by Aly Murphy, Sales Associate

Hi, everyone! My name is Aly Murphy and I work at the SmartPak store in Natick, MA. I’m a senior in high school and have been riding for ten years with my trainer at August Farm. Three years ago, Team August Farm was established. We compete in interscholastic competitions with other middle school and high school teams in Zone 1. The Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA) is run very similar to its college counterpart, the Intercollegiate Horseshow Association (IHSA). There are four divisions, Novice, Intermediate and Open and a Beginner on the Flat class. Each division has a flat class and an over fences class. Each rider randomly selects the horse they will be competing. We are allowed to watch the horses warm-up and are given a brief description of each horse. IEA riders are also given the opportunity to school two fences before we course our horse, unlike the IHSA riders who are not given a warm-up at all.

In order to qualify for Regionals, each rider must accumulate 15 points in each class throughout the season. We have five horseshows to do so. Each team must accumulate 12 points to qualify for Regionals. If you make it through Regionals successfully, you compete at Zones, and then hopefully move on to Nationals! We were the only farm to have both our Middle School and High School Teams qualify for Nationals which was very exciting! After our High School Team won Zone Finals, competing at Nationals became a reality. After congratulations, our coaches were quick to tell us that we would seldom see our stirrups in the next couple of weeks. Awesome. And so, on our way back from Zones, our Mothers began to scramble and make plans. Plane tickets were booked, crisp white show shirts were monogrammed and Tailoreds were dry-cleaned. Finally, on Wednesday, April 29, Team August Farm arrived in Painesville, Ohio at Lake Erie College, nervous, excited and in anticipation of the days ahead.

The facility was beautiful, complete with chandeliers, classrooms and a spacious stadium-style indoor arena. We reported to the barn at 5 AM on Friday to watch the horses warm-up over fences. I was in the second class, and picked a chestnut horse named Sporty. He was adorable and had a big stride so I was able to make the lines that a lot of horses were chipping. I didn’t hold him to the base of my trot fence, however, which definitely hurt my score. All in all, I was proud of my course, despite not finishing in the ribbons. Our other point rider ended up placing third, so by the end of the day we were in a top eight position, which was exciting! After my course, the written Horsemanship Test was given. Although optional, about two hundred riders completed the test, which took material from Pony Club Manuals B and C. Later that night we went to the banquet that was given for all of the teams. We were decked out in our purple and black apparel (our farm colors), glow sticks and Mardi Gras beads. All the teams were fighting for the Team Spirit Award which would be given at the end of the horseshow. The dance floor was a mixture of members from different teams dressed in everything from neon spandex to prom dresses.

The next day, the Huntseat classes didn’t compete until after the Western Individual Finals, which were amazing to watch. None of us really knew what we were looking for, but were mesmerized by how responsive the horses were to their riders. After the Western finals came the Parade of Teams. Each team was called out by their Zone and lined up around the arena for an awards ceremony and the National Anthem. I ended up placing 4th in the Horsemanship test for the high school, and two of our middle schoolers placed also. This was a relief, because I think my trainer would have killed me if I didn’t place well- not to mention, Jen, back at the store!

The next class I competed in was the team flat class. There were a total of nineteen riders riding for their teams, and the class was split into two sections. The top eight riders would be called back to ride the next day. My horse was an awesome, big, dark bay packer, lucky me! I was so nervous before my class because I wanted to do well for my team. I got called back, along with four other of our flat riders in the other divisions! That night at our team dinner, we were all anxious for our classes on Sunday.

We arrived at the barn bright and early for the last day of the horseshow. Instead of riding first, as I normally do, they saved my class for last, for suspense. All of our riders placed in the top three in their classes! I walked in the ring, nervous as ever, on another big, dark bay cutie. As we were asked to walk, trot and canter to the left, I was surprised at how easy the judges were being on us…well, I thought too soon. The next fifteen minutes of the class we were to drop our stirrups and show the extended canter, sitting trot, posting trot and extended trot. My horse was awesome, but definitely loved the extended canter portion of the class, which I had a hard time getting him back from. The top two girls were tested, and the rest of us were excused. They were given a tricky test involving the counter canter and two changes of lead, which they both performed extremely well on their unfamiliar horses. I ended up getting sixth, which meant one point for the team. The August Farm High School IEA Team won fourth at the IEA Nationals. It was an amazing experience, and I loved every minute. Our team grew much closer that weekend, I’m sad it’s my last year! Good luck next year, August Farm, and congratulations to all the IEA riders and teams that competed at Nationals!

