text: Welcome to 2015!
  2015 is already full of events and news! We wrapped up 2014 with an incredible Carlos Torrell clinic and then welcomed in the new year. Our first group event was the Dallas Dressage Club banquet in January. It was a fun event at the lovely La Cima Club in Las Colinas. This year a lot of the students were out of town or had not competed at a DDC competiton so LTR was represented by Julie, Lyndon, Luke, Nadine DeYoung, Katelyn Omas, Alyvia Elling and Jess Moore. Some of the Year End awards went to:
  Luke McLaughlin: Open Training Level Champion and Reserve. Open First Level Reserve Championship.
  Lyndon Rife: Grand Prix and Intermediate II Champion on Jago. Intermediate I Freestyle Champion, Intermediate I and Prix St George Open Reserve Champion on Austin Chase.
  Julie Madriguera: Intermediate I Champion on Lincoln.
  On February 7-8 we hosted USEF "S" and FEI dressage judge Kristi Wysocki. This was a great event that recieved rave reviews from all who rode and attended. More than one person told us that it was the best clinic that they had ever attended. We look forward to trying to have Kristi back this fall to review our work and show results and give us all guidance towards improvement in the show arena!
  On February 14-15 Lyndon traveled to Houston to give a clinic for Andrea Attard at both Twinwood Equestrian and Isabella Farm. These are always great clinics with enthusiastic students! While Lyndon was in town the HDS president dropped off the year awards that he and Luke won:
  Lyndon Rife: Champion Intermediate II on Jago
  Lyndon Rife: Champion Prix St George, reserve champion Intermediate I and FEI Freestyle with Austin Chase.
  Luke McLaughlin won the Championship at Training Level with Finnegan SQF and Third Level with Lili Marlene.
  On February 21-22 the LTR team contested their first show of the season at the FWDC Classic. It was a big weekend! Julie made her Grand Prix debut with the Hanoverian gelding Lincoln and the pair earned scores of 65 and 61% to win both days and earn their USDF Gold Medal!! It was a very exciting event and the pair were lucky to be able to ride both days as Sunday brought in a strong cold front and rain storms that eventually turned to freezing rain and sleet. Lyndon competed Tammy MCGowen's Jago at Intermediate II on the first day and earned the highest open FEI score of the day with a 67.500% to win his class but had to scratch the seond day. All of our riders had to scratch their second class of the day on Sunday but had strong showings throughout the competiton. Amanda Hester and her mare Genou Bijou won two first place and one second place riboon at Third Level junior with scores to 67%. Shannon Napier brought her Oldenburg gelding Toblerone out for his Third level debut and earned scores in the low sixties and Alyvia Elling entered Chief in the competitive first level open classes and earned scores to 68%.
  Kristi Wysocki with Lyndon and Julie
  Lincoln brings home the Gold at the FWDC Classic!
  We will head to the Emerald Classic in Katy next. April will be a busy month with big competitons and a trip to Las Vegas to watch the World Cup! We are very excited to spend the 2015 season (and beyond) with all of you and be a part of your journey. We have welcomed a lot of new riders and horses lately and this is a very exciting time for us all.