermont to show this summer. We went to one "practice show" to see how he'd do (he doesn't do 3'6 with me, haha and actually hadn't been in an AA show in quite awhile due to my wrist surgeries). The Jax Fall Series II 08/29/09 was their first to seriously compete. We were so proud when they scored an incredible 86 in the Hunter Phase of the Wasington (WIHS)...handily winning in their very first class! They ended up second overall due to a rub in the jumper phase in the indoor arena where he was not used to being!.. However, they went on to WIN THE USEF TALENT SEARCH against many of the best riders in the southeast who's BNT's had brought them to practice in that scary arena before this week's Maclay Regional Finals! What a thrill to have a horse I've bred, foaled out, raised AND TRAINED to do so well. Of course,Cate deserves most of the credit......to walk in that class on a green horse, survive the pressure of waiting for all the others to jump before she did (leading from the flat phase) and win! She'd only had about four jumping lessons with her father over the summer on him, and of course his help at the shows ( However, Bobby Braswell stepped up to help her school for that last jumping class, even though his lovely daughter, Molly, was in the class as well!) Of COURSE I have it all on video!!! P. S. THE NEXT WEEK CATE WENT ON TO WIN THE MACLAY REGIONALS ON HER HORSE, FIGARO, BESTING 50 OF THE TOP EQUITATION RIDERS FROM THE SOUTHEAST! WE'RE SO PROUD OF HER, AND SO EXCITED SHE'S RIDING DEBONAIR TOO! IT'S GOING TO BE AN EXCITING FALL!!!
Counterclaim's first foal wins his first show!!!
	Congratulations to Lorri Wallis and Claim Jumper (CJ)! They live in Magnolia, IL and just went to CJ's first show ever.......and won his two year old hunter breeding class! We're all so proud of this gorgeous, huge and sweet youngster! Lori has already lightly backed him and is thrilled with his quiet, willing attitude. Claim Jumper was the first test foal ever born to Counterclaim. He is out of a breeding stock (solid) APHA mare. Lorri is a long time horsewoman who was a founding member of the first ever Pony Club in Oklahoma (must be where CJ's western name/term came from)She's a long time horsewoman who rode hunter jumpers as a child. We so appreciate her keeping us up to date with news and photos of our first Counterclaim foal. Glad too to see he's following in the family tradition!!
Pizzaz......Reserve Champion Best Young Horse!!
	I finally took Pizzaz to a Hunter Breeding A Show in Ocala....her first ever! She got her first braids, first bit and first blue ribbon! Both judges gave her the blue in the three year old class, and she also went on to win Reserve Champion of Best Young Horse. We're thrilled to do so well against horses that have been showing for months and are seasoned campaigners!! She's one fancy girl!!.........we've now been busy starting her under saddle. She is as talented as she is beautiful.......and just as sweet as they come!
Claim to Fame had 100% pintos in 2009!!!
	Just got this photo of another filly being born sired by Claim to Fame. Krys Waltrous of Littleton, CO bred her favorite mare, Doobie, to 'CTF.......and this is her darling filly born 5/03/09!! Of course, ALL of Counterclaim's foals are pintos, so Flying Colors foals are coming with 100% color this year out of BOTH of our stallions.....see our Foal Page to see some of the other cutie's who have arrived so far! Guess Claim to Fame got sick of his son getting so much business because he's homozygous and set out to prove he can do it too!!
Welcome first Claim to Fame Foal of 09!!
	We're thrilled to welcome Claim to Fame's first foal of 09 born to Janet Wilson, of Pine Top Eventing Stables in Thompson, GA. Janet sent this photo March 24th of her brand new filly (she wanted a pinto filly..so CTF aims to please, haha)......Mother and filly are happy and healthy. Although Claim to Fame is knows as a hunter sire......his 80% TB blood with TOP eventing sires in it, is quite versitle. We'r so happy for Janet and everyone at Pine Top........can't wait for this 'gal" to grow up....
