Summerama 2001

as published in The Rider July 2001

by Carol Reeves & Jodi Mallette

Summerama 2001 was hugely successful in many ways and for many reasons.

Many thanks are due to the exhibitors who once again supported Summerama with 4000 entries! We had exhibitors come from as far away as Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Quebec, California, Ohio, Michigan, Arizona, Texas and Florida. Their were a number of Congress and World show horses and riders on the grounds and it is a quite a statement that we host an Ontario show that attracts this caliber of top horses! . The opportunity to spend 4 days riding in their company is a great learning experience and one of the best ways to improve your own skills is to watch the best at work and you didn’t have to travel far to do it! 

The Summerama committee sincerely appreciates the continued support given by our exhibitors and trust that by their support they are telling us we are meeting their needs. Showing at Summerama requires an incredible commitment of both training to get to the show and the staying power to keep showing over 4 very long days. We will be looking at some suggestions for changing the show program for 2002 and hope to be able to offer even more events and possibly a multiple ring format.

The opening ceremonies started off the show and went over well with a fantastic Wine and Cheese Party hosted by Jim and Barb Lockeyer of Peace Acres Farm - home of “The Next Star”. We had a great time presenting the Ontario Youth Team Tournament team members and gearing them up for their tough competition in the days ahead. Patti Carter also held a free trail clinic to get everyone in the “show” mode. All had a great time!

Saturday night was our exhibitor buffet courtesy of Thomas Equipment Ltd. The food just kept on coming! And they kept everyone entertained with a demonstration of their “skid steer rodeo”. Another great time!

The show ended off with presentations of our High Point Award Winners and here they are:


· Amateur: Nancy Alto Renfrew & Artful Investment

· Novice Amateur: Leslie Mastromatteo - Reviewin Me For Sure – Caledon East, Ontario

· Youth 14 - 18: Kaleena Katz - Sonnys Count Te Zip

· Youth 13 & Under: Tausha Helleyer - Triple Scorcher, Waterford, Ontario

· Novice Youth: Laura Sommerville, This Star Plays Next, Midland Mi

· Canadian Amateur: Karen Linnell, Summerberry Sask.

· Reserve Canadian Amateur: Joanne Black, Orangeville, Ont. 

· Canadian Novice Amateur: Leslie Mastromatteo, Caledon East, Ont.

· Reserve Canadian Novice Amateur: Tanya Anderson, Petrolia, Ontario

· Canadian Novice Youth: Jessie Spence, Orillia, Ontario

· Reserve Canadian Novice Youth: Amada Pierra, Nobelton, Ontario

· Canadian Youth: Tausha Helleyer, Waterford, Ontario

· Reserve Canadian Youth: Alyse Roberts, Watford, Ontario

Congratulations to all of our winners! Watch the Rider for more details on Summerama plans for 2002 in the Area 3 Promotional Club news.

Thank You Letter

 as received by the Summerama show committee

from Jacque Moody

To All the Wonderful Office Staff at Summerama:

My daughter Michele Moody was thrown from her horse during Sunday's Amateur Equitation Over Fence Class. She was taken to Headwaters Hospital and from there transported to Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto. The doctor at Headwaters correctly diagnosed that she had multiple compression fractures of L-1, L-2 and L-3. Due to his lack of knowledge in orthopedic medicine, he requested she be transported to Sunnrbrook for further evaluation and a Cat-Scan. Sunnybrook did a lot of work on Michele and released her to us with a diagnosis that nothing was broken and that other than bruises she was fine.

Michele continued to have severe pain and upon arrival in the States we decided to take her immediately to the University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor where she works as a nurse. The U of M concurred with the findings of the doctor at Headwaters Hospital. Michele's fall resulted in a compression fracture of L-1, L-2 and L-3 plus bruising of her tailbone, plus muscle and ligament damage. 

The good news is that she will heal and she will ride again. The sad part of the whole thing is that she while she finished qualifying for World Competition in her hunter hack class, she missed qualifying by 1 point in working hunter. 

We are so very grateful to the staff and people who not only took care of Michele on the grounds, but showed so much concern for her well-being. 

I would appreciate your relaying our appreciation to Sue Nye and everyone else who was on staff in the office on Sunday and throughout the show. We have never encountered so much warmth and concern and want you to know what wonderful people you have on the Summerama team.

Thank you again.

Jacque Moody