A happy mother's day at RSF! It started out at 4 am with a filly from Dew Berry. She is chestnut with a blaze and 3 white legs. She is really beautiful, and is healthy and strong and correct. We have named her Ghypsy. Pinch me; this is such an awesome foal crop so far! 

Dam is the inaugural AHS Hartwig Prize-winning mare.

SOLD! Congratulations to Lyn Francik, Oklahoma on 2005 purchase #2!

Show Results

Ghpsy won the AHS Mare Performance Test at Garner Creek farm in Ranger, TX in 2010 with a 7.76. She received a 9 for her jumping, 8 on her gaits and 7 for rideability. She is owned and was ridden by Peggy Sue Blair of OK. She is a new Elite Mare Candidate-the 10th one sired by Gold Luck!

10/2007 At the USDF/GAIG Mid-States Regional Finals Sept. 8 & 9 at Silver Creek Farm in OK:
Silver Creek I: 3rd yearling fillies
Silver Creek II: 1st yearling fillies, filly champion (qualifying her for the regional finals) and Show Reserve Champion! Then, at the finals, she was named the USDF/GAIG Mid-States Grand Champion Filly!

Hi Mo,
Foaling season is here, and you're probably up to your eyeballs. It looks like you've got a bunch ready to hatch right about now. Good choice of theme for this year, and I can't wait to see pictures of your latest additions!



It's been quite a while, so I thought you might like an update on the kids. They're all fine and growing. Gladstone finally has enough muscle to look like a grownup at 8; I gritted my teeth and came up with the courage to put the stick on him this winter - he's 17-3 so we can safely say he's "almost" 18 hands. In spite of the ridiculous height, he's very balanced & athletic. I almost gave the horses up completely this winter, after losing my Dad, who was my greatest fan & supporter. But I know that's not what he would have wanted, so I got after it again.



One of the things that helped get me back in the saddle was when Gladstone and I were selected to ride for Region 9 in the USDF Adult Clinic with Jane Savoie. I'm sure you know what a wonderful speaker and communicator Jane is, so you can imagine how honored I felt to be selected. We had a wonderful weekend in Louisiana, complete with good Cajun food.



Friends & I enjoyed ourselves in Las Vegas for the World Cup, then it was back into high gear at home, getting ready for the shows in Arkansas last weekend. It was worth it, since we had a great show. Once again, I took 3 Gold Luck offspring to a show and lived to tell about it!



At the First Annual ASBA (Arkansas Sport Horse Breeders Association) Sporthorse Classic under Bill Solyntjes, Ghypsy was 2nd place in the 2 year old fillies, with an overall score 72.6%. After the show, Bill told my husband that he really, really liked her, but she's at an awkward stage of development. This was reflected in her conformation score, which is what pulled her overall down. General Impression score was 7.5 with comment of "pure basic gaits - quiet temperament."



Our little rising star, Gholfer, started his day by winning the 2 year old colts & geldings class with a 76.2%. He went on to win the Colt Championship, so he's now qualified for the USDFBC championships in the fall. And to put icing on the cake, he ended up as Reserve Champion of the show! He got an 8.0 for his walk, and a 7.8 for General Impression with comment "Shows quality movement and willing attitude." While we were waiting for the ribbons to be presented, Bill approached me and told me what a nice horse I had, and said that Gholfer was the only horse he (Bill) had seen at the show who really moved through his back. Sounds like a dressage prospect to me!



Not to be outdone by his younger half siblings, Gladstone was entered in the ADS Country Classic I & II. We finished my Bronze Medal on our first ride under Bill with a 62.562% at 3rd level test 1. (It's only taken me 40 years to get it done!!!) Gladstone is the love of my life - he gives me that "first horse" feeling. Our ride may not have been something to set the dressage world on fire, but for me it was one of those rare, magical moments. When we halted for our final salute, I didn't know whether to shout or cry. It was an emotional moment, and it felt like my Dad was there, sharing it with me; to get the score we needed for our Bronze was just icing on the cake.



Our other rides were also quite good; a qualifying score for GAIG at 3rd 3 from Bill (60.930%) and we finished the weekend with a good ride for Arlene Rigdon (61.025%.) What makes it even better is knowing that we have all the pieces in place. As long as we both stay sound, our Silver medal is in striking distance. Gladstone does all the tempis (even 1's) and he just needs a little more strength to polish the pirouettes. As soon as I can figure out how to count, we�re moving up to 4th level.



Granville didn't get to go to the show, since he's getting started back under saddle. I'll report on his progress later, but you might like to know that he's as elegant and beautiful as ever.



Bobby Morse, who handled the young horses for me, asked me to pass along a "hello" to Tiffany from him.



Back to work for me. Take care of all those wonderful babies & don�t wear yourself out too much!



Lyn





Ghypsy is ranked 23rd in the USDF Horse of the Year for yearling fillies Dressage Sport Horse Breeding. Congratulations Lyn and Ghypsy!

At the Proud Meadows DSHB shows last weekend Ghypsy was a trooper and did a good job, but she's looking baby awkward at the moment. She still made the filly championship class at show II, but didn't qualify for the Breeders Champ.

