Our boys (and one girl) at Friendship Farm and Yet Again Farm!
ABRACADABRA (PRESTO) Still a handsome devil at 23.
Presto in his prime with Maureen.
Photo by Barry Kaplan
23 year old, 15.3+ hand chestnut Trakehner gelding owned by Maureen Wurzel
The King... Presto is a retired show hunter and was one of the best in his career. Maureen purchased him as a three year old and together they had a long line of successes including competing wonderfully at "A" shows in New England and Harrisburg and Washington International. No horse ever had a prettier jump and he explains the rules of success to all his pasture mates. Presto still looks the part and enjoys the attention royalty deserves. Hacking is his specialty now and showing both people and horses the ropes. He now lives at Friendship Farm year-round.
January 2010 Update: Presto is even more king-like than ever, the studly type who is convinced he owns all that he sees. He is enjoying the trail riding life and looks super sound and comfortable.
IM A MISTER COOL (DUKE) January 28, 1991 - January 14, 2010
Dukie showing off his physique at 18.
Photos by Barry Kaplan
18 year old, 15.1 hand chestnut Quarter Horse gelding owned by Amy Bresky
Dukie never quite found his "career", so he has specialized in being cute. Bred as a halter horse and purchased at auction as a 2 year old by a teenage farm employee, he came to Amy's MA farm to board in exchange for labor. When the teen headed to college, Amy was attached, so he stayed and became a Bresky horse. At that time, it was determined that he had HYPP, a Quarter Horse genetic disease, and has been a real success story in that it has been controlled with diet, exercise and drugs. Unfortunately, in 2009 he developed an inoperable mass behind his eye and nasal cavity. While we cannot make it better, we are doing our best to make him as comfortable as possible for as long as we can. He lives at Friendship Farm year-round where he can sometimes be seen grazing outside the fence all over the farm.
January 2010 Update: Sadly, the day did come when we had to let Dukie go. He left this world with lots of his favorite people around him and a legion of fans who will never forget him. It was a gift that he felt quite good on his last day and we got to see the sparkle in his eye again.
WELKIN
13 year old, 16.1 hand dark bay Hanoverian gelding owned by Amy Bresky
Purchased sight unseen by Amy, Welkin was selected in Germany by her dressage trainer, Verne Batchelder in Spring 2007. It has turned out to be a wonderful decision, as he and Amy have reached heights she only dreamed of before. He is a handsome fireball, with the philosophy that if some is good, more is better, and more power should solve everything. Amy is having a blast learning to channel that energy and is thrilled to have reached the FEI levels. This summer was her first Prix St. Georges of her life, and he gives her the opportunity to learn more together every day.
March 2009 Update: Amy just came back from a great three weeks in Florida working with Verne and doing a little showing. They made another big step and graduated to Intermediare I. It was a successful first outing at that level and now it's time to work on improving all the little details.
May - October 2009 Update: After more fun and successful shows in North Carolina with scores at Intermediare I to over 67%, the trip back to MA proved to be disastrous. Welkin arrived very lame, and we'll never know how or where but it turned out that a piece of wood went directly up into the delicate structures in his foot, doing damage and causing infection. After spending the entire summer stallbound at the equine hospital and enduring numerous antibiotic profusions, an MRI and a CAT scan, as well as surgery and shock wave therapy, he is enjoying his return to Southern Pines. He is still not completely sound but there is hope that he will slowly recover from the deep digital flexion ligament injury. He now gets to go out in a small round pen with his buddy, Simon, on the outside around him, and gets handwalked several times a day. Everything possible medically has been done and time is now his best ally and hope.
January 2010 Update: Amy can now get on and ride Welkin at the walk and he is such a gentleman about it. He seems to enjoy this relaxed version of riding and gets a half-hour daily, plus his handwalking. Kelly, our ban manager, has been wonderful about making sure he gets his handwalk time. He's now sound at the walk but not 100% sound at the trot, so time is still our best hope.
April 2010 Update: It's now 11 months after his injury, and Welkin is back in nearly full work. Sometimes there are a couple of funny steps as he warms up but his ride after that is just great. He is focusing on his collected work at this time, to continue to keep the weight off his front end. This is actually very important, as it is addressing some old issues for the powerhouse. Amy is not riding for the next few weeks, recovering from an emergency appendectomy, so dear friend and talented rider, Jeanette Van Mill, is continuing Welkin's exercise and training. He is looking great and things are hopeful for the future.
