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The Lark Ascending
AQHA SUPERHORSE |
GRAND PRIX DE DRESSAGE |
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Other notable awards taken by
The Lark Ascending |
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 World Champion
Working Hunter |
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Prestigious
International Prix St. Georges |
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| All-Breeds
Award |
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Freestyle
Champion |
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| Best of Americas
Horse Award |
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Region II
Champion 4th Level Dressage |
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| TELEPHONE/FAX
231 854-2500 |
7910 GRANT
ROAD, HESPERIA, MICHIGAN 49421 |
EMAIL
janet@jrlazyday.com |
Grand Prix
de Dressage AQHA Superhorse makes quiet history
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Brighton, MI
— The Lark Ascending of Michigan has made astounding, yet quiet
history – again!
The Florida born and bred 1991 AQHA Superhorse late this spring (May, 2003)
spurned the horse world's notion that he had achieved everything there was to
achieve in quarter horse circles, and made history as the first Superhorse in
the world to take home the crown jewel of dressage competition, Grand Prix de
Dressage!
(Left, photographer Kendra Stanley-Mills and
Reporter Lisa Medendorp of the Muskegon Chronicle visit with The Lark Ascending
at JR Lazy Day Farm for a feature article and photo spread in October,
2003.) |
It was evident to everyone
affiliated with "Larkie," as the beautiful and brilliant 13-year-old
bay gelding is affectionately called by his owners, Janet Reid of Hesperia, and
Ethel Strach of Muskegon, and trainer, Mari Monda Zdunic of Shine-a-Bit Farms
in Brighton, that he had no interest in retiring as most Superhorses do.
Janet recalls that the registered American Quarter Horse "MVP" of
Superhorse circles had come home for a rest at JR Lazy Day Farm in Hesperia in
1998 after competing and taking a string of titles including World Champion
Working Hunter; Best of Americas Horse; All Breeds Champion; Freestyle Champion
– the list goes on – under the tutelage of well-known quarter horse
trainer Lynn Salvatore Palm.
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"Ethel and I
thought Larkie would enjoy relaxing for awhile after the hectic pace he'd been
living most of his life," says Janet, who with sister Ethel purchased The
Lark Ascending as a two-year-old at the All-American Quarter Horse Congress.
"Well, within three months, we could see that he was really restless, and
we were very concerned."
If he'd already accomplished everything there is for a quarter horse, there
must be some new direction they could explore. They put the question to Mari
Monda Zdunic, renowned trainer in classical and exhibition dressage.
"They said they had a horse that had reached the highest level for a
quarter horse, and had been told he was not capable of excelling beyond
training level in competition dressage," Mari recalls of her May, 1998
introduction to The Lark Ascending. "Well, by 1999, he was Region II
Champion at the 4th level, and placed 7th in the nation! In 2000, he made quiet
history attaining the prestigious international Prix St. Georges level."
Larkie was so proficient at the Prix St. George level that Mari understood they
needed to set their sights on Grand Prix level. The pair trained for 18 months
culminating in the international Grand Prix designation for The Lark Ascending
this May. Larkie's exceptional nature was immediately evident to Mari when he
arrived at her farm, Shine-a-Bit, in Brighton. She remembers it took him eight
weeks to graze a little after training, while still on a lead.
"He was so obedient with me as his rider/driver that he stayed at
attention while I was present. Well, I would stand there and look at him, and
he would stand there and look at me, and it was as if he was asking, 'what do
you want?'"
But it wasn't until she took him to a horse show, Dressage Training Level I,
that she learned what Larkie actually wanted.
"I do my own work on the horses at the shows (grooming, braiding, etc.).
As I started to braid him, he pinned his ears back and started grinding his
teeth. I thought, 'Oh gawd! What am I in for?'
"It occurred to me later that he had found his voice. By that, I mean that
until he whinnied that first time, and nickered that first time, he had never
spoken 'horse'. Now he grazes after training, and even steals carrots! His
obedience is foremost, but his spirit thrives!
"So, here we are with a Grand Prix de Dressage champion AQHA Superhorse!
This has never been done before. It may never be done again. I would put big
money on it in Vegas!
"I would also get one of his Breyer models if I were a collector, because
they're going to be hard to come by. Since this horse is in his prime, he will
remain active showing and in exhibition.
"We look forward to moving on to many new adventures, while having fun
with the higher level dressage movements."
The Larkie model was unveiled at BreyerFest 2003 in Lexington, KY July 25-27.
Mari, Janet and Ethel were on hand with The Lark Ascending for equine
demonstrations.
The Lark Ascending, sired by two-time AQHA Superhorse Rugged Lark (also a
Breyer model), comes by his talent honestly. Not only is his father an
outstanding competitor, his brother, Lark's Trust Fund, owned by Janet, has a
long string of achievements under his hooves, as do many of the stallion's
offspring. His get is sought out from around the country, and Janet has bred
many of "Trusty's" championship offspring at her own outstanding
facilities, JR Lazy Day Farm in Hesperia.
Besides the ongoing training, Larkie the Grand Prix Superhorse keeps busy with
exhibitions and seminars with Mari, who in 1976 began training under
world-renowned trainer of 17 competitive Grand Prix horses, instructor, and
noted author, Chuck Grant (1914-1990), who was inducted into the USDF Hall of
Fame in 1997. With more than 20 years of competition, classical and exhibition
dressage under her own belt, Mari works with a wide variety of horses, on and
off site. She has seen popular preferences in style and technique come full
circle. |
"I've seen the pendulum
at the artistic end, and I've seen it at the technical excellence end. Now, as
our society becomes more technology oriented, people are wanting to return to a
little bit of art."
In her book, American Dressage III, a sequel to Grant's American Dressage I and
II, she stresses that a good trainer must become a student of the horse.
"You cannot be satisfied just to walk, trot, and canter, but to get to
know the whole horse – how he lives, his instincts. That knowledge will
help you to understand his psychology. This will lead to communicating with the
horse, which will lead to fun, excitement, and accomplishment."
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