Scores: Ghypsy
Burton: Conformation 9.4; Walk 5.7; Trot 6.8; General Impression 8.7; for a total of 74.4
Bass: Conformation 7.0; Walk 7.9; Trot 7.1; General Impression 7.3; for a total of 73.3

In the Proud Meadows Sporthorse Breeders Show I and II on June 3rd and 4th in Waxahachie, TX, proud owner Lyn Francik reports that Ghypsy was 2nd in the Fillies of 2005 class on day one with a score of 75.5% under judge Marijane Malouin. She was third in the fillies championship. She was 2nd in the Hanoverian IBC with a score of 72%. She was the high score Hanoverian of the show and received the champion ribbon and glassware! In Show #II, under Dietrich Felgendreher, she won the Fillies of 2005 class with a score of 70.1%, was third in the fillies championship and was once again the high score Hanoverian of the show! Our baby girl is certainly photogenic - most appropriate for a little princess!

Lyn

Owner Comments

Hi Mo,
It's taken me a while, but here's the news I promised to get to you. It's a bit lengthy, so if you want to use any of it, it'll probably need to be pared down.



Big wins for Ghypsy and Gholfer! Youngsters are successful at the USDF/GAIG Mid-States Regional Final.



We loaded Ghypsy and Gholfer in the trailer and headed up the turnpike to Silver Creek Farms the weekend of September 8th - 9th. It was an inauspicious beginning: Lyn's garment bag was left behind, we drove through torrential rains (which produced a record-breaking 7' in the Tulsa area) and then had to deal with the MUD! However, horses and humans took it in stride, and managed to make it to the arena tired, but on time. At Silver Creek I under judge Janine Malone, Gholfer won the 2-year old colts/geldings class (74.6%), and Ghypsy placed a respectable 3rd in her filly class (75.3%.)



The following morning, the "kids" had settled in and were ready to show their stuff at Silver Creek II. With handler Shane Pinney, Ghypsy put in her best run of the year, and General Burton showed his approval with a score of 84.4%, which put her in the winner's circle. Ghypsy then went on to win the show�s filly championship, which qualified her for the Mid-States Regional Final. She also finished the show as Reserve High-point (a mature stallion was higher) and earned the AHS award for the show's highest scoring Hanoverian.
Not too willing to let his "little" half-sister claim all the spotlight, Gholfer had a great run, too. He won his class with 83.4%, and went on to become reserve champion colt/gelding, which qualified him for the Mid-States finals. We then had to make a decision about which USDF/GAIG Final to enter, since Gholfer was also qualified for the Southern Region. After a short debate, we decided to enter Gholfer in the Mid-States.



At the Finals, we found ourselves stacked up against some stiff competition. Offspring of many famous stallions were represented: Londonderry, Contucci, Riverman, Royal Prince, Argentinus, Flemmingh, Rousseau and Fuerst Gotthard, to name a few.



Gholfer strode into the ring with confidence, willing to prove the merit of his breeding. Since he had shown and done well under both judges at previous shows, we hoped he'd have a shot at a good placing, and he didn't let us down. Head held high, he turned in a round that earned a combined score of 81.1%, which was good enough to win the USDF/GAIG Mid-States Reserve Grand Champion Colt/Gelding. We were thrilled!

Ghypsy has grown in awkward spurts, and her conformation scores haven't been as high as her gait scores, so we didn't have high expectations for the championships. We hoped Ghypsy's great gaits would earn her a respectable placing, though. When the announcer called out the 6th - 3rd places and we didn't hear our number, we figured it was over. I was disappointed, but proud, nonetheless. Our filly showed what she was made of, and that really was good enough for me. So, as the reserve champion placing was announced, we turned and were heading out of the ring when we heard our number called. With a final combined score of 80.2%, Ghypsy was the USDF/GAIG Mid-States Region Grand Champion Filly! Our butt-high princess had shown the world that she could move on springs and win judges' hearts!
What a weekend! It's unlikely that we'll ever again have an experience to equal it, so we're savoring the moment. Once again, we owe a debt of gratitude to the wonderful stallion, Gold Luck and his owner, Mo Swanson.



Lyn




Foaling season is here, and you're probably up to your eyeballs. It looks like you've got a bunch ready to hatch right about now. Good choice of theme for this year, and I can�t wait to see pictures of your latest additions!



It's been quite a while, so I thought you might like an update on the kids. They're all fine and growing. Gladstone finally has enough muscle to look like a grownup at 8; I gritted my teeth and came up with the courage to put the stick on him this winter - he's 17-3 so we can safely say he's "almost" 18 hands. In spite of the ridiculous height, he's very balanced & athletic. I almost gave the horses up completely this winter, after losing my Dad, who was my greatest fan & supporter. But I know that's not what he would have wanted, so I got after it again.



One of the things that helped get me back in the saddle was when Gladstone and I were selected to ride for Region 9 in the USDF Adult Clinic with Jane Savoie. I'm sure you know what a wonderful speaker and communicator Jane is, so you can imagine how honored I felt to be selected. We had a wonderful weekend in Louisiana, complete with good Cajun food.



