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Hello everyone. There just isn't enough time in the day! It has been great here in Florida. We've been putting together the marketing plan, editing video, planning shows, and working on quite a few projects. I apologize for not keeping up with this, because I really want to keep in touch with you all. Since Cavalia, I have been non-stop. We've gotten many offers and projects to jump on, but timing is everything, so it takes a lot of time to weed out the good and the bad. We are also working on a new website design to correlate with the new marketing and such, so I will be having my own "blog" there and will stop using this one pretty soon. I spoke to Erik, Alethea and Pierre Luc and they are doing great in Denver. They sent me this fantastic promo package. It looks great. I can't wait to work with them again. It is so hard to find good quality talent and they definitely have it.(Their website is www.bighorseproductions.com)
To answer a few of the questions I get from my emails: To find the schedule and more info on Cavalia after Scottsdale go to their website www.cavalia.net. I no longer work there, so they can answer your questions on where they are going, prices, tickets and how to contact the performers. As to what I am doing now, well, I'm working with my company Equine Extremist Entertainment & Training and still working with horses, but I've been doing more of the creative, marketing, and leg work needed to create lots of new and fun things. Cavalia was a fun time for a year and a half and getting to work with Frederic Pignon and Magali Delgado was a dream come true, but being involved in a company and making lots of the decisions is so rewarding.
Keep in touch and email me at karen@equineextremist.net if you have any questions. I love hearing from you and I'll keep you up to date of what's happening in my world.
Ride Fast... Take Chances!
karenCurrent Mood:  excited |
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I spoke to Lynn Glaser and she sent me this link of an article she did of Cavalia. Lynn is an incredible photographer. Check it out, I know you will love it! It was shot when I was with Cavalia in Glendale, CA.
http://www.photo.lynnesite.com/gallery/382709
Ride Fast... Take Chances!
karenCurrent Mood: excited |
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Hi Ya'll,
The weather has been great here at the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo. We are here for 2 weeks performing at the Rodeo. The crowds have been 3000 to 5000 strong each day with this weekend being televised on OLN channel for April. The "Riding Instructor" comedy act my brother does was a huge success. People just can't believe (including me) how he does what he does with his horse. They see him roman-ride like I did when I was with Cavalia, but with a lot more fancy footwork and much much much faster. His team of black and white Paint brothers, Joker and Ace are a beautiful sight to see. Then he jumps them over a wall of fire. Trust is the key here and they do it without hesitation. People alllways ask me about how I trained the quarter horses to be ready for Cavalia with the crowds and lights and all, that was nothing compared to what Tommie does with his every week. It is so nice to be back working side by side with Tommie. We have nothing but respect for each other and the horses are the top priority. Pokerjoe was flawless in the Riding Instructor. We are working on a real nice liberty act with a touch of dressage and maybe some cool effects and stunts, but that's all I'm going to say right now. You'll have to see. (When I was sitting on Joker in the arena a man said "I didn't know Xena was in the show!". That made me smile. I guess I remind a lot of people of her for some reason.) Today was an off day, so we ended up going to see Jerry Diaz and Stacy Anderson. (about an 8 hour round trip) She roman rides a 6 horse team and he is an incredible Charro rider who ropes and rides at the same time. They were very nice. Jerry is starting a new horse for WAHL. Tommie is the new Equestrian Director for WAHL. They have been really good to him and we are working really hard to create a great working relationship with WAHL and a few other sponsors. You may have seen Tommie in an Absorbine Jr. Commercial too. He is everywhere! He works with the Rodeos, Expos, Horse Shows, Dressage Events, Jumping Events, Sporting Events, Circus, and with the biggest horse trainers in the business.
Tomorrow we have an interview with a TV station and the local paper will be doing a weekend story. Then on Friday/Saturday the news blitz happens and we'll be interviewed by 4 or 5 media stations and many magazines and newspapers. This is a typical weekend for Tommie.
Well, time to hit the hay and call it a day. I'll post the link for the incredible photos of Cavalia tommorrow too.
Thanks again to everyone for their support and comments. It really means a lot to me. I'm going to post some of the hundreds of emails I have received too. Thank you.
Ride Fast... Take Chances!
karenCurrent Mood:  tired |
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First I want to apologize for not updating this sooner, but lots of exciting changes have been happening in my life. For those of you who have been writing and following my journal, yes it is true. Five of the performers have left Cavalia, including myself, the "Xena" wild girl. After a year and half with the show from the beginning, training the quarter horses and performing in all 312 shows, it was time for me to move on to bigger and better things. I am thankful for the incredible opportunity I had with the show and will cherish and remember all of the hard work, the wonderful and generous people I met along the way, and the joy and excitement my part brought out in many people. I want all of you to know horses and entertaining is my life, so there will be more adventures to come. As I close the Cavalia chapter, I open up many more. I could write a book on my adventures and the reasons why I resigned from Cavalia, maybe someday I will. So, I hope you all continue with me in my journey as an "Equine Extremist". I will still answer any questions you have regarding Cavalia, as I still have friends there and know a lot about the training and the show. I will be posting more on the goings on as artists for the show will come and go. I will also answer any questions you have in general about horses. They are my passion and companions. Leave comments here or write me directly at cavaliatrainer@yahoo.com I will posting more photos at www.cavalia.blogspot.com and you can visit my website at www.karenturvey.com.
Thank you all for your support along the way and know that I will miss you all.
Enjoy the magic of Cavalia as it celebrates the beauty and power of the horse.
I'll see all of you on my new adventure.