Exclaimation wins Reserve Champ and on to Ocala!
	We were proud to hear from Dr. Susan Funk, Bedford, VA....that Exclaimation (by Claim to Fame) was the Reserve Champion in Hunter Breeding for the Silver Stirrup USEF Awards for 08...........in the tough VA district. We're proud of you both!!! Susan called March 23, 2009 to report in that she and "Sport" were at Lynn Palm's Training Institute in Ocala for a week's clinic. Sport spent a few months there last winter.....as a two year old!Now he's just spent the Spring of his third year with Lynn. These two (Susan and Sport) get around! Perhaps when he wins his next ribbon in the show ring, he'll take a bow????? (Claim to Fame does a few "tricks" too.......like laying down for me to get on!! MANY THANKS TO LYNN PALM FOR ALLOWING US TO POST THIS PHOTO OF HER RIDING EXCLAIMATION WHILE HE WAS IN TRAINING WITH HER!!
Colaire is growing up at home!!
	Colaire is home and growing up at Flying Colors Farm. We're taking it slow for this huge baby! As a half brother to Popeye K, ( who is HUGE), we also expect Colaire to mature out way over 17 hands! He was 16.3 when he turned four! WE kept him a stallion until we could freeze semen and then gelded him last fall. He's so quiet, a real kick along! He's got a beautiful hack winning trot, and look at this shot of his first ever freejumping effort. He loved it! Cate Billings, a lovely rider who is a neighbor of mine (and won the Maclay Regional Finals recently)is helping me ride him. They just visited their first local schooling show and we look forward to getting him in the big time show ring soon!
Rodeo' Drive and Newsprint take RMI/Ocala ......
	With the price of diesel, on top of my broken wrist........I haven't shown much this winter. But couldn't resist an opportunity to join some friends at the RMI III show at the HITS/Ocala grounds Memorial Day Weekend......... We'd been painting the barns and poor Rodeo was out in the sun for a week and not looking his best, but still pulled off a Reserve Best Young Horse (closely beaten by the yearling who's leading the COUNTRY by a huge margin!).....I was especially proud of his quiet, willing attitude. He's going to be one fancy, sweet horse!! Newsprint was the CHAMPION of Baby Green......in his FIRST SHOW EVER!!! Thanks to Amy Center of Cavallo Farms for riding him in his first show. Thanks to David Mullineux for the use of this photo! His wife Michelle, is a pinto fan, and may be getting her own Counterclaim foal soon! P.S. Gotta brag once more!! I just returned 7/18/09 from an RMI show at Conyers (Atlanta) Georgia where I rode him.......and he was champion once again with me.....winning all his over fences classes!!! (taking after his big brother, Claim to Fame, I suppose!!) Then in 9/09 Rodeo was in his first local show......winning his flat class and Reserve Champion (I purposely trotted the corners in Baby Green......just begining lead changes now!)_ He was a STAR and SOOOOO well behaved!
FALL 07 HUNTING TRIP TO VA AND MD!
	Once again I headed north for my annual trip to visit friends, fall colors and wonderful hunts. I have a goal to ride with as many famous foxhunts as I can, and am steadily gaining on it! This year I again headed to the Middleburg/Warrenton, VA country (sooo beautiful and what horse country!) I was thrilled to go out with the famous Piedmont Hounds. I loved their look of tricolor (pinto) coloring....and it was really special to start from the historic village of Unison in their original country above Upperville. We saw the hunted fox, who eventually evaded us due to the pooor scenting in the dry conditions. However, the country was gorgeous, the people so friendly and I so enjoyed being there! Then I headed to Green Springs Valley Hounds..near Baltimore, MD. I was surprised how beautiful the country is....as pretty to me as Middleburg! They have a reputation as one of the hardest hunts in the US (maybe the world!!) as steeplechase horses are made in their fields! Well, the reputation is certainly true.... We immediately saw a big red fox pass right in front of us and off we went. No fence was under 3'6 but when we headed to the FOUR BOARD FOUR FOOT HIGH pasture fence (complete with horses inside) I almost died (in more ways than one!) Thank goodness I was on Debonair, as he has the kindness to save me, and the scope to save himself! The following day I was thrilled to be invited to ride Hunt Colors with Duck Martin, MFH whipping in........what a treat!! Thanks to Carol Fenwick for sending me these pictures! As an 2/8/08 update.........I just returned from a Progressive Show Jumping show where Debonair and I were the Amateur Owner Champions! What a neat horse this is......and am heading to Fitzpatrick, AL in two days to hunt him as a guest of Midland Hounds......along with the MFHA President, Mason Lampton and his guest, MFHA of United Kingdom, Lord Daresbury!!! Talk about versatility!!!
