Captain America Rides into Middle Ranch
By Paula Parisi December 3, 2012
Morris is considered the father of the U.S. style of English riding, known as hunt seat equitation. (Photo by Paula Parisi)
Who cares about Santa? George Morris is coming to town!
The renowned USEF show jumping chef d’equipe and father of the hunter seat equitation riding style is holding a clinic at Archie Cox’s Brookway Stables in Lakeview Terrace, Dec. 4-6.
There will be two sessions per day: a 3’ at 9 a.m. and a 3’6” at 3 p.m. Brookway manager Teddi Mellencamp says there are still one or two slots available for lucky riders who want to take advantage of a historic opportunity to train with Morris, a living legend who is based in Wellington, FL, and only makes one annual trip West.
Cox, who has been studying with Morris since he was a young child, has been hosting clinics for the past 12 years. “Whether it’s hunters or jumpers, he concentrates on good riding and how important it is to have good basics as a foundation.”
Lexi Wedemeyer, who made the trip down from Santa Barbara last year to do Morris’ Brookway clinic, said there’s a bit more to it than a desire to test yourself with the best. “You have to find the right horse, because you’re there for two precious hours, and you want to be on a horse that’s really into it.”
Morris commands the ring at Shelburne Farms. (Photo by Paula Parisi)
Wedemeyer, a hunter rider who joined Brookway last month as assistant trainer, describes working with Morris as a very rewarding experience. “He has a real knack for evaluating your skills and figuring out exactly how to challenge different horses and riders. I got a lot out of it, and it gave me a lot to work on when I got home.”
For those who want to learn but are not in a position to ride, auditing slots are available at $60 per admission (just to experience the beautiful Middle Ranch, home to Brookway, is worth the price of admission, which includes a clubhouse lunch). “It’s always such an amazing learning experience,” said Mellencamp, who has experienced the clinic as both spectator and participant. “The wealth of information is extraordinary, in both sections. There are all different levels of horse and rider. So whether it’s a green rider on a made horse or a made riders on a green horse, you learn from what he teaches and how he helps solve the problems.”
Morris' trainees include Hannah Selleck. (Photo by Paula Parisi)
After devouring Morris’ 1971 bible of the sport, Hunter Seat Equitation, now in its third printing, this writer audited a 2008 Morris clinic at Karen Healey Stables and can testify it was an amazing experience. The wisdom this master doles out in his metronomic monotone seems to imprint one’s very consciousness with skill and knowledge. Beyond the solid information, Morris is also a bit of a showman, with a drill sergeant’s dry wit (which can be intimidating to some. Although he is a sensitive fellow, riding with him is probably not for the faint of heart). And at 74, Morris is not shy about hopping right onto a student’s horse and showing how it’s done!
After Brookway, Morris moves on to Karen Healey Stables at the Whitethorne ranch in Somis, where he will work from Dec. 7-9, doing three sessions daily (Jumpers 4’, 9-11 a.m; Advanced Riding 3’6”-3’9” 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and Equitation 3’3”, 2:30-4:30 p.m.
Details of the Brookway clinic, contact Teddi Mellencamp at310-409-5436.
Details of the Karen Healey clinic, contact Melissa Jones 805-794-0214 or MMJ214@aol.com
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