Strangling in Silence
The National Stud Farm still isn’t saying if it has or hasn’t got a case or two of Strangles, despite one dead horse and a few positive tests. The farm, which also postponed its 2003 Premier Sale for what was suspected to be the same (yes, unconfirmed) reason, still needs more time to prepare a statement. That hasn’t stopped the Department of Veterinary Services from issuing its own statement confirming that the NSF is quarantined.
Jump-Off suggests it is time the NSF comes clean on this.
To Show or Not to Show
Rumours abound that Malaysia’s show season is in jeopardy because of the Strangles scare. What is true is that many clubs are being extremely cautious about movement of horses if allowed at all. Bukit Kiara Resort has stopped allowing any horses into the club for the time being, which puts the Premier Cup and its 1st SEA World Cup qualifier in jeopardy.
Hello, Calling Manila
The Asian Equestrian Federation has confirmed that in addition to dressage and jumping, eventing and endurance will be part of the 2006 Doha Asian Games. If only we could get Manila to confirm which equestrian disciplines for the 2005 Manila SEA Games. While everyone gets 2½ years to prepare for Doha, only the Filipinos know which events they will hold next year. Polo, anyone?
Slow down? What slow down?
Having narrowly escaped with their lives after MEM House short-circuited, our MEM heroes issued one of their famous letters to inform one-and-all of alternative phone and fax numbers and implied there might be a slow down in service.
The “slow down in service” caused some collective giggling when it was read aloud in an equestrian centre’s office. Jump-Off has no idea why anyone would think it is funny that the MEM could get any slower.
Losing Phones, Losing Touch
A Trade Expo participant at the National Horse Show lost his mobile phone, only for it to be found by a rival exhibitor. Not being a XXX site, Jump-Off can’t repeat the phone sex that went on between the finder while he was trying to trace the owner by calling back to “I Love You” and getting phone owner’s wife. Our transcript would look like a Beckham text message, full of ****’s and more ****’s.
Another Day, Another Mountain
Not content with the mountains she regularly climbs at work, Selangor Turf Club Equestrian Centre’s Lorna Fisher recently took on a real mountain, climbing Mount Kinabalu with pal Juwanda Hassim.
Yo, Jack!
Congratulations to Jennifer Too and her husband Chris Yeo, on the birth of their first baby, Jack, born on Friday 18th June 2004. Jack is the first child of Jennifer and Chris, and only grandson to Feng Shui Master Lillian Too and Too Wan Jin.
Off to Oz
Congrats also to Johari Lee for securing the necessary to spend four months in Australia training, competing and working towards the EFA/NCAS Level 2.
Recovering
- Confluence, the Ratnasingham’s champion racemare, from surgery to repair damage incurred while running in the SIA International Cup in Singapore. She will never race again but will start a new career as a broodmare. It means we won’t get to see Neelan riding Confluence in showjumping classes, but maybe, one day, her offspring.
- Bob Blake, feisty Royal Selangor Polo Club octogenarian from food poisoning.
Transitions
- French equestrian trainer Jean-Philippe Robin now acts as a sales consultant for Transtheme Sdn Bhd
- NCAS Trainee Instructor Jallee has moved from Taman Equine to Selangor Turf Club Equestrian Centre
- Assistant Instructor Firdaus has moved from Taman Equine to Selangor Polo Country Club.
- Sherry Thomas, Yien Pua and Carol and Barry Lim have moved their horses from Taman Equine to Selangor Polo Country Club.
Website of the Month
Top 10 Signs Your Dressage Needs Work ...
- Your halt was perfect except it was before entering at A
- You look up from your salute and find that you are facing the wrong direction
- Your horse confuses dressage arena rail for a cavaletti; exits at K
- Your circles shape reminds the judge that she has to pick up eggs on the way home.
- Your serpentine was perfect, except that it was supposed to be a straight centerline.
- Your horse believes "free walk" means leaving the arena and heading towards the nearest patch of grass.
- Your walk seems to be more "rare" than "medium".
- You have a caller and you still get eliminated for too many errors of course.
- Your shoulder-in gets the remark “STILL on two tracks.”
- The judge falls down laughing instead of returning your salute at the end of your test.
To read previous editions of Jump-Off, please click on the links below:
Jump-Off XXXI - 20 May 2004
Jump-Off XXX - 17 April 2004
Jump-Off XXIX - 27 February 2004
Jump-Off XXVIII - 5 February 2004
Jump-Off XXVII - 21 January 2004
Jump-Off XXVI - 22 Dec 2003
Jump-Off XXV - 10 Dec 2003
Jump-Off XXIV – 28 Nov 2003
Jump-Off XXIII - 15 Nov 2003
Jump-Off XXII - 25 October 2003
Jump-Off XXI - 1 October 2003
Jump-Off XX - 1 September 2003
Jump-Off XIX - 12 August 2003
Jump-Off XVIII: Not-The-Equestrian Awards - 17 July 2003
Jump-Off XVII - 14 June 2003
Jump-Off XVI - 24th May 2003
Jump-Off XV - 25th April 2003
Jump-Off XIV - 31st March 2003
Jump-Off XIII - 6th March 2003
Jump-Off XII - 12th February 2003
Jump-Off XI - 16th January 2003
Jump-Off X - 12th December 2002
Jump-Off IX - 14th November 2002
Jump-Off VIII - 19th September 2002
Jump-Off VII - 6th September 2002
Jump-Off VI - 13th August 2002
Jump-Off V - 2nd August 2002
Jump-Off IV - 15th July 2002
Jump-Off III - 27th June 2002
Jump-Off II - 20th June 2002
Jump-Off I - 14th June 2002
Other fun:
South East Asian Open World Dressage Championship 2004
Rodrigo to ride for Malaysia
Jump-Off's New Years Resolutions - 29th December 2002
Selling Terms
Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this and previous Jump-Offs. If you have an interesting story that you think should be in Jump-Off, please e-mail pete@equestrian.com.my
