Sheri Jennings was kind enough to share her thoughts and impressions of her very special weekend with Debbie McDonald. Thank you, Sheri!
Debbie McDonald and Brentina
Thank you CDS for sponsoring the annual Adult Amateur clinics. What a wonderful program it is, and such a great opportunity for community with other chapter members while learning from experts. This year the clinician was Debbie McDonald and mine was the lucky name drawn at our annual CDS East Bay awards dinner and meeting. The Northern California clinic was held starting Thursday evening, May 27th.
The clinic was wonderfully organized by Sharon Marshall from the Sonoma Chapter who stepped in at Bobby Keville’s request. Sharon’s first e-mail to the clinic participants said “I told Bobby I would do my very best for the riders, so I am going to do my very best for Bobby”. The result was a wonderful, well organized clinic. Many thanks Sharon. Thanks also to Gwen Kilchherr, helped by Mary Love, who provided daily hospitality including breakfast and lunch, and to the other Sonoma Chapter volunteers who helped make the weekend so enjoyable. Bobby was mentioned often and fondly, and this clinic was really dedicated to her.
It poured with rain the day we arrived (I still can’t believe it’s raining in May and June!) yet all of us made it to the beautiful Santa Rosa Equestrian Center (SREC) without incident. I didn’t have far to go; some participants came from as far as Eureka, Redding, and Reno. We were all so glad to arrive intact, and compared travel stories. Sharon was there to meet each of us and our horses, and to help us settle in.
Tracy Underwood and her husband Wesley Leckner were our hosts and are owners of SREC. SREC is a wonderful facility on a large and lovely property. The very large indoor barn in which the clinic was held and our horses stayed has a huge arena with EquiBase footing – it was heaven to ride on, and the barn had wonderful natural light. Tracy was so helpful and tirelessly available, always ready to help or answer questions, and all with a welcoming smile.
Thursday evening Tracy and Wesley graciously invited us into their home for an informal and intimate dinner where we got to know each other and Debbie a bit. Debbie talked some about the weekend and answered questions from participants. She stressed basics, especially connection; as she put it “without connection you don’t have anything”. Connection, transitions, and feeling (“if you can feel something then you can duplicate it”) were the major themes for the weekend. (We also met two wonderful characters who would prove to give great weekend entertainment to all – Tracy’s boxer, named Munson, and Debbie’s Jack-a-Poo, named Halle Berry.)
The clinic began early Friday morning and the format for all three days was private ½ hour lessons for each 14 participants. Every one of us rose to the occasion and rode our best. We encouraged, helped, and supported one another and I was struck by what wonderful women I had the good fortune to spend the weekend with. Debbie was indefatigable; as energetic, keenly observant and encouraging on Sunday as she was on Friday. Comparing notes with other participants it seemed she found something key to work on for each of us, and expressed it clearly. I’m sure we each went away with our specific piece of work to continue: I know I did.
There were horses at nearly every level and I learned so much from watching others’ lessons. For myself, Debbie worked all three days on connection – steady outside rein and soft inside rein. On Sunday we added half-steps and achieved lightness and self-carriage which I could really feel. I can still hear Debbie’s voice “OUTSIDE REIN, OUTSIDE REIN!” And I can still hear her praise and encouragement: “GOOD GIRL- feel THAT?!”
Saturday night was a very nice buffet dinner in the barn (which was dressed with tablecloths and flowers!) with more opportunity to chat amongst ourselves and compare notes. We had our last sessions on Sunday, packed up and started our journeys home. I suspect my clinic colleagues were feeling as enriched and inspired as I was. A weekend with treasured memories!
