Friday, May 28, 2010

Inside Info

I went to lunch with someone from Waterloo earlier this week and we got on the topic of the Waterloo Show. So just a heads up, the Super 8 is probably the best deal in Waterloo. Apparently Super is just VERY VERY WELL MANAGED. It's the best deal for your money. Just keep in mind, only 15 rooms available as of earlier this week.

Hope this helps everyone!

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

UPDATED WATERLOO SHOWBILL NOW POSTED!!!

Erin emailed me and said the updated Waterloo showbill is now posted on www.erinrunde.com/Horse-Shows.html. I mentioned the changes in an earlier post...I really just added some walk-trots and split a few. Nothing huge so no panic necessary. Someone asked for some more walk-trots so I put a few in. Maybe you'd like some other changes....LET ME KNOW! I'm willing to do so...I mean, I just did! So that's where we're at. Go ahead and check out Erin's site and print off the up to date showbills and maybe do some house shopping...there is an amazing one Erin has on the site in Charles City...I can only dream of owning that farm someday!

Monday, May 24, 2010

WATERLOO HOTEL INFO!

Hi Everyone!

Ok...so I got some deals to offer you! First the Super 8 in Waterloo is offering us a room rate of $58.50 plus tax. That is for either a 1 bed or 2 bed room...but here's the kicker, there are only 15 rooms left. There are 5 rooms with 2 beds and 10 rooms with 1 bed. The number to reach the Super 8 at will be 319-233-1800.

Deal #2 is Quality Inns & Suites. They are offering a standard room for $64.99 plus tax or a suite for $99.99 plus tax. By the way, THEY HAVE A POOL...always a good thing right? The number to reserve your room there is 319-235-0301.

MAKE SURE YOU MENTION OUR SHOW TO GET THE DISCOUNTED RATES!!!!

OR...you could camp out with us at the fairgrounds! I'm sure we'll have trailers with living quarters and RV's and I know for sure at least one group will be "tenting it." It's bound to be a great time however you decide to sleep...DON'T FORGET THE GRILL OUT ON SATURDAY NIGHT!

If you need any help with ANYTHING, call or email Sean 319-231-9826 or sean.thurm@yahoo.com

See you all in about a month!

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Iowa Falls Show location: Ellsworth Equestrian Center

Well, for those of you that don't know, we are all lucky enough to show in the BRAND NEW Ellsworth Equestrian Center at our Iowa Falls Show this year. We were very fortunate to even get a date let alone plan a show in this facility this year! How new is it? The GRAND OPENING will be Wednesday, May 26 from 5:00-6:30pm. There will be a presentation at 5:30 if anyone is interested in going. If I knew about this earlier I'd be going, but I have to be at work. The address for the Equestrian Center is 709 Ellsworth Avenue and is just south of Iowa Falls. I'll post a link from MapQuest so all you have to do is enter your address and you will have perfect directions to get there. Another link on here is the link to the website in case you'd like to visit the site and learn more about the place. Here are a few major stats:
- 75,100 square feet in total area
- 155 stalls
- 100 x 275 ft indoor show arena
- warm-up area connected directly to the show arena
- warm water wash racks!

There are lots more features so check out the website for more info including pictures of the construction to see how it all happened! The picture posted is from the Ellsworth site and it is a 3D version of what the architect had in mind.

Here's your links!

Ellsworth Equestrian Center: http://www.iavalley.edu/ecc/about/EquestrianCenter.html

Friday, May 21, 2010

Our kind of people...

Have I got a story for you today! Ok..see Roman. He's on the pinto on the very left. This photo is from a Pairs Class which was at the end of the show bill in 2007. He had shown this horse all day and this was the first class he got a saddle on the horse. Before the horse just refused the saddle - wanted nothing to do with it. We saw him ride in the morning before the halter classes and the horse was totally broke - totally safe. So we decided to let him show without a saddle. He just came out to have fun anyway. Our judge that year was John D and he was so cool with it. Everyone had an amazing day! John had a blast judging, Roman and everyone else had great fun showing. All in all a great show. At the very end, John gave an award for most improved horse (Roman's horse - I forget its name...I think its Warrior or something) and most improved rider (Roman because he had fallen off during the lunch break - his horse was so cool about it though...he just stood there waiting for him).