by Lauren, Web Designer

Dogs on vacation? Sure, images of basset hounds basking in the ocean sun and poodles primping themselves in salons come to mind – but vacationing with pets is an increasingly popular reality with today’s animal enthused families. According to a 2002 Travel Industry of America survey, 14% of all US adults have travelled with a pet on a trip of 50 miles or more, and the numbers are only increasing. What does that mean for Fido? Pack your bag poochie, we’re hitting the trail!

Early this month, my boyfriend and I decided that our two dogs deserved a little R&R as well, so we gathered everyone up for our first pet-friendly vacation in the Poconos Mountains in Pennsylvania. No stranger to seeing me pack, my Springer Spaniel, Eliot, immediately started his usual routine of pouting around the house as soon as he saw my suitcase fill with clothes. However, those small cries soon turned to yelps of joy when he saw me grab his tote bag and fill it with PortionPaks for him and BT. It was official – Eliot and BT were going on vacation.

Finding a dog friendly hotel is relatively easy. Some Google searches for “Poconos dog friendly” brought us a myriad of choices for the area, and other sites like Pettravel.com and Petfriendlytravel.com listed smaller bed & breakfast type as well as larger chain hotels by area. We settled on a lodge-type small hotel in Starlight, Pennsylvania and had no trouble getting the dogs settled into their new home. After they had food & water, a few of their favorite toys, and crates in the room the dogs figured we had just moved to a tiny new apartment.

Eliot was ready to leave all our possessions behind and move to Starlight Lake, because – well, it had a lake! Every time I took him outside, he pulled and leapt towards the large body of water right outside our hotel room. Neither geese, gnats, nor families with small children trying to enjoy their paddleboats could deter him from his number 1 mission in life – to bring me the orange buoy from the water. BT, who has no real interest in needless fetching or any other real physical exercise, thought the hotel was pretty okay all in all - lots of pillows for her to fluff just right for naps, but an absolutely ridiculous “no dogs allowed” policy in the dining room. Apparently, she’s been yearning for French Toast for years.

When vacationing somewhere with a lot of open space and natural beauty, keeping the dogs active enough to be tired when the people wanted to go do something wasn’t hard. One day we took them to a nearby state park complete with hiking & waterfalls, so the dogs could immerse themselves in what they have entitled “The Nature”.

Eliot thinks “The Nature” is the most amazing place in the whole world. There’s a river running through it with pools for swimming, rocks for leaping, and waterfalls for showers. There are sticks to chew, dead things to smell, and mud everywhere. The dog was so thrilled with the entire outing, that all he could do was just run in big loopy circles around us panting and wagging his little nubby tail as fast as he could.


BT’s verdict on “The Nature”? The nature is hot. The nature is long and tiring. The nature has no fluffy pillows. She didn’t mind the water so much, and would willingly wade into the calmer parts of the river, but swimming was not acceptable (which is fine, because we’re not entirely sure she wouldn’t sink). We walk BT in a comfort harness, which turned out to be a big asset in “The Nature” since sometimes she just wouldn’t move and had to be hoisted up and carried for a few minutes. While Eliot could leap around the woods for about 12 hours, the BT says the nature is acceptable when casually strolling down a shady path.

The long car ride home was no problem for either of my two dogs, because after a little vacation with their parents they were more than ready for some slumber to recover from their adventures with “The Nature”. I experienced a lovely stress-free weekend, not having to wonder how my dogs were getting along at the kennel, and got to enjoy some quality outdoor time with my favorite two and four legged people.

Photo Courtesy of Christel Nelson, Dutchess Hill Photography

by Laura Pola, Product Specialist

While 2009 celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Rolex Kentucky 3-Day Event, it was all a first for me! A New England born-and-bred hunter/jumper rider, I had never truly experienced horse country or 3-day eventing. This year’s Rolex was also the first time I had ever traveled with SmartPak to a horseshow!