July 2010 Update: Welkin miraculously went back into competition this month and was a star. He has qualified for the Regional Championships at Intermediare I on his first outing and was sound and happy. What a gift!
TANTALLONS CO-CAPTAIN (LINUS)
Patrick and Linus competing at the Big E in
Springfield, MA in September 2008.
Linus wins his first Green Conformation Hunter Model Pony
class at HITS in Ocala this past winter!
6 year old, 14.2 hand liver Chestnut Welsh cross pony gelding owned by Patrick Wurzel
Linus was purchased as Patrick's next pony after he outgrew the legendary The Divine Miss M (Madeline, see below). Linus was purchased from the breeder in the spring of 2007, as a barely broken 4 year old. Maureen liked his eye and his attitude, and her instincts were right, as she (with Patrick's help) have done his training. He has been a successful Children's Hunter Pony and now a Green Conformation Pony Hunter, and he and Patrick have ventured into Equitation as well.
August 2009 Update: Linus and Patrick were stars at the Pony Finals in Kentucky!!! Out of 75 top Large Green ponies in the country, Linus was THIRD in the model, and he and Patrick were 16th overall. Way to go, Patrick and Linus!
SIMON
 Photos by Barry Kaplan |
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20 year old, 16.0 hand bay Quarter Horse cross gelding owned by Karen Mackey and Amy Bresky
Simon is perfect... it's not boasting, just the reality. Purchased 5 years ago from a close friend, Simon has many roles. He is Karen's horse for the summer in MA when he does a lot of trail riding, some ring work if necessary, and his favorite activity of all, jumping. During the winter, he travels to Southern Pines, as the perfect guest horse, building confidence and skills for whoever is on his back. Truly bomproof, yet lots of fun to ride, he also has an important job as the key to Welkin's sanity.
October 2009 Update: Unbelievably, Simon has sustained a suspensory injury. We don't know what caused it but he is thoroughly enjoying his time off. We are hopeful he will make a recovery. This is really working for him!
January 2010 Update: Simon is unfortunately still lame but has really settled into the non-riding life. He goes out with his friend Welkin every day and loves being a furball.
April 2010 Update: Simon is looking more sound these days and much to his dismay, we are going to start walking him under saddle and see how it goes. He will be a perfect gentleman, of course.
BRENT RH (BRENT)
4 year old, 16.1 hand chestnut Hanoverian gelding owned by Amy Bresky
The youngest member of the group, he was bred by Amy's dressage trainer, Verne Batchelder, and is by his wonderful stallion Bretone. Purchased as a weanling, he has grown up with Verne, living in both NH and Florida. He has a relaxed attitude about everything and fits in wonderfully wherever he goes. He was started under saddle by Verne's daughter, Nora, in FL last winter and then went back to growing up in a field in NH for a while. Nora put him lightly back under saddle this summer and came to live with Amy at Friendship Farm in November 2010. His riding career can go either way, hunters or dressage, as we have both interests here on the farm.
January 2010 Update: After a brief stint at Don Sheehan's barn here in Southern Pines to get him acclimated to the great outdoors, Amy is now riding Brent in the ring and going for walks around the immediate farm area. So far he has been remarkably sensible for a youngster. He will be going to Ocala with Amy in February for a month to see the world, both with lessons with Verne and field trips to the HITS Hunter/Jumper showgrounds nearby to see the sights.
April 2010 Update: Florida was great for Brent, and he got used to the idea of open spaces and was amazed by all when he visited the showgrounds. He has turned into an excellent trail horse and loves his outings throughout Southern Pines. His steering, which he has never shown much interest in, is improving and his gaits are becoming more balanced. Verne has ridden him during the most recent clinic, as Amy has been unable to ride, and it is great to see the progress. Maureen has also helped Amy start a little jumping with him, and as with most things, he is unfazed. His career is still undetermined, whatever he likes best and is best at.