So anyway, that's my story for today. That's the kind of people we hired to judge our show. We want judges that can have spur-the-moment fun just like us. If we add classes we don't want judges to throw a fit about it, we want them to suggest different classes to add. and give out impromptu awards like John did. Stef should do a great job with that in Waterloo this year. She's a definite fun-lovin' kinda girl! And in Iowa Falls this year, JOHN'S BACK! So that show is bound to be fun!

Well I better get ready for work. Hopefully I'll see all you fun-lovers at the shows this year!

Thursday, May 20, 2010

FIRST STALL RESERVATIONS!!!!

Yesterday I got the first stall reservations for the Waterloo show!!! Thanks Jodie!

I went driving around today and went to Abbie M's barn...unfortunately she wasn't there, but a customer of hers said she planned on bringing a few. Then I went to Sylvia B's which is not too far from Abbie's and she said she might be out of town but several of her customers usually go - she seemed very excited to hear we were still doing the show..that is how much fun people have with this show each year! I also stopped at Ann L's to see if she might come. She owns several paints and the amazing stallion Real Bonanza. Ann is letting me use a Real daughter to breed to Fausto :o)

So that is what I've been doing all day. I need to figure out where Sheena's barn is so that I can go see some of her horses. If anybody has any other ideas where I should go to promote the show let me know!

See everyone in June!

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

NEW CLASSES AT WATERLOO SHOW!!!


Yesterday I got an email from Barb C asking me for some walk-trot classes for the kids. Some others had asked before but they just thought it would be a good idea to have them. Barb has a daughter who is beginning to show both Hunt and Western I believe. So if you ever want a class you don't see, JUST ASK! We'll work with you on whatever you want with the show.

So...here's our update. We split the walk-trot into the more age divisions. After our 15 minute break in the morning, we will have the following:
class #13: Walk-trot 12 & Under
class #14: Walk-trot 13-17
class #15: Walk-trot 18-39
class #16: Walk-trot 40 & Over

We also added some more in the afternoon. After class #29 Open Western Pleasure, we added Western Walk-trot 12 & Under. Also after class #38 Open English/Hunter Pleasure, we added English/Hunter Walk-trot 12 & Under.

We'll have the new show bill posted shortly. If you don't see it posted and you would like a copy, send me an email at sean.thurm@yahoo.com

Monday, May 17, 2010

Meet your Waterloo Show Manager - Sean Thurm



Hey Everyone! I’m the one that talks to you every day through the blog. Thought maybe you’d like to know a little about your show managers. We’ll have more on Erin later (she’s running the Iowa Falls Show)...


Anyway, if you read the About Me section you’ll find that I’m a college student at Kirkwood. I like it a lot...it’s a great school. My major is Business Management. Right now I work as a part time shift manager at Family Foods in Grundy Center. Right after high school I spent one semester at the University of Northern Iowa and was in the UNI Panther Marching Band – can you imagine performing in front of 15,000+ fans 6 times in one football season? IT WAS AMAZING! Well, now I am at Kirkwood and will graduate in December 2010.

I got into horses early in my life. My parents owned horses since I was 5 and it all just sort of happened. Russ and Kelly Reynolds, some close friends of ours, really got me started when we bought my first horse Reynstorm Bey. She was a beautiful black and white pinto Half-Arabian mare. We had her in training for about a year and I enjoyed riding her when she was there. We gave her the winter off to just be a horse and were going to put her back in training to finish the following spring. However, Stormy got hurt that winter and we could no longer ride her. So the next year I purchased a breeding at the Gold Star Futurity to R Last Star. The resulting foal I named Black Velvet ST. She was a beautiful Stormy look-alike. I did all the training with her. We ended up taking a top five at the IaAHA highpoint after only one show and we took home a top 5 and a reserve championship from the Gold Star her yearling year. That same year I purchased a breeding to *Fausto CRH – a gorgeous chestnut stallion. Since then I have sold Velvet to a breeding farm in Wisconsin. So I will be breeding Fausto to a Real Bonanza daughter this year.
In the past few years, I’ve been a director for the Iowa AHA and Vice President of Center Point Saddle Club. I have helped Kelly Reynolds with fun shows in Waterloo and Mason City so now I guess it’s my turn.
Hope to have a great time with you at the shows this year! See you all then!