Friends & I enjoyed ourselves in Las Vegas for the World Cup, then it was back into high gear at home, getting ready for the shows in Arkansas last weekend. It was worth it, since we had a great show. Once again, I took 3 Gold Luck offspring to a show and lived to tell about it!



At the First Annual ASBA (Arkansas Sport Horse Breeders Association) Sporthorse Classic under Bill Solyntjes, Ghypsy was 2nd place in the 2 year old fillies, with an overall score 72.6%. After the show, Bill told my husband that he really, really liked her, but she's at an awkward stage of development. This was reflected in her conformation score, which is what pulled her overall down. General Impression score was 7.5 with comment of "pure basic gaits - quiet temperament."



Our little rising star, Gholfer, started his day by winning the 2 year old colts & geldings class with a 76.2%. He went on to win the Colt Championship, so he's now qualified for the USDFBC championships in the fall. And to put icing on the cake, he ended up as Reserve Champion of the show! He got an 8.0 for his walk, and a 7.8 for General Impression with comment "Shows quality movement and willing attitude." While we were waiting for the ribbons to be presented, Bill approached me and told me what a nice horse I had, and said that Gholfer was the only horse he (Bill) had seen at the show who really moved through his back. Sounds like a dressage prospect to me!



Not to be outdone by his younger half siblings, Gladstone was entered in the ADS Country Classic I & II. We finished my Bronze Medal on our first ride under Bill with a 62.562% at 3rd level test 1. (It's only taken me 40 years to get it done!!!) Gladstone is the love of my life - he gives me that "first horse" feeling. Our ride may not have been something to set the dressage world on fire, but for me it was one of those rare, magical moments. When we halted for our final salute, I didn't know whether to shout or cry. It was an emotional moment, and it felt like my Dad was there, sharing it with me; to get the score we needed for our Bronze was just icing on the cake.



Our other rides were also quite good; a qualifying score for GAIG at 3rd 3 from Bill (60.930%) and we finished the weekend with a good ride for Arlene Rigdon (61.025%.) What makes it even better is knowing that we have all the pieces in place. As long as we both stay sound, our Silver medal is in striking distance. Gladstone does all the tempis (even 1's) and he just needs a little more strength to polish the pirouettes. As soon as I can figure out how to count, we�re moving up to 4th level.



Granville didn't get to go to the show, since he's getting started back under saddle. I'll report on his progress later, but you might like to know that he's as elegant and beautiful as ever.



Bobby Morse, who handled the young horses for me, asked me to pass along a "hello" to Tiffany from him.



Back to work for me. Take care of all those wonderful babies & don't wear yourself out too much!



Lyn

Hi Mo, Hopefully, everything is settling down at your end, and less hectic than it�s been at mine. I've finally received a couple of pix from the show; still none of Granville. Don't you love the suspension that Ghypsy is showing? Gholfer is better looking than his photo, but it's still kind of nice; at least you can see how much he's grown. I'll send more pictures along later, once I receive the CD, so you can have some for your "album." Both of the Proud Meadows shows were well attended; certainly the largest DSHB in our region so far. Region 9 grows some really fine horses, and the competition offered some very high quality youngsters. Gholfer and Granville were tense and didn�t show the judges their best "stuff." Even so, they placed respectably, (3rd, 4th) with good scores, but neither were star material that weekend. (Gholfer had a big growth spurt right before the show, so he did look a little thin and awkward.) However, Ghypsy did really well: under Merijane Malouin, she was 2nd in the fillies of 2004 with a 75.5% and 3rd overall filly in the Filly Championship. On Sunday, under Dietrich Felgendreher, whose placement of horses generally was quite different from Malouin's, Ghypsy won her filly class with a 70.1% and was again 3rd in the filly championship. (There were some lovely 2 year-olds, and Ghypsy looked like the baby she is when she was up against them.) Ghypsy also won the American Hanoverian Society's "High Placing" award both days. Not bad for our team, on the kid's first outing! On another front, I took Gholfer and Ghypsy to the vet yesterday for their yearling radiographs. Both were squeaky clean (Dr. Hance said that Gholfer had "textbook perfect" stifles.) It always makes me breathe a big sigh of relief to get young horses past the "developmental problems" age. More later, Lyn Ghypsy, Gholfer, Granville and Gladstone The kids are doing great! If possible, Ghypsy is getting even prettier. She is going to be some mare! Gholfer is just a cool, laid back guy. He's got the BEST hip and shoulder! And Granville refuses to be outdone by the littler ones - he looks just like his gorgeous mama (we call him Fanny's "Mini Me".) We're looking forward to starting him under saddle in a couple of months, and I think he'll be just fine. He likes his bit, and he thinks saddles are no big deal - "where's my treat?" Gladstone is finally filling out and looking like a horse. His changes are coming along very well, so we might be able to move up to 3rd level mid season. (If not, it's no big deal.) We finished 2005 as ODS Vintage Amateur champion at 2nd level, with a median of 61.316%. (If he hadn't been such a big, silly spook at the Briar Fox Farm show, it would have been higher, but that's a horse for you.) Happy New Year! Lyn