Thanks to the help of our friends, Team Knollwood just finished a very successful food drive for the Food Pantry of Waukesha County, and hosted a popular open house to welcome new visitors to the farm. We're happy to say that each of our helper teams beat their goals, and that first place Team Robert finished with 59 food kits against a goal of 25. The Monday Muffins were reserve champs, coming in 14 kits over their goal.  Thank you to everyone who helped the helpers serve their neighbors in need.

 

 

As we move on into summer, we have several thing's we're finishing up, and some more that we're starting.  Here's all the news (in no particular order) so you can keep up with the goings on!

 

 

 

 Knollwood Summer Show 2017

We are now taking entries for the Knollwood summer in barn show to be held July 22 and 23.  The show offers classes for all levels of our students, and it's a wonderful way to start your show experiences.  We offer lead line as well as a maiden division for first time show riders, and offer plenty for our experienced riders, too.  With pattern classes, a special advanced division, and qualifiers for the Knollwood Challenge final, there's something for everyone.

You can fill out your entry form and pay your class fees in the school barn lounge.  Need more information?  Your instructor will be happy to chat about your plans, and can offer horse selection help as well.

 

 

 Academy Shows

We're also taking entries for ALL of our academy shows for the rest of the 2017 season. There's a broad assortment of shows left on our schedule, including the ASAW Summer Showcase in Cedarburg that offers a full maiden division.  It's close to home, co-sponsored (and run) by the Knockouts, and we even offer a special camp the week before the show.  Please talk to Ann or Nancy if you might be interested in the camp, as it's filling up fast.

The IASPHA show in October also offers maiden classes if you can't make the August show in Cedarburg.  The balance of the shows we're attending are great venues for our academy riders who have a show or 2 under their belts.

If you haven't already, please talk to your instructor about the academy adventures that are waiting for you!

 

Camps

We offer a broad selection of camps for riders ages 7 and up.  We have 4 weeks of classic Knollwood camp listed on the website for new riders and riders just starting out in our program.

 

 

We're offering a special Knollwood show prep camp July 17-21 for riders participating in our July in barn show. Our advanced beginner riders will get extra saddle time on their show horse, and learn all about horse shows in a fun week with our summer camp instructors.  This camp is not listed on the website, as it's only for current riders showing in July.  You can sign up with your instructor at any time.  It fills up every year, so be sure to get your entry in to join the fun. 

 

Tank Tops

We're ordering Knollwood racer back tanks in misses sizes through Friday.  We couldn't find any willing adult models, so Mia and Maiya volunteered.

They're perfect for summer camp helpers, riders, and horse show moms.  For those of you traveling to Madison for the show Memorial Day weekend, we'll have the size samples and orders at the show on Saturday for last minute orders!

 

Memorial Day Schedule

We're offering a revised schedule this upcoming holiday weekend.  We're holding privates Saturday from 9:30 until 2, and then our Sunday riders and Saturday riders are riding in groups at 2:30, 3:30, and 4:30.  We will not be holding lessons on Sunday or Monday of the holiday weekend.  Happy Memorial Day to everyone!

 

 

 

Horse Shows!

The fun continues this weekend at the Madison Classic.  Starting Thursday afternoon, you'll see some of the best show horses and equitation riders in the midwest.  11 Knollwood academy riders will show Saturday morning at the academy performance, too!

 

The following week, our academy and 'B' horses are off to Roscoe, Illinois for the Prairie State Classic.  Primarily a Morgan show, the event features a good assortment of Saddlebred classes and a full academy schedule.  New this year, our walk trot and canter academy riders will show Saturday evening, and our walk and trotters will show Sunday afternoon.  The academy classes will be inside while the show classes will be held in the big outdoor ring, weather permitting.

 

While the academy team is in Roscoe, Scott, Carol, Lin, and Carlos will be putting the finishing touches on the show horses and riders before they head out to the first BIG show of 2017. Midwest Charity runs June 13-17 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield.  Great horses, ponies, and equitation riders will all get together for a show frequently called an 'early Louisville.' 

Team Knollwood will be there with numbers to compete against the best from around the country.  The event will be webcast, and we'll post the info and schedule as soon as we have it.

 

We're looking forward to a summer of adventures, and we hope you'll join us along the way!

 

 

 

 

Knollwood is the place to be this Saturday!

