Your Subtitle text
home page
Things That Really Matter....

Screaming about water

By Brad Rogers
Editorial page editor, Ocala Star Banner
Published: Sunday, April 29, 2012

                Four hours of spirited discussion on Thursday about Scott Siemens' plans to build a "science and technology" park in the boondocks of Irvine (the Interstate 75-County Road 318 exit) was heavily weighted in opposition to the project that calls for 258 residences, a 200-room hotel, a shopping center and almost 1 million square feet of research and development facilities. In the end, the commission listened to the protests from neighbors and others, then voted 3-2 to approve the project.

                A weary and aggravated County Commissioner Stan McClain summed up his feelings about all the anti-development, save-our-rural-countryside sentiment with this gem:

"We talk about agriculture. We can't even do an agricultural development in Marion County without someone screaming about water."

                Really, commissioner? McClain was obviously referencing the recent uproar over the request by Adena Springs Ranch to pump 13 million gallons of water a day from the aquifer and drop 135 wells to do so — just a few miles from Silver Springs, by the way.

                My response to Commissioner McClain is, why aren't you screaming about water for us?
____________________________________________

On Thursday night,  April 26, the Marion County Commissioners laid a death sentence on the future of the Farmland Preservation District and the health of rural county life in general. By approving the Siemens/Irvine project in contradiction to the Comprehensive Plan's outlines, commissioners opened the door to unrestricted development with dubious long term benefits but readily apparent short term ones for "interested" parties.
Does one dare ask--Was the Fix in?

______________________________


CLICK FOR SORDID DETAILS
______________________________
WATER WARS
Implicit in Susan's crusades
Read More Here

And, here, a separate link to Susan's
FALDO page!

_______________________

Re: more mundane matters:


WHO ARE
SUSAN and

BILL W OODS?

            Judging and teaching both at home in Central Florida and all around the country, Susan and Bill Woods each acknowledge over thirty-five years of experience that can help you better understand and train your horse.

            They have been active on the national dressage scene since 1980, their dressage specialty arising from broad backgrounds in balance-seat work, both on the flat and over fences.

            Both are known for their ability to outline sound, classical goals and to communicate effective techniques to riders of all levels. They carry on the ideals and principles they learned at the American Dressage Institute and the USDF-sponsored Violet Hopkins National Instructors Seminars and which they, in turn, were tabbed to spread to hundreds of teachers and dozens of groups throughout the US at USDF Regional Instructor Workshops.

            Susan and Bill are each USDF Bronze and Silver Medalists. They've each trained and shown many horses from Training Level to FEI, and they continue to coach students both at the Florida shows and those whom they meet at clinics and then send off to competitions, ribbons, and medals in their own areas. Their students show at every level through Grand Prix.

            Over twenty and nearly thirty years respectively of dressage judging give Susan and Bill a special perspective to help you understand what all judges are looking for and what it takes for you to succeed in the show arena.


            Find out more about each of them on the tabs to the left.  

_____________________________

Recent Video from Bill:

NEWEST !


Steffen Peters and Ravel warm up at the World Dressage Masters in Wellington, FL, January 28, 2012. Video provided by Kara Florek. Running time approx 16 minutes.

                              CLICK HERE FOR RAVEL


Not dressage but here is a spectacular video! Open a bottle of merlot, go to this website: http://www.equestriancoach.com/american-forward-riding-system#afrs and scroll down about halfway to fantastic black and white footage (10 min set to music) of the Italian cavalry in 1929 demonstrating massed "extreme" cross country riding. VERY cool! Snowy River redux.

Berlin Quadrille featuring Reiner Klimke

This is a reproduction of a VHS tape given to me more than 25 years ago by Gen Jonathan Burton. He thought it was done in Berlin, probably sometime after the '84 Olympics. The lead rider is Olympic gold medalist Reiner Klimke on Ahlerich. Second in the line, I believe is Gabriella Grillo. General Burton said he thought the riders had barely any rehearsal before the performance, but it is great fun to see these 12 international riders all working together.

