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-PERFORMANCE ONLINE- |
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The Bonds That Hold Us
The Unspoken Relationship Which Makes
Horse and Rider One.
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Egyptian
Performance Horses |
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Amy Fumer
Vogel And Wonderful El Gohara+/ |
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When asked to tell about El Gohara's career, I can't do it.
It's not just about a horse and his show wins. He is more than just a horse to me.
He has been my inspiration. Together we achieved my dreams of competing
successfully at the U.S. Nationals. |
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El Gohara was Born June
5th, 1987 at Gleannloch Farms in Barksdale, Texas. I first saw him when he
was a few days old on a visit to Gleannloch to purchase a breeding stallion.
He was already spoken for, so I picked another colt. In the Fall of 1988, the
colt I had chosen did not work out, so he was returned to Gleannloch in order to
choose another. El Gohara (The Jewel of the Nile) was in the group I was
allowed to choose from. It appeared that El Gohara was destined to go to
Wisconsin from the beginning. |
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Appropriately, he was
delivered to Louisville on October 8th, where I picked him up while I was attending the
Arabian Nationals. |
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I saw my first
Dressage National Championships that year. The desire to compete at that level, in that
moment was born. |
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THE FORMATIVE YEARS |
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Gohara came home
that year to grow up and become my future herd sire. By Fall of 1990 he had matured, and
bred some mares. My goal of competing in dressage at the
National Level had not been forgotten. So the decision was made to start
riding Gohara. He was very rambunctious and liked to buck, which made things
a little difficult to advance. |
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I then decided we
might get along a little better if he was a gelding. It was more important to me to ride
and show him, than to just have a breeding horse. In December he
was gelded, the following spring we hit the show circuit. At his first
show he was named Champion Gelding in Halter. It takes a good colt to make a great
gelding. |
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At that
time he still liked to buck a little. We occasionally gave a
rodeo demonstration in the middle of a
test. |
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THE BRASS RING
IS JUST IN REACH |
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The big ring at the
Egyptian Event was almost a racetrack one year when noises behind a curtain gave him a
spook. Together, we learned to channel that energy into success. |
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Our next goal was
to be good enough to be competitive at the Regional Championship Level. By 1992,
we were there, but not good enough to win anything. I just wanted a Top
Five Award:) In 1993, we finally made it!! |
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On to the
National Level in Louisville. That was an experience!! I
was surrounded by rider from the
Olympics. I wondered why I was there. But Gohara was a solid performer, we
made a top twenty. |
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During the
same time we were also showing Hunter Pleasure, and doing better in the Hunter discipline at
the Regional Level, winning a Reserve Championship in 1993. We
continued to try at Nationals, always being just out of Top Ten. Until 1998,
when we finally broke into Top Ten at Third and Fourth Level Dressage. |
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I had
trained Gohara myself, so it took longer for us to learn together, a little longer than other with
trainers. |
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THE TRIBULATIONS
OF THE HEART |
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Gohara had
a serious eye problem develop in 1996, that almost cost us his career. We had to do
surgery on it because of a large corneal defect. For three day after, he was in so much
pain. He would come to me and just want me to hold his head as he pressed it
against my chest for support. I gave him a great deal of pain medications,
but I couldn't keep him comfortable. It broke my hear to see him in so much
pain but he endured, he toughed it out, and never looked back!! |
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In 1999, it
was El Gohara's turn to give me support. I had developed Autoimmune Hepatitis. It was
from the Lupus I already had. I almost lost my life. I didn't know if I
would ever ride again. |
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With the wonder of
medications, I pulled through. The dream of a National Championship with Gohara gave me the
drive to fight all the way back. Being able to ride him again was such a
joy, I truly appreciated it even more. The Egyptian Even that year was the
first show that I felt like I could breathe again. What a thrill it was to
make a comeback in the saddle with Gohara and win the Performance Pyramid
Challenge. I was so happy just to be there with Gohara. |
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We made the
trek to Albuquerque, site of the Arabian Nationals that year. We made Top Ten in Fourth Level, but
Gohara was a little sore from the deep footing. For his safety,
we couldn't participate in the Ride off for champion. We had other years
yet to come hopefully, right? |
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In 2000, we
returned to the Egyptian Event to win the Performance Pyramid Challenge again.
Gohara has so much heart. He did everything I asked of him, even Costume Class
which he hates. He also became part of the multi-media production, for
the Grand Finale, center ring at the Egyptian Event, doing his part as an
actor portraying a good Bedouin horse. |
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2000 was
our year, we were really ready for our first attempt at the International Level of
Dressage...the Prix St. Georges. We had to go to open dressage shows to qualify for
Nationals because it wasn't offered at Local Class A shows. some of the
well noted dressage people looked at us strangely at first. But we
earned their respect, by September we had a following when we headed to the
ring. People wanted to see this Arab perform The Prix St. Georges. |
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Arabian Nationals 2000, were
really a series of highs and lows. The day after we arrived at Louisville, I
rode Gohara, and something wasn't right. I thought maybe his new shoes were
bothering him, but I wasn't that lucky. The following day, he could not even
trot. We discovered he was extremely sore in the muscles of his left hind
leg. He somehow had bruised them leaning against the partition in the trailer
on the way to the show. I spent an hour, three times a day, hot soaking and
massaging him. |
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The day of
our Fourth Level ride was Sunday. He was sound, so I rode the test, but he wasn't totally
right. The rider made mistakes, so we just missed Top Ten. On Tuesday, I
saddled him for The Prix St. Georges, he was feeling great. He even had a
hump in his back when I first got on. I hoped he didn't feel too good, else he
wouldn't stay together for the test. We entered the ring, he set his head and did
everything I asked of him. He hit all the Tempi Flying changes every 3rd and 4th
stride. His canter pirouettes were beautiful. I was flying high!
When we headed down center line and halted, I was so happy that I collapsed on
his neck, hugging him and crying. I still get goose bumps thinking about it. |
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I didn't
care how we finished up, we did the best we could possibly do. |
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Can you believe,
just 8 rides later, we were named National Champions. I still can't stop grinning. |
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In 2001, we
began showing in Intermediare I Level Dressage, which requires flying lead changes every
2nd stride, full canter pirouettes, and canter half passes in a zigzag.
We were almost qualified for Open Show Regionals when we had another
setback. Gohara became ill with respiratory problems and started to founder.
I could tell when I walked in his stall, something was wrong. He came
over once again and pressed his head against me, as if to say, Help Me.
The local large animal veterinarian said he was fine, but I knew better.
With the help of an Equine Specialist, we have recovered and hopefully will be back
in full force for 2002. |
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Now you see
why I couldn't just tell all of you, about El Gohara's wins or show record, there's more to him
than that. He and I are bonded in Sickness and in Health. He is
my essence and I am his. |
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Wishing the Best Achievements and Dreams to You All. |
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From: Amy and El Gohara+/ |
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THE EGYPTIAN EVENT 2004
Mark your calendars for June 7-12th, 2004
A Show Like No Other
Held at the prestigious Kentucky
Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky. A horse lover's paradise
combined with excellent horses, educational opportunities,
entertainment, and family fun.
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