Hello everyone! This is so exciting to be able to record my trip! So, my name is Isabelle Leibler, and I will be traveling to Europe to compete for the USA at the International Youth Festival along with my two ponies Depardieu and Going West! Being selected to compete at this show and train with some of the most amazing trainers still doesn't feel very real. I still can't believe that tomorrow night I will be on a plane to Europe to begin this amazing experience!
So the packing has finally come to a close...after 2 weeks! My suitcases are fully packed and ready to go to the airport! I have been reading that it's a bit chilly over there, which will be great since the weather has been so hot in Florida where we have been staying! I'm sure the ponies will feel nice and fresh and ready to go after they recover from their flight. I'm going to miss my boys until I see them again on Monday! You have to be 18 to fly on the cargo planes to Europe, and because I am 15 I don't quite make the cut! But I know that they will be in good hands during the whole trip, and I am confident that they will get there safe and sound!
For the next month and a half, I am going to be a sponge. I am going to take everything in and let it inspire me and help me to be the best I can be! I am also looking forward to making this a really personal show tour with my ponies. I am sort of becoming my own manager, and I can't wait to fully take on the responsibilities! To know that you are the one who the horses will look to for support is the most amazing feeling that not even the most amount of hard work will be able to take away!
I am also excited that I will be able to use my German skills! I have been taking Germa for the past two years along with French in school, and I am thrilled to be able to put it to use! Of course, I haven't had the conversational experience yet, but I am confident that I will be able to get around with what I have! And yes, I did invest in a $5 phrase book from Barnes and Noble. It will be a blast to see how much I understand and how much I am able to speak!
The schedule for the whole tour is pretty lose except for the shows of course. First, we will go to Cornelia Endres' farm to train for a couple of weeks. Ms. Endres is the coach for the German Pony Team, and I am so excited to be able to work with her! Especially since my ponies from her stable! It will be great because she hasn't seen them in a long time, so to be able to train with her again and have her evaluate how my training has gone will be awesome! I will train with her through the two shows that I will compete at: a national show in Duisburg as a warm up, and finally the International Youth Festival in Hagen! I am so excited to be working with her and making some new friends from her own national team! After the shows, I am planning on staying at the show grounds, which are held at the Kasselmann farm, and train with Jurgen Koschel who is across the street. It will be great to see some different sights!
The feelings and thoughts that are running through my head are hard to describe. It's weird because it's like a calm feeling mixed with excitement. It's a little confusing! I'll be blogging throughout the whole trip and posting a lot of pictures too! This is going to be so awesome, and I can't wait to share it with everyone who has been supporting me throughout my whole career! I can't wait to get started!
- Isabelle
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Isabelle, I know you are incredibly excited. But I am too. As you know when you were riding with me I said often how I dreamed that the US would be able to send competitive pony riders to Europe to compete. I am thrilled that you are leading the way as you have overall in the US world of FEI pony riders. Best of luck from me and all of Dressage4kids, Inc which is pleased to be part of your trip also.
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