 

We're hosting our Spring Open House from 11 am to 3 pm.  Bring your friends who might be interested in riding lessons, and they can enjoy a free mini-lesson, take a tour, and even help paint Forest.  New customers will also receive a 10% discount on any lessons, including our popular summer riding school,  purchased at the Open House.

 

 

After we finish lessons for the day, the helpers annual food drive will come to a close with Helper Olympics VII.  Helpers are gathering food donations for The Food Pantry of Waukesha County, and are competing to see which team can collect the most food and cash donations.  The winning team will enjoy a pizza party courtesy of the Knollwood Knockouts. There's still time to donate to the team of your choice!  You can shop for a food kit that contains:

• Box of cereal
• Canned fruit
• Canned vegetable
• Boxed potato
• Packaged Gravy
• Jell-o
• Boxed dessert

Please be sure to mark your bag(s) with the day of the week you'd like to support!

If you don't have time to shop, helpers are also accepting checks made out to The Food Pantry of Waukesha County.  One food kit equals a $15 donation, and all donations are tax deductible.

 

While the last of the food donations are counted, the helpers will compete against each other in 'games of skill.'  Events include a dance contest with horse show ribbons as props and a blanket race. Helpers will enjoy a cook out after the event where awards are presented for the most donations.

 

It's sure to be a memorable day at Knollwood, and we hope you'll join the fun and contribute to a great cause as the fabulous helpers help their neighbors in need.

Team Knollwood just returned from a wonderful week in St. Paul, Minnesota, showing at the FASH (Friends of the American Saddlebred Horse) horse show. With its friendly show committee, beautiful old coliseum and nice stabling, it's a favorite show of ours.

Horses and riders all performed beautifully, the weather cooperated, and it was a wonderful way to celebrate Mother's Day for all our Knollwood moms.  Here are the highlights of the week!

 

 

Equitation Excellence

 

 

 Scott and Carol and all at Knollwood are known for their passion for equitation, and FASH was a wonderful display of everyone's efforts over the winter.  All those extra lunge lessons, our clinic with Erin, and the hours spent in the saddle really paid off for our seven equitation riders last weekend.

Lora and Sophie were unanimous winners of both the USEF Medal qualifier and of the equitation championship. Madison won the Good Hands qualifier unanimously on a borrowed horse, and finished 6th in the equitation championship. 13 year old Finn finished reserve to Madison in the Good Hands qualifier and 4th in the UPHA Challenge Cup qualifier and in the Medal.  She absolutely looked like she belonged with the 'big girls!'

 

Amanda rode Alex while Pixie in continuing her equitation education with Scott, won the UPHA Pleasure Challenge Cup qualifier.  It was the first blue ribbon in equitation for the big expressive gelding.

Fresh out of the academy division, 11 year old Hanna held her own in deep competition, while she and Tucker are coming together as a strong team.

Haley.  Just Haley.  She showed equitation rookie Felix to unanimous wins in the UPHA Challenge Cup qualifier and in the 14-17 Pleasure Equitation Age Group.   Felix's inexperience showed in the championship, and Haley handled it beautifully with a great display of horsemanship.

In  her junior exhibitor days, Sarah wasn't interested in the equitation division.  She campaigned her beautiful Park mare Fergie to great success last season, and has decided to try the adult equitation world this year.  At their second show, Sarah and Fergie are a force to be reckoned with. In their newest adventure, they won the Adult Challenge Cup and Medal qualifiers as well as their age group. 

 

 

Ainsley and Millie

Ainsley and Millie (Ashlyn's Only Charm) have had a crazy schedule.  They couldn't make it to the Royal last November, and had to miss Spring Fling while Ainsley was competing for the US at the Young Riders event in Georgia.

They made up for it at FASH, with a second place finish in the 5 Gaited Junior Exhibitor qualifier, and they came back to unanimously win the championship on Sunday.

 

 

Leila Is In The Building

Leila (Brookhill's Passion Punch) seems to have enjoyed her quiet 2016 season while her owner Kerry was out on maternity leave.  This big athletic mare made quite a splash at FASH with Scott winning the Open Park Class before Kerry took over.  Kerry was the unanimous winner of both the Amateur Park qualifier and the Park Jackpot class.

