Erika Urff

I have been riding since I was eight years old, but have been showing competitively in dressage since 2002. I started on a half Arab mare two times a week, on a lunge line. From this I moved onto a leased 4-year old Quarter horse Pony mare who I rode 5 days a week. After she was relocated I started riding an older schoolmaster 2-3 days a week. Besides lessons with my mother I had occasional lessons with Wendy Christoff. When we moved to Langley I had to find yet another horse to lease. Here I found an older thoroughbred mare that I showed for the first time at FEI Children’s. She was the first horse I ever took to a “big” recognized show. Before that I had only shown at local percentage days or Delta Riding Club hack shows.

Next I moved onto Dog and Pony Venus who Mrs. Forester, owner of The Dog & Pony Shop, generously sponsored me to ride. In the year and a half that I had her, I took her from solid first level to schooling Prix St. Georges. In 2005 I competed at the Dressage Canada National FEI youth Championships in Ottawa and placed second overall, with Venus. Later that year I made a trip to Mexico where I represented Canada as one of four junior riders. It was Mexico City’s first ever CDI***. I came home with a championship, winning two out of the three classes and placing second in the other. This we had to do on borrowed horses with only 2 days of riding prior to the competition. There were riders from seven different countries. Once Venus sold I had to look for yet another horse to ride. I found a seven year old Oldenburg gelding owned by Jim and Judy Clappisson. In the short year that I rode him I took him to the BC Summer games where we won team gold as well as two silver and one bronze individual medals. This same year, 2006 I also competed another horse at the FEI Junior level. By the end of the year the junior horse had sold and I was able to turn my full attention to my young horse, Focus, who at the time was just 4 years old.  Focus is by Flemmingh (Lacapo x Texas) out of Derosa (Deutschmeister x Glencoe). She was bred by my father, Thomas Urff, and given to me at birth as a reward for a successful year in competitive swimming. The deal was if I could place in the top 10 at provincials he would buy me a horse. She was born at a thoroughbred breeders farm in Abbotsford and moved to our property at 2months old. As a foal she was inspected and taken in asRE article.ems a premium offspring under the German Oldenburg Verband. The inspector's comment was "What can I say, she knows what she is!" As a four year old Focus went to her first show, Rising Stars 2006, and competed at first level. She managed the nerves of the show and won over all high point on the PARC side of the show as well as first level champion, hack champion and high score of the show (PARC). In 2007, I thought she should do one show as a five year old before she would leave for Germany. So again, she was entered in Rising Stars, this time at Second level. Once again she handled the show well and won overall high point in the national show as well as Second level champion and hack champion. Everything she could have won she did. Now, Focus is living with me in Germany training with Christian Reisch (thank you to Albrecht Heidemann). Here in Germany I am a working student and ride several horses a day. Once every two weeks I post an article on the website of the Dog and Pony Shop (www.thedogandpony.com) of how things are going.

Now that I have finished competing at the Junior level with four different horses I set my sights on Young Riders, hopefully with Focus. But first I plan to compete a little here in Germany.

At home I also have a three year old Oldenburg mare by Waikiki out of the same mother as Focus.  Spring of 2007 I started to ride her lightly and then I left for Germany. When I return she will be four years old and I look forward to working with her more. We also have a two year old Florencio colt who will be another prospect for me to start with when I return.

For the next year I plan to keep working hard with Focus and come September I will either return home or continue my stint in Germany.