From Shannon:
John called me the other day to ask if I would be a guest blogger for Eventing Nation, and while I was thoroughly honored to write for the best website for Eventing ever, I also was struck with a dilemma. He said write some things about yourself to make sure everyone knows who you are, which I will, but I also want to make sure I represent the loyalty to my roots, the west coast.
I was born and raised in Portola Valley, CA, which is in the heart of the Bay Area. To know me is to know that I am loyal. I have grown up riding with the same person, mentor, trainer and friend with whom I share a business with now, Dayna Lynd-Pugh. We have been together for 23 years, which is almost unheard of in this day and age but something of which I am very proud. Sometimes I am embarrassed to say that it has been that long because people think, maybe I don’t get out much, so to speak. The truth is I do, and have experienced other programs and businesses but have always come back to Flying Tail Farms and Dayna, as it is my true home.
Presently, Dayna and I work together and have Flying Tail Farms, which is located at Red Fox Farm in Gilroy, the best facility with incredible owners, Jim Hoffman and Barbara Larsen. We have several fantastic clients who may or may not compete, but all help make up a team-like atmosphere within the barn. At the competitions, FTF thrives on working together to support each other as teammates would by jumping in to lend a helping hand, cheer on another barn-mate, or to volunteer advice if Dayna and I are not around.
I, myself, just came home from being a part of the Gold Medal winning team at the Pan American Games, where I learned how imperative it is for all the members of a team to work as a cohesive unit. As riders, we were five people who came together as one and the experience was unimaginable. The energy of that team was exponential making us unbeatable. Not only that, all the US grooms, coaches and staff worked together so well that people said it was the best team experience in almost 20 years. At FTF we try to cultivate that same “team-like” atmosphere, which has always brought us much success.
The Area VI Young Rider program is also a huge part of my life as well as Dayna’s as she is the coach and I am the Chef d’Equip. 2012 will be my 5th year and each of the past four years Area VI has dominated; bringing home either gold or silver medals in the one star or two star! I am so proud to say that our hard work and dedication has turned the Young Rider program around and it now is something that kids strive to be a part of. A good example of the success of the Area VI Young Rider Program is Kelly Pugh. She competed at NAJYRC in 2010 and brought home the individual gold medal in the 2star as well as team silver.
Kelly is Dayna’s daughter, like a sister to me and I am so proud to see her doing so well with her horse Copycat Chloe, even though she is on the East Coast! Last year, she won the Markham Trophy for the highest placed Young Rider at Fair Hill International in October. Flying Tail Farms misses her so much as she is part of our team!
Currently, I have two horses that I am competing, Ballingowan Pizazz (Mango) and Forgotten Emblem (Michael). Mango was the horse I rode at the Pan Am games last year and he is nothing short of a super star. Michael also did two 2-stars last year at Rebecca Farms and Galway, finishing 6th and 5th, respectively. This coming season they will both move up to Advanced and, ideally, do a three-star but, let’s be real, we are in the horse business, and they tell us the plan!
With this opportunity to blog for EN, I will talk about myself, but as I said, I will represent the West Coast proudly! Everyone should know how fantastic the events, people, courses, competition, and horses are out here. That being said, we are off to Twin Rivers Ranch this weekend for a horse show. Thank you to Connie, Jeff and Andrea Baxter for organizing such a great event and Katie Trafton for all your thankless work in the office. Preceding the event, Mark Phillips will be doing training sessions on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday for myself, Max McManamy, Mackenna Shea, and Jolie Wentworth, which will be a fantastic learning experience.
Thank you for reading!
Go Eventing!
Shannon and Ballingowan Pizzaz at the PanAms (photo by Alex Lilley)
Shannon and Forgotten Emblem (photo by Sherry Stewart)