Sunday, May 16, 2010

GAMERS WANTED!!!

Hey Everyone!

Ok...so last year it was brought to my attention at Waterloo that our games aren't exactly "by-the rules." Our flag for flags was a souvenir from Las Vegas (as you can see the Excaliber flag in the photo), our barrels weren't exactly the right distance apart, and who knows what else wasn't right! But I must say, the person that brought this to my attention was very kind and adult about it - thank you.

So anyway, we'd like to do it right this year. I would love for a gamer to step up and let me know what all the rules are we need to know ...or even where to find them! Our association that is putting on this show doesn't realy have a whole lot of gamers. So, if you are a gamer, LET ME KNOW!!!! And then bring all your friends to show! If you want another class, LET ME KNOW!!! If you know any gamers but aren't one, hook me up! We just want to do it right this year!

Thanks everyone!
And if anyone wants to know, that is Rick and he did stay on.

CPSC Trail Ride & Camp Out

Wow...just got home from the CPSC Trail Ride....ok....so more the camp out part of it...

We had 2 fires going and smores (YUMMY!!!) and we grilled out...I had a ribeye (AMAZING!!!). I think there were probably 30 or so people there and it was a blast! Lots of story telling from everyone! The kids enjoyed it, the adult enjoyed it, everyone had a great time...it looked really familiar...oh yeah, that was my vision for the grill out at the Waterloo show!!! A bunch of friends getting together and having a great time! Maybe I can talk Rick and Jodie E into bringing their fire pit thing so we can have a fire...AND SMORES!!!!!! They have already said they will be "tenting it" unless there is bad weather, then they will find a hotel...I'll be looking up some rates and posting them for people as the show gets closer. I'll also throw some maps up here at some point as well.


Alright, its been a long day....fun day, but long...ok...its bedtime...NIGHT ALL!

Friday, May 14, 2010

Iowa Falls Show Update!

Erin just added 2 classes to her show bill!!!! It has been updated on the website. The link is in the upper right corner of this page. She has added one class on Saturday night and one on Sunday morning. The new classes are:

10A Egg & Spoon

11A Young Arabian Halter 2 & Under

So if you have a young arabian getting ready for another show, get them out here! Its great practice for both the handler and the horse! Believe me, I've been in spots where I didn't know how my horse would handle being away from home and showing on top of it. One time my horse was a basket case so I was glad we got that experience. Another time I had a yearling I was getting ready for the futurity. She was normally kinda crazy. But she showed one class, took champion, and then napped for the entire rest of the show...it was like come on, you showed one halter class. I did more work than you did... These are the shows to test your horses at and have fun too! Notice Erin also added Egg and Spoon. That is just a really fun class! One of my favorites to watch because not only do you need soft hand and a soft horse, you can't fake it when you drop your egg. Hehehe! No...mostly the suspense...the last 2 or 3 riders...its great!

So check out the website in the upper right hand corner to print off your show bills and plan out your days at our shows! See you all soon! 44 days til Waterloo, 71 days til Iowa Falls!!!

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Iowa Falls Hotel Announcement!!!


I'll be sure to flash this again as we get closer to the show but Erin has done some extra work and gotten us all discounts at the Super 8 in Iowa Falls! AND THEY HAVE A POOL!

Here are the rates (if you mention our show of course):
Single - $55/night
Double - $59/night

If these sounds appealing to you, call and book your room today! The number to call is 641-648-4618

Again, I'll post this after the Waterloo show so its a little fresher in our minds then. See you all there!

Waterloo Cattle Congress Show Flashback!!!



