Ram Tap CDE - Staff & Officials


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		In the know: Interested in helping to support this event and our sport in general here on the west coast? Check out the SPONSORS page for more information about sponsorships, advertising and other ways to help this event and promote your ranch or business! Special Activities, Dinners and other Social Events can be found on the SCHEDULES page. Directions to the venue, Motels, and Camping Info. can be found on the GENERAL INFO page.
		ORGANIZER
		Harriet Merritt 1993 Rancho Verde East Danville, CA 94526 925-968-9805, cell 925-548-5566 email: hl_merritt@yahoo.com
		SECRETARY
		Gina Miner 4008 Dyer Road Livermore, CA 94551 925-371-5325 email: gwminer@AcornNMR.com
		ADVERTISING & SPONSORSHIP COORDINATOR
		information is available on the: SUPPORT page Laura Keister 12667 Nelda Lane Herald, CA 95638 209-748-5570 email: SeaRoseRanch@aol.com
		VOLUNTEER COORDINATORS
		information is available on the: VOLUNTEER page Marathon Clerk: Gene Hagberg Central Valley Harness Association (CVHA) PO Box 136 Raymond, CA 93653 559-689-3186 email: ghagberg@dncinc.com Dressage & Cones Clerk: Pat Scholderer Northern California Driving Club (NCDC) 47 Danridge Court Antioch, CA 94509 925-778-2640 email: grannyncart@earthlink.net
		JURY
		President of Jury: Hardy Zantke Hardy and his wife Jutta, from Torrance, Calif. are among the top competitors in Combined Driving in the USA with their pair of 17 hand bay Holsteiner geldings. They compete regularly throughout the Western United States and have traveled frequently to the East Coast and Canada to compete there too. Hardy is a retired transportation executive and now Western Representative of Kuehnle Carriages as well as an importer of Holsteiner driving horses. He writes a popular column in "Carriage Driving World" formerly known as "Driving West" as well as in the ADS Newsletters The Wheelhorse and The Whip and is a contributing writer to the German driving magazine "Pferde Fahren Sport". He gives driving clinics as well as private instructions where he emphasizes Dressage as basis of all and teaches the Achenbach driving system. Childhood involvement with horses: I started as a small boy at my grandfather's house in East Germany after WWII. Grandfather had a small trucking company, only his two pre- WWII trucks were more in the shop then on the road. But his half dozen teams of draft horses were reliably doing pick-ups and deliveries six days a week, eight hours a day. It was a small city, and with the short distance between the railroad and the local merchants and light industry, speed was not crucial. A boy was in heaven to ride along with the teamsters. When I was 13 during my summer vacation "my" teamster had his wife come in to report her husband sick (no, he couldn't call in sick, had no phone). Grandpa looked at me: You think you can handle the team by yourself? Could I ever! My friends playing in the street, and me, working a team in the city. My teamster stayed sick for four weeks, and I drove. That's how I started, and Grandpa and my teamster are still on the back of my carriage every day. We can't see them, but I know they are there. Later, when serving my term in the West German army, during officers' training, we were asked by our commanding officer to "further our gentlemens' education" and to either take formal dancing or riding lessons. I opted for the riding lessons. Jury: Mary Beth Goree Jury: Nancy Myers Jury: David Ventura
		STAFF & OFFICIALS
		Technical Delegate: Linda Fairbanks Course Designer: Jim Erbacher Veterinarian: Gayle Obannan Scorer: Scott Merritt Farrier: TBA Photographer/Media: Christie Benninghoven Web Guru: Allyn Carman Allyn has been a part of the Ram Tap event since the beginning of the event - as a competitor, volunteer, navigator/groom (for three different drivers!) and now as the webmaster. Allyn is a freelance graphic designer, and is a professor of web design as well as other computer graphic subjects at Sierra College in Rocklin and Grass Valley, California. allyn@horseygal.com Announcer: Buck Scholderer Buck has over 40 years of horse and horse show experience. His credits include New York, Detroit, Sommerset County, Junior Essex Troop, Sussex, Westchester and Devon. In the west, Buck has announced at Cal State Horsemen's Association events; Ram Tap CDE (Combined Driving Event); The California Classic CDE at Shady Oaks; The Welsh Pony and Cob Nationals; the Pebble Beach Equestrian Center Classics I & II; the Region 5 Dressage Championships in Santa Fe, NM; the Cal West CDE in Temecula; and the NW Horse Trials in Rainier, WA. Buck is available for English, Hunter/Jumper, Dressage, Western, Breed & Carriage events throughout the west. For a slight fee, he will provide equipment, including gate and ringmaster communications and appropriate music if needed. He can operate on 110Vac or 12Vdc (for remote areas) and is experienced in handling multiple arenas. Buck is a member of USAEq and ADS.