2017 Linda O’Carroll Memorial
Adult Amateur Clinic Series
With Hilda Gurney
The goal of the CDS Amateur Clinic is to provide an opportunity for adult amateurs to receive instruction from eminent clinicians who may not otherwise be available to them. A clinic is held in each of the CDS Regions. The Central Clinic was held April 28-30 at Golden Hills Farm in Paso Robles. Each Chapter selects a member by random draw to participate in the clinic. Eligible riders must be actively riding, demonstrated by current dressage lessons with their horse for the past six months. Fresno Chapter has added the additional criteria that the rider selected must have completed volunteer hours at club activities. The clinic consists of an evening lecture and two full days of clinic.
Hilda Gurney instructed this year’s Adult Amateur Clinics. In 1975 Hilda and her horse, Keen, won the silver individual and team gold medals at the Pan American Games. Their 1976 Olympic experience at Bromont earned the United States a team bronze.
Hilda has won the CDS Futurity and CDS Championship Horse of the Year at all levels, many times. She graduated from CDS’s first judge program in 1972. She is now an S judge. She teaches students at her home at Keenridge and at clinics. She also helps many dressage enthusiasts through her presentations at symposiums and workshops.
The Fresno Chapter CDS was represented by Suzie Satragni at the 2017 Adult Amateur Clinic. She shares her experience at the clinic in the following letter:
I am writing this letter to thank C.D.S. for the wonderful opportunity to participate in the 2017 Linda O’Carroll Amateur clinic.
As the representative for the Fresno chapter, I was super excited to have the opportunity to ride with Hilda Gurney at Golden Hills Farm.
What a beautiful Facility and wonderful accommodations. We were greeted as we arrived by Ariane Rezvani, the resident trainer, and made to feel right at home. She went out of her way to help with anything we needed!
Our first evening was spent at a Dinner hosted by Templeton Farms, the food was delicious and plentiful! We got to meet Hilda and get to know each other, and even got a chair lesson on hand position and movement. The next morning was filled with nerves, but everyone was so nice and supportive, including Hilda, that once I started riding the focus shifted to learning and relaxation began!
It was wonderful getting to watch the other lessons and see the difference between the first day rides to the second day rides and the progress everyone made! I must say we had such a nice group of riders, everyone was so nice and supportive!
Ellen Corob did such a wonderful job organizing our weekend and providing us with lunch and refreshments and helping us with any questions or concerns we had.
Thank you Golden Hills farms for holding this event at your beautiful place and Thank you so much CDS for continuing to provide education and support to amateur riders like myself. This was a weekend that I will never forget that inspired me to seek out new experiences in riding, filled with great people and new friends.
Sincerely,
Suzanne Satragni