 

 

 

Hard Riding Girls Rock The Pleasure Division

Pleasure classes at FASH were deep, deep, deep.  Our group of hard riding ladies did us proud in the great competition.

Finn and Frankie won both their qualifier and championship in the Show Pleasure Division for riders 13 and under.

Gabby and Jerry made the move to the older age group, and didn't miss a beat.  They won the Show Pleasure class for riders 14-17, and were reserve champs for riders 17 and under.

Allison had the chance to show legendary CH Freaky Links while his owner Abby was finishing up her first year of college.  These two racked their way to victory in the adult 5 Gaited Show Pleasure qualifier, and finished reserve in a great championship class.

Frannie had the opportunity to show Pistol in the hunt division, too, winning some good ribbons in a different discipline.

Bella came in from Pennsylvania to show Maddie in the Open English Pleasure division and continued her education over the weekend.

Finally, we love the versatility that our assortment of lesson horses teaches as riders come up through our lesson program.  That benefit showed up this weekend when Sarah had the chance to show Sadie (Just As Unique) instead of Alex who was furthering his equitation skills at the show.  At just her second show out of the academy division, Sarah and Sadie learned a lot about each other, and even finished with a Reserve Championship in the Open English Pleasure division.

Last season, Parker showed Diesel to great success, and she showed Sadie at Spring Fling in April.  At FASH, Parker rose to the occasion when she got to show Smith (Bells A Poppin) in the country pleasure division.  Parker and Smith won their qualifier, and finished second in their championship.  It was quite a debut for the new pair!

Congratulations to everyone on their wonderful performances in Minnesota, and great thanks to everyone who worked so hard to keep 20+ horses looking fabulous every time they entered the ring.

 We're looking forward to Madison Classic Memorial Day weekend, and hope to see you there!

 

 

 

The Knockouts' biggest charitable event of the year is coming up fast, and we're sure you'd like to join the benefit!

 

 

We're holding a food drive to benefit the Food Pantry of Waukesha County.  The pantry runs low on food at this time of year, and with kids in need getting out of school and not receiving lunch there, they really need our help.

 

The Knockouts are coming to the rescue with their seventh annual Helper Olympics.  The fabulous helpers are teaming up by day of the week to see which night's team can get the most food donated for our neighbors in need.

 

Helpers each need to collect a minimum of 5 food kits to participate in the fun at 5:30 on May 20 when they'll all gather to compete in games of 'skill.'

 

You can help the helpers AND the Food Pantry of Waukesha County by donating food kits.

 

Each kit contains the following:

• Can of soup

• Boxed Potato

• Gravy

• Jell-o

• Canned fruit

• Canned gravy

• Cereal

• Boxed dessert

Just put the items in a bag labeled with the team you'd like to support.  Collection barrels are located in the show barn lounge.

If you don't have time to shop, you can write a check to 'The Food Pantry of Waukesha County' and give it to a helper from the night you'd like to support.  Each $15 donated equals one food kit, and the donation is tax deductible.

 

 

While the kits are being counted on May 20, the helpers gather to compete in a dance competition using horse show ribbons as props. They'll also run a blanket race, complete the blind buggy obstacle course, pick a member to represent them in the helmet toss, and try to be a horse showing all 5 gaits in 'Be The Horse,' and Hop, Wrap, and Run their way across the arena.

 

Weather permitting, most of the events will take place in the big outdoor arena.

 

 

We hope you'll help the Knollwood helpers help their neighbors in need with a food kit or a donation to the Food Pantry of Waukesha County.  Your donation is your ticket to come watch the helpers compete against each other for a good cause.  They'd love to have your support cheering them on!

 

 

Even the school horses like to watch!

See you at the Olympics!

 

 

 

It seems ironic that on National Teachers' Day, Team Knollwood lost one of their valuable equine instructors when Chepengo lost a brief battle with colic.

While he was usually not ambitious about his job performance, Chip taught riders many valuable lessons.  His students learned to be persistent about what they wanted from him, to not take his responses personally, and to never give up before he did what they wanted.

 

A charismatic presence in the show ring, Chip enjoyed traveling to shows, and spent many a morning resting up before his academy performances. He showed off many of our academy riders over the years, and took many a victory pass as he was teaching his riders the value of persistence. 

He was beautiful, he was quirky, and he taught his students how to persevere.

 

Peace, Chip.