MFHA CENTENNIAL FIELDHUNTER CHAMPIONSHIPS IN VA
	Well, here they are.......my memories of the MFHA Centennial Fieldhunter Championships at Morven Park, Leesburg, VA held May 27, 2007. I qualified my homebred, wonderful horse, Debonair, on February 14, 2007 at the South Creek Hounds in Tampa, FL. The truth is, he was on his FIRST FOXHUNT in November of 2006, when I'd injured my regular foxhunter, Hunt Colors. He certainly rose to the occassion! Only four horse/rider combinations were chosen from the entire Southeast US!! I was the only rider from Florida. A total of sixty four were qualified for the finals from all over the US and Canada! People came from as far as California for this competition! I drove Debonair to Virginia by myself (15 hours on the road!) and was the houseguest once again, of Dr's Kent Allen and Rae Stone(his wife). They are the perfect host/hostesses!! Rae and I schooled together and competed together. She made the final test, which I'm very proud of her for doing (especially, on her pinto!!) We had such a good time!! When the big day came, I got up at 3:30 am!! (only went to bed at midnight!!) We had to drive forty five minutes, get checked in and pick up our numbers, get ready for the Best Turned Out Class, and be in the judging area at 7 am!!! It was a glorious day. I competed with thirty of the best dressed foxhunters in North America...and was thrilled to TO WIN THE RESERVE CHAMPIONSHIP OF BEST TURNED OUT.......photo of us with the red ribbon!! Debonair was absolutely wonderful: walked through the crossings, waited patiently at the fences, jumped everything beautifully (except the one I got him in badly to...ugh....I couldn't be more pleased with HIM.......ME, I could SHOOT mfor blowing a fence!! The judges still liked him enough to place us in the top ten of our division, so all in all, I really was happy. As I (jokingly) say....."If you can't ride good, at least you can look good", haha!! Photos by Jordan Koepke........
BREEDING DISCOUNTS!!
	We will be excited to offer THREE stallions for our breeders in 2010! Claim to Fame, who has been proven in EVERY way (top comformation wins in the country, movement, performance and jumping style, temperament, and producer of winning quality foals) is a lifetime approved breeding stallion for RPSI and the AWR. You won't find a kinder, more beautiful stallion anywhere! 100% OF HIS 2009 FOALS BORN WERE PINTOS EVEN THOUGH HE IS NOT HOMOZYGOUS!! We are also pleased to offer his black homozygous (for pinto!) son, Counterclaim. This young stallion has already proven himself to be very fertile. In 07 most mares he bred caught on the first try!! His first six test foals were born in 07, and many are shown here. He is just starting his under saddle career, so hasn't accumlinated a show record yet. Consequently, he is still priced very reasonably.....guarentee your chrome for next year with this handsome youngster We have also collected some frozen semen from our young black pinto who's sire is the famous but deceased, Voltaire. Contact us if you have an interest ...... Returning and multiple mare discounts available in addition to premium and warmblood mares......contact us now! Once again, we're offering a "no booking fee" discount on any of our stallions for breedings paid in full before Dec. 31, 2009 for the 2010 season........that's up to a $350 discount!!!!