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Headline News
Suzanne featured in
Show Life Magazine |
2008 A Year for Family Focus and a Season of Training
Photo: Happy Together. L to Right Brooks' children, Mark and
Laura, fiancé Brooks, Bride to be, Suzanne, William and
Elizabeth in front!
Well known on the
international Grand Prix dressage circuit, Suzanne Dansby-Phelps
has found the time to reorganize and focus on some new
goals. This accomplished competitor has been long or short
listed for the USET dressage team for the past seven years.
In 2006 she was a US team alternate in Germany for the World
Equestrian Games. A familiar face on the Grand Prix dressage
circuit, Suzanne has taken this opportunity to reorganize in
2008 and focus on some new goals. And they start at home.
Suzanne and her
beau, Brooks Bollman, returned from a trip to the Florida
Keys, engaged! Plans for the wedding are being made in
between training and show schedules. They will unite their
two families and Suzanne will maintain her training
schedule. Conrad Schumacher will be coming to the United
States to train Suzanne regularly. This joyful occasion will
have Suzanne staying in Atlanta this winter season and
focusing on family, her oncoming wedding and advancing her
youngest star, Rower BE.
While Suzanne is
centered on new riding and training goals this winter, her
famous Grand Prix partner, Cooper, is back in action under
going rehabilitation after stem cell surgery last fall. He
has been in training, but was not yet ready for this year’s
Florida winter circuit. Suzanne may enter him in the Raleigh
CDI, but her first priority is Cooper’s fitness and
well-being. “If he is at 110% in April, we may show in May
and then go from there, step by step,” said Suzanne, “Only
time will tell. Right now it is just great to be riding and
training him every day again.”
Meanwhile, Kasper,
Cooper’s talented Grand Prix stablemate, will continue his
training while he is offered for sale. And Suzanne is also
concentrating her focus on Rower BE, who is progressing
quickly and will likely make his FEI level debut this fall
in the Prix St. Georges.
When Suzanne debuted
her young Rhinelander gelding, Rower BE, in mid-summer 2007,
he earned top scores from some of the sport’s most
respectable judges. On his first trip to the show ring,
Rower BE scored a 73.243% and won his Second Level Test 4
class. Two shows later, he followed this performance by
winning both his Second Level classes with scores in the
70’s at the Poplar Place Farm Dressage Show held in
Hamilton, Georgia. This time Rower BE had the highest score
at the show, a 78.810% from judge, Linda Zang, which gave
him a decisive win in the Second Level Test 4 class. This
talented young horse’s average score for 2007 was 72 + %!!!
Suzanne is also
excited to have time to spend with her extended family of
riding students. “I really love teaching and helping to
develop riders and their horses,” she said. Suzanne’s
students had a banner year in 2007 and she hopes to help
them continue their winning ways this year.
Another big change
in Suzanne’s life is the departure of Thiana Hannigan, the
“groom she couldn’t live without.” Thiana returned to her
home in New Zealand to spend time with her family. “Thiana
is like a daughter to me,” said Suzanne. “She loved and
cared for my horses like they were her own. I shall miss her
sense of humor and her work ethic.” Thiana left for her
homeland with many good wishes from Dancing Horse Farm in
her wake.
After communicating
over several months via emails in an extensive interview
process, Suzanne has hired a new working student, Kim
Schisler, who begins working with her in April at Applewood
Farm, in Alpharetta, Georgia, where Suzanne has re-located
her horses and her DHF Dressage crew. Kim spends her time
training, teaching and constantly striving to achieve her
goals as an FEI level competitor.
With all this and
wedding plans to be made, Dansby-Phelps has a summer of fun,
farm and family in front of her. “ I am focused on my riding
and training goals,” explains Suzanne, “but I am also
grateful for the opportunity to enjoy life with my new
family.” Congratulations to the happy couple! |