I had visited the Kentucky Horse Park many years ago for a hunter/jumper show but remembered very little about it. I was thrilled to see massive, rolling, green fields with new moms and their adorable foals as soon as we left the Lexington airport (and our very bumpy plane) behind. You just don’t see things like that in Massachusetts; our biggest fields are mere postage stamps on a Kentucky-sized field! The show grounds themselves are also a sight to behold, especially with the addition of the brand new outdoor stadium and spectator areas! Again, facilities like these don’t just exist up north. It’s really something else to be smack in the middle of horse country, at one of the most premier equine venues, during one of the biggest 3-day events in the world!

After a day and a half of setting up house, the SmartPak Store was ready for business and the show opened to the public. For those who weren’t able to stop by the booth, we were very excited to feature many of our SmartPak exclusive products, including the brand new SmartSlim, the new SmartPak line of bridles and martingales and Vineyard Vines Totes, Flip-Flops and Belts with horsey patterns! We were also sure to bring along lots of examples of all our custom products like the Custom Photo Panel, Custom Mattes Pads, High Point Custom Saddle Pads and Custom Safety Vests.

Photo courtesy of Christel Nelson, Dutchess Hill PhotographyThe second day of the show brought with it the SmartPak cross-country coursewalk with Kim Severson and Jan Byyny, as well as some heated competition in the dressage arena. Now I don’t know much about 3-day eventing but when I heard Bettina Hoy and Ringwood Cockatoo’s dressage score of 28.8 over the loud speaker, I knew it was a big deal! Therefore, I was very excited when I got to head out to the cross-country course Saturday afternoon to watch a bit and realized I would see Hoy and Ringwood Cockatoo come through the Head of the Lake obstacle. I have to be honest, I didn’t even realize that some of the jumps were not just decoration until the horse was actually jumping them! I did also get a chance to see Lucinda Fredericks and Headley Britannia (or should I say a flash of bright pink) racing down one of the galloping lanes to gain the lead! The ability and athleticism of these horses on the cross-country course left me awestruck. I am so glad that after 17 years of riding, I was finally able to witness some cross-country action firsthand!

Sunday came and we were all excited to be a part of Poggio II’s retirement ceremony. Our embroidery department did another amazing job capturing a handful of his victories on a cooler presented to Pogi, Amy Tryon and owner Mark Hart during the ceremony. It was a heartfelt ceremony for most, but not for Pogi…he was ready to go run Cross-Country! In Pogi’s name, SmartPak dedicated a year’s worth of SmartSupplements to the Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center in Woodinville, WA.

As the show came to an end on Sunday and everyone flocked to the stadium to watch Fredericks and Headley Britannia take their place in the history books as champions of Rolex 2009, I took a moment to reflect on the week. What a whirlwind! In addition to experiencing a whole new discipline of riding, it was great to finally meet some of our customers face-to-face! I also got a chance to meet many of our canine friends and even one baby goat! You never know what might happen at Rolex and I can’t wait for what’s in store for next year!

On a more somber note, our sincere condolences go out to Mike Winter and all involved in the life and training of Kingpin, who’s tragic passing occurred early Saturday morning. Our thoughts are with them during this sad and difficult time.

by Lauren, Web Designer

Having trekked 750 miles from my home state of North Carolina, to “America’s Hometown” in Plymouth, MA – one could say that my living situation has changed. For one, there are considerably more pilgrims here than I have previously experienced in life. Another change has been the weather. I have seen approximately 24” of snow in my entire lifetime – spread out over 24 years and never more than 12” at a time. My two dogs however, have seen considerably less. Snow in North Carolina usually means an inch or so to dust the ground, close down schools, and render grocery stores empty of bread and milk. Eliot, my English Springer Spaniel, never took much notice of Carolina snow and Claudette (affectionately nick-named “BT”), our recently rescued Boston Terrier, thought a crisp fall rain was weather too miserable to venture outdoors.

That being said, my two lovely dogs have handled the snow a bit differently from each other. We thought that something deep down in BT’s heritage would buck up when she returned to her native homeland of Boston, drumming strings of “You’re from Boston and you love cold weather! You’re from Boston and you’re used to snow!” deep in her core… but so far – nothing.