Here are several pictures from this show from the past couple years. Look like fun? It was. EVERY YEAR!!! Everything from huge walk-trot classes to lead line classes to Stephie showing off Kountry's rearing tricks. A HUGE THANK YOU to Kelly Reynolds and Jessica and Jodie Elson for taking these amazing pictures from the show. Also a big thank you to Kelly for announcing year after year. Hopefully this year we can get some video to put on here :o)

NEW!!!! Online Stall Request!!!!


Something a little new this year...ONLINE STALL REQUESTS!!! Just check out our page on Erin's website at www.erinrunde.com/Horse-Shows.html and click on "Book your stalls online now"...from there you will be directed to a new page where you just enter the number of stalls (tack and horse), how much bedding you want, and your info (name, city/state, phone, and email) in case we need to contact you. It's that simple.

Keep in mind you do not need to do it this way - we just thought it might be a little easier for you. If you would rather, you can still call or email me (319-231-9826 or sean.thurm@yahoo.com) for the Waterloo show and call or email Erin (641-420-1875 or rundedan@yahoo.com) for Iowa Falls. Also remember that there is jump-outs at Waterloo but not at Iowa Falls. Any questions just call me :o)

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Current and former college students will agree...future college students - BEWARE


ok...today I have my last final. It really is a great feeling...you know, after its over...because finals are just awful. I mean who thought of this crazy idea that some test at the end of a semester should make up 95% of your grade? It's just ridiculous! Did you know that in 2004, 54% of Americans had so much stress, they just didn't know how to handle it? There was a study done by some APA group...I'm not sure what the abbreviation is anymore...

Anyway, just a shout out to all those college students - traditional or not - I feel your pain. Haven't been able to sleep for the last week...why? Gotta study for those one test grades! So next week is nap time all the time :o)

Good luck on finals all you college students out there!

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Fun Show in Waterloo - June 27th

So...a little bit about Waterloo....

Traditionally our Waterloo and Mason City shows have been very similar...well, we went through a change in management this year. Our last show manager had WAY too much stuff to do so she turned it over to a couple different people who have been with her for a while...so no worries, we got it all under control :o)

Along with a change in management came some other changes. Our class lists are not the same as they were. They are still along the same format, but they are different than last year and from each other. Another big change is that there is no show in Mason City...it is now in the BRAND NEW equestrian center in Iowa Falls...we'll have more on that later...check back in a few days.

So...let's walk through the Waterloo show....starting at noon on June 26 (Saturday) the horses may arrive at the Cattle Congress Fairgrounds. Anytime after that, you may work in the arena, bathe the horses, etc. Around 3:00 the show office will open up and we will able to begin entries for the show on Sunday. Everybody continues to do what they need to do to get ready and around 6:00 we'll fire up the grill. That's right - GRILL OUT!!! Just bring whatever you want to grill...steaks, hamburgers, hot dogs, baked potatoes, sweet corn, you name it, we'll grill it for you! Our goal is to make this a completely FUN-FILLED WEEKEND even before the show starts! Then on Sunday, we'll start the show at 9:00...feel free to work your horses until 8:30 or so...then we'll drag the arena to get ready for the real thing! The show office will also open up around 7:30 or 8:00 that day and will be open all day...enter whenever you want...and we're always open to new class ideas whether it be that day, before then, or even after the show.

So take a look at the show bill...it's definitely going to be a BLAST! Hope to get lot of people around for the GRILL OUT!!! So tell all your friends and get them there for it...doesn't matter if they're into horses or not...just get them there...they will thank you...and who can say no to a grill out? That's the best food there is!

See you all in Waterloo June 26-27!

It's SHOW SEASON!!!

So...first blog post..let's see how it goes!

We have got a FANTASTIC summer planned for you! We are hosting 2 fun shows this year at the end of June and July. On June 27 we will be in Waterloo at the Cattle Congress and on July 24-25 we will be at the BRAND NEW Equestrian Center in Iowa Falls.




We'd love to have show bills on our website but we are going through a transition right now. Laura P will be redesigning the whole site - new domain, new everything! So once that is up we'll let you know. Until then you can find our show bills on the following link. A HUGE THANK YOU to Erin Runde for letting us put these on her website.

www.erinrunde.com/Horse-Shows.html

Keep checking back for more updates on the shows!