2009

GR Family Magazine Nov 2009 - Teens Pursuing their Passions: Emma Leestma
Dressage Daily USEF Dressage Seat Medal Finals 2009
Grand Rapids Press: Emma Leestma, 16, wins equestrian competition
MLive: Emma Leestma Wins National Title
MLive: Horse Play

2008

Hanoverian Society 2008 Horse of the Year (Rolero - Top 5 in both 1st & 2nd Level Open & Willow - Third Level JR/YR Champion)

"...No Worries For Laurie Moore - Chronicle of the Horse - Aug 28, 2008
In the small tour, Laurie Moore took a well-deserved break from her up-and-coming horses to ride No Worry to multiple wins in the Prix St. Georges.

Moore, 44, got the ride on Sally Alksnis' 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Giorgio-Illusion) when he was bought last September from Patrick Burssens.

No Worry, known around the barn as "Nigel," joined 10 other horses at Waterloo from Moore's boarding and training facility, Timberlane Farm, in Lowell, Mich. Moore trains several competitive show riders and has an "eclectic" group of clients that range from beginners to adult amateurs and seasoned dressage riders.

When not showing, Moore added a fun twist to her routine by helping the young riders in her barn host a monthly "pony week." During this time, the teenagers teach basic riding skills to beginner riders on ponies.

Moore's amateur client, Alksnis, rode hunters her whole life and has just made the transition to dressage in the past year.

"[Nigel] was purchased as a schoolmaster for Sally, and she'll start showing him at third level in August," said Moore. "She loves dressage and never knew how much there was to learn."

Moore has enjoyed her time spent riding Nigel, who is proving to be a great amateur mount-nice and experienced, but not without some effort.

"He is a very wise horse-very forward, powerful and has a beautiful, natural extended trot. You just sit, turn and off he goes. He's just a really nice, calm horse. He has a very good brain, but a lot of go. He's not one you have to push at all," said Moore.

Waterloo was Moore's second show with Nigel, having previously shown him at the KDA Spring Warm-Up (Ky.) in May with similar results.

"Each day at Waterloo he got better and better. On the first day he was very strong and eager, on the second day he listened better and by the third day he was great like he is at home and scored 70 percent," said Moore. "In my last ride on Sunday, there were moments during the test when I just thought, 'Well this is as easy as can be.' "

Moore and Nigel's third win of the weekend certainly felt easy compared to showing several young horses. She rode Letizia, a Westphalian mare (Laomedon-Pagena) who she recently imported as a project horse and co-owns with Elizabeth Crosby, to the win in the FEI 5-Year-Old test (76.40%).

Moore also placed well in the USEF 4-Year-Old test with Cynthia Hunting's Zonnerhall (75.00%) and in the Developing Horse Prix St. Georges with Robyn Weston's Willow (64.24%).

Moore hopes to qualify these younger horses for the Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Championships (Ky.) in September...

2007

Hanoverian Society 2007 Horse of the Year (Rolero - Training Level Open Champion & Willow - Third Level JR/YR Reserve Champion)
Dressage Daily USEF Dressage Seat Medal Finals 2007
Robyn wins 14-18 Div.

"...Perfection - Chronicle of the Horse - Aug 10, 2007
Judge Lilo Fore was heard to exclaim happily on Sunday afternoon during a break, "I gave a 10 this morning!"

That score of 10 went to Laurie Moore and the dark bay Hanoverian Rolero at their first show doing first level. Explained Moore, "She gave it on the trot stretchy circle." Moore was especially pleased since Rolero's initial halt in the test drew only a 5 from Lilo, but it was all uphill after that in terms of performance.

"Lilo is tough, but she gives you a good score when you earn it," said Moore. "She's not afraid to use the range of the scoring system. Besides the 5 and the 10, I got a 7, 8s and two 9s and the collected remarks were all 8s."

Moore and Rolero (Rohdiamant-Bijou) earned the open first level championship after winning three classes of open first level, test 4 (73.94%, 67.10%, 75.78%).

"He's a wonderful horse," said Moore about the 17.3-hand Rolero, owned by Cynthia and Allen Hunting. "He's only 5 but he has the brain of an old soul. He's very balanced. He's sensitive. He has great natural rhythm."

Laurie's entire Lowell, Mich., barn, Timberlane, has been on a roll. Her student Emma Leemsta rode the Dutch gelding Polensio to win classes in junior/young rider training level and first level, capping last month's high when the pair received that magical score of 10, presented by Michael Poulin. Moore jokes they'll start a "10" club at the barn.

Leemsta leases Polensio from her friend and stablemate Robyn Weston. Weston had a few wins of her own at Waterloo, however.

She rode her Hanoverian, Willow, 7, to the junior/young rider third level championship after winning six classes at the level.

As is the case with many of the horses and riders at Moore's barn, they help each other progress. "I imported Polensio as a 5-year-old five years ago," said Weston. "I rode him training level through the FEI junior division. Last season, Polensio and I earned the third level musical freestyle championship in Region 2 with a high score of 68.15 percent. Now Polensio is leased to Emma for this show season..."

2005

Horse Daily Kelly Bio
Dressage Daily Waterloo August 16 2005
Dressage Daily Waterloo August 15 2005