What a wonderful summer evening it was at the 3rd Annual Evening of Musical Freestyle at Red Tail Farm! The event was a lively benefit for Mane Stream, and this year's turnout was larger than ever. The support was truly amazing, with over $10,000 raised in just a couple of hours. A heartfelt thank you goes out to everyone who “VOTED” or really donated for their favorite rider!
The atmosphere was festive and casual, with guests enjoying the delicious food from the AMA Pizza truck and yummy gelato. While others brought their own picnics, spreading out on blankets or in chairs to enjoy the evening.
The beautiful venue was kindly provided by Linda Dietz, owner of Red Tail Farm. The event's coordination and some of the youth riders’ training was handled by Erika Olijslager, the Red Tail Farm trainer. The judge for the evening, for the third year in a row, was Heather Mason, a highly respected S-level judge who owns Flying Change Farm in Lebanon, NJ.
The musical freestyles were a delight to watch, with riders in creative costumes ranging from Zorro and a pirate to The Mandalorian and Pokémon. The painted ponies and glittering sequins added to the magic of the evening.
The exciting lineup of riders included:
Mariano Granados dressed as Zoro riding Grant to the music of Santana
Evelyn Dietz riding Charlie in a Pirates of the Caribbean routine
Mother Daughter Pas de Deux: Birgit Kosjek riding Nash & Laura Kosjek riding Spotty
Marilyn Payne riding Rock Me Mama in a 3rd Level Musical Freestyle
Pony Quadrille: Katie Berger riding Tally, Alessia Morgan riding Charlie, Hassini Raj riding Roan, Lila Rockmore riding Gingerella to the music of Coldplay
Pokémon Pas de Deux: Tea Uzman riding Griffie and Frederick Rodriguez riding Gingerella
Pas de Deux: Jessica Dionne riding Sonney G. & Jillian Connolly riding Clover in a 1st level musical freestyle of violin covers of popular songs
Jennifer Bateman riding Bulgari in a Grand Prix Musical Freestyle of The Mandalorian
Tea Uzman riding Griffie in a Grand Prix Musical Freestyle
Pas de deux: Rebecca riding Sinatra's Rose and Franki Kesner riding iL Divo to the music from the Cirque de Soleil performance Kurios
A huge thank you to…everyone who made our Musical Freestyle event a success. To the incredible riders, your performances were stunning. To our dedicated judge, thank you for sharing your expertise. A massive shout-out to our generous donors; your support made this possible. A special thank you to Linda Dietz and Red Tail Farm for the amazing location and coordination of the event. And finally, to all the attendees, thank you for the fantastic energy. Your support means the world to us!