MORE

Judged Prix St. George test
Compare your marks and observations with Bill's and judge Janet Foy's
"On the Aids?"
A three minute demo by Bill and Gail Redinger that you want your own horse to be able to replicate.


DRESSAGE DEMO Part 1 Bill's presentation of Dressage Principles at the UF Equine Expo in Ocala in September 2011. Assisted by Laura Herndon and Kasper.
DRESSAGE DEMO Part 2 (continued for another 20 glorious minutes)

The top riders of the '90s schooling "backstage" at Aachen
Isabel Werth Aachen 95 part 1
Isabel Werth Aachen 95 part 2


TO GO DIRECTLY TO ALL OF BILL'S YouTube CREATIONS ON A SINGLE LIST,
CLICK HERE

__________________________________________________





NOTE: If you have your choice of web browsers, this site plays much better if you use Mozilla or Safari rather than Internet Explorer!

______________________________________________



Bill is now part of
Perfect World Dressage
an on-line service to receive judge's comments
for a dressage test which you submit.

Link to details right here
______________________________________________

 



Navigate the Warm-Up Arena
at a Dressage Show


An article by Louisa Zai
In the April 2012 issue quoting amply from her interview with Bill

HERE'S THE LINK
_______________________________


BILL'S PROJECTED PATH

CLICK HERE FOR UPCOMING CLINIC AND JUDGING APPEARANCES BY SUSAN AND BILL

________________________________________

In their story marking the passing of the late Reiner Klimke's stallion Biotop, Eurodressage included a photo and link to Bill's video of that pair schooling at Aachen.

THE ARTICLE HERE
_________________________________________________


Question of the Month

A friend at a club meeting announced that she was now riding with a classical trainer and that the lessons were so different, so much better than from her old instructor. What kinds of differences would she have been referring to?

CLICK HERE

FOR BILL'S ANSWER


Next Month's Question
:

When is it time to "move on" to a new instructor?


Stay tuned for Bill's explanation.
Meanwhile, keep your questions coming!
_______________________________________________
   
     AND NOW . . .
More Opinions, Warranted or Not

Latest entry: 5/14/12
(OK, I cheated this time)


____________________________
Find out what's buried in
Bill's tome!

"If dressage were this funny, more people would be doing it!"


CLICK HERE for details, a sample, and how to order it

___________________________________________

The USDF Connection says:

"Much as I love our sport, there aren't too many dressage tomes I'd consider taking to the beach... DRESSAGE Unscrambled is the rare exception.

"[Bill] also happens to be an astute observer of foibles both human and equine and a writer with a wry sense of humor.

"DRESSAGE Unscrambled distills a lifetime of memorable experiences and 'aha' educational moments into one unassuming paperback...

"Younger dressage enthusiasts will get a glimpse into how our sport has evolved, and those of a certain age will surely chuckle at some memories. And you'll probably learn something along the way, too."

________________________________


CLICK HERE TO HEAR
SOME STORIES FROM
DRESSAGE UNSCRAMBLED
READ TO YOU ALOUD!



______________________________________________

And trace, if you dare,
the treacherous path to

 
DRESSAGE Unscrambled's

   publication

Things to wish you had!       

CLICK HERE
______________________________

YOU are Visitor #

to the new woodsdressage.com
(reset 12-1-11)
29000 visits from Sept 2009 to December 1st, 2011
_______________________________________________

Props to Pete Thosteson (The Younger) at Atomic Lightwave, Susan Petrillo, and Mare Prelovsky for inspiration and assistance with this site.

Numerous people have wittingly, unwittingly, and occasionally half-wittingly contributed photos to this site, the foremost of whom is Steve Waller. Thanks to all of you.
__________________________________________________

 
Here's Tuny! Petunia is our newest family member, born February 13th, having arrived from our New Hampshire friends, Cindy and Marko West, right after Easter.
Web Hosting