O'REILLY
15 year old, 16.2 hand dark bay Thoroughbred gelding owned by Maureen Wurzel
O'Reilly is a very talented show hunter who has competed up and down the east coast and Canada. Maureen brought him from a barely broken 3 year old who was in a dressage barn and has taken him to successes in both the Adult Hunters and the Amateur-Owner Hunters. He was leased to a Canadian mother /daughter pair who enjoyed and successfully showed him in Canada and at the Wellington Equestrian Festival in FL for the last year. He is now back at Yet Again Farm and loving the relaxed life and lots of turnout with Alcotan. Maureen can still knock out a letter-perfect trip on the handsome "machine".
January 2010 Update: Next month "O" will head to Ocala, Florida for the HITS Show Circuit for a few weeks and Patrick will debut in the hunters, with maybe some jumpers and equitation thrown in.
April 2010 Update: Florida was very successful for Patrick and 'O", with wins every weekend. Patrick is unable to ride during the week because of school and drove (he has his learner's permit now) with his dad the 8+ hours each way to compete each weekend.
ALCOTAN
15 year old, 16.1 hand bay Adalusian/Hanoverian gelding owned by Amy Bresky
Alcotan is back on the farm after a year away with a wonderful friend, Carrie, in Annapolis. He had been imported from Spain as a dressage horse at 5 and had been subsequently purchased as a resale project by Missi, another friend and talented FEI rider in Tennessee. When it was discovered that his issues with dressage were tough to fix, Missi's busy training schedule with other clients' horses put Alcotan on the back burner and he happily lived out in her big field for a couple of years. Missi kindly let Amy lease Alcotan when she had a horseless moment several years ago. Taken sight unseen, it was another love affair when he stepped off the trailer. His short back did make dressage tough, and in guidance counselor fashion, Amy found him another career as a show hunter and bought him. Amy and Alcotan had great fun competing very lightly on the "A" hunter circuit in between Amy's dressage shows with her other horses, until a suspensory injury sidelined him. He has now recovered thanks to Carrie's careful rehab work, and is enjoying a relaxing non-jumping life on the farm, trail riding and being his ever-sweet self.
May 2010 Update: Unfortunately, Alcotan's previous suspensory injury came back to haunt him. Even with light work, it was damaged again and the vets believe it is degenerative rather than a sudden occurence. Sadly, it was time to retire him, and as Missi kindly agreed to when I took him, he has gone back to live at her wonderful retirement farm in Tennessee. Kelly and I drove him the 10 hours out and it was actually a very special trip, as we got to have a rare visit with Missi and see my legendary retired dressage horse, Casper, who after 6 years there rules the place and still looks as handsome as everl
MADELINE (THE DIVINE MISS "M")
Patrick gets a surprise Christmas present in '02
Patrick's last show with Madeline at the Big E in '07. She
grew up to be a beauty!
11 year old, 12.3 hand gray Welsh pony mare owned by Patrick Wurzel
She's the only girl of our herd and what a lady she has grown up to be! Madeline was purchased as a Christmas surprise gift for Patrick when he was 8. She was a school pony at 4 years old, which gives you an idea of her excellent mind. She was safe as can be for Patrick in his early years of riding and taught him to really ride, as she took perfect care of her young charge while giving nothing away. She has been leased to the Jacobs family and lives in the lap of luxury showing a young boy the ropes in NY and Florida, while still being very successful in Short Stirrup.
December 2009 Update: Mads is back home! We are all very excited to see her, especially all the geldings. She is even prettier than we remembered and such a force. Presto is particularly excited to have his girl back. Somehow she looks even smaller, now that Patrick is so much taller.
April 2010 Update: Miss M has thoroughly enjoyed her time at Yet Again Farm (and Maureen and Patrick have especially enjoyed having her back) but no one is the right size to ride her. She has left the farm to be bred (can't wait!) and then after she is in foal, she is leased to a family in Maryland with a young girl who will work up to doing the Short Stirrup divisions with her. Mads knows her job with the little ones well, and will take care of the young thing while teaching her to ride.
June 2010 Update: Madeline is pregnant!! She is continuing to educate her child during her lease in Maryland and we look forward to seeing her back on the farm in the late fall. If all goes well, stay tuned for photos of the cutest foal next spring!