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Nestled in the rolling, grassy foothills of Sonoita is a quaint little place I like to think of as "Little Germany." It is, in fact, the location of the St. Georg Dressage and Schooling Barn, as well as the home of Guy Vaughn and trainer Scarlett Fahrenson. The reason the "Little Germany" so aptly applies is apparent the moment you look out from the house over the valley where the training facility is situated. The bright, bold gold, black and red of the German flag are splashed colorfully over the scenery: the bench by the barn, an oxer in the jumping field, the trim on the dressage arena's judging stand, even the mounting block! It is easy to imagine that you have been transported to the homeland of some of the world's foremost dressage riders.
This was precisely why we were there--a number of curious TDC members made the trek to Sonoita to participate in a clinic with German-born Margret Dietmann, an internationally known rider, trainer, and clinician. Some of you may be thinking, "If she's so well known, why haven't I heard of Margret Dietmann before?" This was exactly the question I put to our gracious hostess, Scarlett.
"To tell you the truth," responded Scarlett, "I didn't know of Margret before, either." But insiders in the world of dressage know Margret, and she is highly recommended by the Westfälisches Pferdestammbuch e.V. (Westphalian Horse Breeding Association). The thing you must understand is that there are Olympic riders who have risen to the top because they have money to ride the best horses with the best
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trainers. These riders are the few whose names we all know. There are many others who are far more expert at teaching and training because they have ridden literally thousands of horses. The student of dressage must not be blinded by fancy names. We have a saying in Germany: 'What the farmer doesn't know, he doesn't eat.' It would be stupid to starve rather than eat some unknown delicacy. This saying applies to learning dressage. Just because you don't know someone's name doesn't mean you can't learn from him--look at the credentials!"
And Margret Dietmann does have some impressive credentials, indeed. She has competed extensively at the Grand Prix level and is also a judge. She is employed by the Westphalian Association where she helps overlook their breeding program, rides for their one-hundred-day mare and stallion tests, and is a demonstration rider for the auctions. Margret has also spent six years in Japan teaching their professionals and future Olympians. (She speaks fluent Japanese and English!) She now spends about 320 days a year traveling between the U.S., Japan, and Canada conducting training clinics.
Scarlett and Guy came into contact with Margret after they began importing Westphalian Warmbloods. Scarlett is especially impressed with this particular breed because of their character and movement. "Margret called us about a year ago and said she would try to come for a clinic after the Westfalian Mare
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Inspection in Phoenix." And so, true to her word, Margret arrived in Sonoita in late July. Those of us fortunate enough to experience her clinic were greatly inspired. I, your roving ACE REPORTER, have selected some of the comments made by the participants to share with you in an attempt to convey the excitement that we felt.
Pia Cuneo: Margret was a pleasure to experience! Here was someone who obviously enjoyed teaching and working with different people and horses. She was professional and positive, a no-nonsense but generous teacher with a sharp eye, a precise vocabulary, and a great sense of humor. She was quickly able to assess horse and rider, both as independent entities and as a combination. Often she would ride the horse herself, which was a great treat for the auditors who could then see how Margret kindly and competently communicated with the horse, encouraging it to listen, participate, and perform. It was very impressive! We had the sense that her foremost concerns were always with the good of the horse, the safety of the rider, and a positive learning experience for them both. Thanks to Scarlett for her generous hospitality and for providing the TDC community with this wonderful opportunity. We are all hoping that Margret returns to southern Arizona very soon!
Alice Furgason: I audited the clinic on Tuesday. Margret is a talented rider and a gifted instructor. It didn't matter what level the horse or rider was capable of, Margret tackled each challenge with a relaxed and positive style. You (Continued on page 17)
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