Eliot says toys are much more fun in the snow! You can dump them and shake them and get them full of the fluffy white stuff. Then, when the toy comes inside it creates magical puddles to roll in and track through the house, providing for more hours of entertainment. BT looks longingly at the back door, and isn’t willing to stick her face into the snow for anything – let alone a cold, wet toy.

Eliot rejoices in a fresh foot of snow, because it gives him an excuse to spring enthusiastically throughout the yard (he is a Springer Spaniel, after all). BT despairs in a fresh foot of snow, because it’s almost over her head and she’s forced to spring throughout the yard to make it back inside.

Eliot believes in a sub-culture of invisible snow bunnies that live under the layers of snow and ice. Capturing these bunnies involve a sneak attack, the method which includes (although he’s still mastering techniques) dive bombing, digging, and barking at the snow until the bunnies come out in submission. Efforts to produce the invisible snow bunnies have so far been futile, but Eliot the Secret Agent Spaniel remains hopeful. BT believes she should be given the courtesy of relieving herself inside where it’s warm, but if forced to take care of business outside… the only acceptable place is under the front bushes where snow contact is minimal. Furthermore, Eliot is a moron.

As we (hopefully) turn the last corner of winter and deal with a few more remaining snow storms, my dogs and I continue to deal (or not) with all this newfound winter glory. Locals here tell me that spring will come again, followed by a lovely summer… but I have yet to see any evidence of such. Until then, we’re just trying to stay warm – and BT is picking out her new winter wardrobe.

by Lissa, Senior Marketing Assistant

Last week Becki (marketing manager), Kristi (photography manager), and I set off at 6:00am from Logan Airport headed to Dallas/Ft Worth, a very familiar trip for us. 4:00am is a little early to leave Plymouth, MA in order to make our 6:00am flight, but we weren’t worried because we could just sleep on the flight, or so we thought… Turns out we were our airlines provided entertainment….. the cute youngster sitting behind us doing his best Tommy Lee impression on the tray table, followed by playing with the LOUDEST truck that I think is made (and yes there was also a hair pulling incident). Despite our tired eyes, we made it to DFW in good time, picked up our rental car, and headed north to Aubrey, TX!

With a little help from our trusty GPS, we saw the sign for Tom McCutcheon Reining Horses, Inc. and worked our way down the long drive to the beautiful stone façade of the farm. We were promptly greeted by Megan Schmidt who is the farm’s office manager and wife of assistant trainer Joe Schmidt. Megan gave us a tour of the facility and even brought us to meet the baby that was born that morning! She also guided us around town to tour some of the other local farms which were all quite impressive! After our tours, some discussions about the next day’s plans, and a great lunch with Tom, Mandy McCutcheon and Megan, we were off to our hotel (which turned out to be a LOT farther away than we thought). The morning was sure to come early…..and it did.

We headed out early Tuesday am to meet our photographer for the morning, Darrell Dodds. Darrell has worked with Tom before and is well known in the western industry for his great photography. Our morning was a breeze, and we got some great farm shots and shots of assistant trainers Joe Schmidt and Sebastian Petroll riding.

Then things got a bit more interesting……

Carlee McCutcheon, age 3, recently got Lady Bug…a wonderful mini. When it was time for their shots, Lady Bug was interested in nothing but eating grass (of course). Carlee was decked out in her best outfit..belt buckle, boots, and lots of sparkles included! She loved the camera, and was great fun to work with.

Cade McCutcheon also came out for the shoot and was great to work with. He also was dressed up for the occasion, showing off the shiny belt buckle he recently won (as he should)!

The afternoon progressed with shots of Tom, Mandy and the rest of the family, and we were even able to get a few group shots with breeding manager Barb Wibbels, assistant trainers, and working students.

Shooting wrapped up, photos were downloaded and we said our good bye’s…back to Dallas to stay at the airport there for our 6:45am flight! Fortunately we were able to get a bit of shut-eye on the trip back to the office!

We would like to thank the McCutcheon Family, Support Staff, Darrell Dodds, and especially Megan for being so organized and taking two days out of her busy week to spend with us. We had a really great time and hope to make it back when the grass is green!