MEC HOOF LINE

SUMMER IS ALMOST OVER but it certainly does not bring an end to the fun and exciting activities around MEC. We have many great activities planned for September and October so keep reading the Hoof Line and your MEC Schedule and check the bulletin boards, Web Page, and Our NEW Phone info Mail System.

THE SECOND MEC EVENT IS HERE AND GONE and again our fellow MEC ers cleaned up at our very quickly put together MCTA schooling Event on August 18. We had an even bigger turn out than our June 22 show and offered five divisions: Training, Novice, Beginner Novice, Pre-Beginner and Starter. Mother Nature gave us a good show of her own on the days before the event with plenty of rain but it cleared up pretty well and the light mist we did receive was a welcome alternative to the thunderstorms they were predicting. Congratulations are in order for Cindy Eskuri and Friday, 2nd in the Training Division, Lauryn Best on KO and Mariel Miller on Henry, 5th and 6th in the Novice Division (this was KO s first event!), Elizabeth Hoyt on Bo, Bianca Pletsch on Henry, Courtney Fraylick on Poko, Danielle Miller on Zarra and Allison McIntyre on Sierra, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 8th in the Beginner Division. It was a clean sweep of this division with the MECers taking all of the top placings. The Pre-Beginners cleaned up with Katie Stockley on Handsome, Emily Anderson on Handsome, Amy Carson on Poko, Kari Munroe on Zarra, Jamie Zumbro on Ice and Caitlin Griswald on Ember taking home the 1st through 7th placings in Division A and Madalyn Miller on Handsome and Sarah Evangelista grabbed the 1st and 2nd in Division B. Also with completions were Amber Buhl on Allie, Katie Miller on Ember and Chelsea Krings on Ice. A complete set of first place ribbons went to Charlotte Bass on Zarra and Harmony Riska on Zarra in our very cute and well-ridden Starter Division.

As many of you already know, we were actually scheduled to attend the Genessee Event on this weekend but since they canceled on very short notice MEC volunteered to hold the event at our barn. We scrambled to get it together but it turned out great! I would like to THANK everyone who helped out at the event. The Fence judges, runners, scorer, starter, course helpers, moms, dads . . . you know who you are! THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH for helping to make the Metamora Equestrian Center Event a huge success for all our competitors! A special thank you to Susan Kuntzman who generously allows use of her property for part of our cross country course.

TRAINING WITH AN OLYMPIANat MEC was a special treat for some of our MEC students. Stuart Young-Black, a member of the 1996 Canadian Olympic Team and one of the nations top scoring event riders held a clinic at MEC on July 12 and 13. MEC sponsored this event and some of our MEC students and trainers participated in the clinic along with many outside riders. The weather was great and everyone who attended had a lot of fun. How often do you get to, be around and learn from a real OLYMPIAN? Keep watching the schedule for future clinics.

A FOND FAREWELL to Lauryn Best who headed off for MI State August 21. We are very sad to see her go. Her quiet and never ending assistance with our beginning riders and her enthusiasm for eventing, teaching and working around MEC will be sadly missed. We wish you the best for you college experience and are looking forward to seeing you on your semester breaks and holidays. We know you will be successful in anything you do!

METAMORA HUNTER TRIALS will be held Sunday, September 14 at the north field of the Win Agin property on Delano Road « mile North of Oakwood. This show is open to all Beginner Level Eventers and up. The class list is in the clubhouse. This is a very fun event to show in and watch as it is so close. There are Flat and Jumping classes and there is no limit on the number of riders per horse. The registration form for your classes must be turned in to Kallie by September 4th if you would like to show in some classes. See Kallie if you have any questions.

4-H CLUB CLEANED UP! Our Bits-n-Pieces car wash at MEC was a HUGE success! We had cars lined up from start to finish. Our hard working 4-Hers and their moms and dads raised money for attending the State Fair and for purchasing 4-H books and materials. The club meets on the second and last Thursday of every month and has lots of fun activities scheduled. Bits-n-Pieces is open to students & non students ages six through their Senior year in High School.

TEL-All ABOUT IT! In a continuing effort to keep our students informed we have implemented many ideas: The HoofLine Newsletter, Our Printed Monthly Schedule, The Barn Planning Calender, Our Student Bulletin Board, a WEB page, and NOW a PHONE MAIL SYSTEM! The phone mail system is up and running and gives our students an opportunity to leave messages directly with their instructor or get news and information on current events or happenings. If you have not already picked up the mailbox information page look for it on the counter. If you have any thoughts or ideas about the system see Kallie.

BACK TO SCHOOL SHOPPING? We have plenty of MEC Sweatshirts and T-Shirts in a wide range of sizes and colors. They are top quality heavy weight Sweats and T s. We have hats and bags too!

OUR WEB PAGE ADDRESS is http://www.eaglequest.com/~jjyVisit our page to get up to the minute news and information and to see some cool pictures. We also are linked to the MCTA s web page so you can access their page from ours and get the latest event information and results. We need student pictures to add to the page so e-Mail them or give them to Kallie. Don t forget to look for Charlie our animated mascot. He s always up to his antics so watch him closely for his tricks.

LOCK IT UP! Tack lockers are available to all students free of charge. You can keep your boots, hat, gloves and other riding equipment in them. Lockers are assigned to all Group Lesson Students by their lesson time slot and to Private and Semi-Private Students in groups of 4 to a locker. If you would like a locker assignment drop a note to your instructor. Your locker group is responsible for providing your own COMBINATION lock. If you would like a locker to yourself, the charge is $4 per month. MEC is not responsible for any items left at MEC.

GET EGGCITED! Why buy your eggs at the store when you can buy them fresh from Kallie s free range chickens. Check the fridge in the clubhouse for the HUGE brown eggs and take some home with you at $1 per dozen. PLEASE BRING ME YOUR EMPTY EGG CARTONS! I will take all I can get. Support Kallie s little bitties!

X-COUNTRY SCHOOL Students wishing to school at HUNTERS RUN, ENCORE, or BOH should see Kallie to schedule another schooling day ASAP.

VIDEOS & BOOKS FOR LOAN . . . If you have old horse books you have read six million times each and would like the opportunity to read other books without buying them, donate your books to the MEC library in the clubhouse and check out some new ones. Rules and check out procedures have been posted. Your donations will be appreciated by our young readers. Lindsay Best is the Mastermind and Coordinator of this program, see her if you have any questions or ideas. Thanks Lindsay!

There are lots of good videos for loan FREE OF CHARGE. See the instructions on the window for checking out materials. Ask your instructor if you would like to see what videos are available or would like to check one out. There are videos for every age and experience level.