Ride Fast... Take Chances!
karen turveyCurrent Mood:  relaxed Current Music: Country Hits |
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First I want to say thank you Santa Monica for an incredible run. Cavalia did an amazing 9 weeks of shows. It has been a while since I wrote, mainly because I have been out straight with no time to sit still. I've tried to keep up with my emails, so if you haven't received a reponse yet, it will be coming soon. I am now back in Orlando resting up for the trip back to Scottsdale. We open on January 25th. The horses are off to a nice ranch to relax and be horses for a couple of weeks. I need the time to recuperate my body and mind. It has been a whirlwind. I just wanted to say how flattered I am when anyone calls me the Xena of Cavalia. She is an amazing character with power, beauty and brains. So, being compared to her is quite the compliment. Everyone keeps asking about my New Years. Well, I had an incredible time thanks to the Victorian and the Mor Bar. After our show on the 31st, we went to the Victorian on Main Street and had a wonderful dinner with presents from the producer. We all received these leather Cavalia Tour 2005 jackets. After the dinner made our way to the best bar in Santa Monica, Mor Bar. The bartenders are the wildest and funnest I have ever seen. Dana Danejerus and Melicious rang in the New Year 2005 with an incredible party. They are the hottest bartenders I have ever seen behind the bar. Lauren and the girls, thanks for the VIP treatment while we were there. We also celebrated our 300th show (on Jan 30th our 2nd show.) I'm proud to say I haven't missed a single one of the 300 shows. After each show I am usually physically and emotionally exhausted, but I perk right up and love it when someone says "there is someone here who wants to meet you...". It makes me feel good to know that someone appreciates what I do enough to want to meet with me. Thank you. I will miss Santa Monica. The celebrities were exciting to see too. Larry King, Owen Wilson, Larry Hagman, Betty White, Ted Dansen, Bruce Greenwood, and Kevin Costner. I got to meet Kevin Costner when I was in Paris at the Wild West show there as Annie Oakley. It was cool that I got to perform for him again. Bruce Greenwood was so nice too. He came up to me in the VIP tent and said "wow, the things you do are incredible." Betty White has been to show the show like 4 times! What a sweet lady. I also had the pleasure of giving Cristiana, one of our hardest workers in the stable, a roman riding lesson. Every day I walked in the stables I would see her smiling face and how much she loves the horses. I took her and her grandmother, June Lockhart into our warm up area and had Cristiana up on my roman team of Hollywood and Bandit. She did 4 rounds at a walk as I explained what to do and what to look for as she rides with a foot on each of their backs. It was such a thrill to hear the excitement and joy from her and June. I even gave her a DVD of her "ride" so she will never forget it. Special thanks to all of you who came to the show and said hi. Don't be shy either, I have more people email me and say "I saw you in the stables and didn't want to bother you.." Don't be silly, jump right in and say hello. Thanks to David Carradine and Annie for having us for Christmas. It will be a day we won't forget. (I still can't believe I met a man who I adored when I was growing up, "Grizzly Adams", Dan Haggerty. He is quite the character and an amazing man. He was there with his son, along with many other celebs and friends.) I spoke to my husband today and he said it has been raining the entire time they have been tearing down the big-top. It is sunny and beautiful here! Well, I hope all of you in Santa Monica and the rest of the 308 shows we have performed, keep in touch and let me know what's going on. (email me at karen@equineextremist.net) I'll try and answer as much email as possible. Thanks again Santa Monica and Hello Scottsdale/Phoenix. Time for an overdue jacuzzi bath and massage. ahhhhhhhh. Ride Fast... Take Chances!Current Mood: relaxed |
| » MERRY CHRISTMAS! |
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I'm having a wonderful Christmas here in Santa Monica. "Merry Christmas!"
karen
Dec. 25th, 2004 @ 09:56 am
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| » MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! |
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Just wanted to say Merry Christmas to everyone. You have been so kind and generous. It is tough being far away from family during the holidays while working with Cavalia, but it is nice to know how many of you care. The horses I ride in the show are doing fine. Bandit, Hollywood, and T-Bar are going to enjoy the 2 days off. They have been just wonderful here in Santa Monica. Cavalia is certainly a big hit here in Los Angeles. Celebrities are still coming out to see the show. Cher actually came back to see the show again last night. I got the chance to talk with her and she was really impressed. She called me the "wild one". Cher calling me the wild one? WOW! She's pretty wild herself. Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake, Pam Dawber and Mark Harmon, Timothy B Schmitt (Eagles), David Arquette and Cortney Cox, June Lockhart (for the 5th time!), David Schwimmer, Charles Martin Smith, Patrick Swayze, Ewan McGregor, and numerous stunt and horse people have come to see the show. (I know there is more, but it's tough trying to remember them all.) It is just incredible to have people that I admire in the business come and see me perform and to have them remember me in some way. Angie Dickenson and her daughter were just delightful when I met them in the stables. Her daughter was overjoyed to meet T-Bar up close. To see the smile on her face was all that it took for me to know how much it meant. I especially enjoy meeting you all after the show too. Heather, Yolanda, Linda, Janet, Stormy, Tatiana (came from Australia to see the show!), Maureen, Dana, Brandon, Tanya, Nina, Mika, Abbie, Gracie, Virginia, AnnMarie, Liz, and all who stop to say hi or ask for me. You are the true reason I do what I do. Thank you.
To answer a couple of emails, someone asked about my BIO. You can read it on my website, www.equineextremist.net/karen_turvey.htm . The rest of the artists on the show are from Canada, France, Mexico, the United States, Morocco, and Kyrgyzstan. The horses we have in the show are mainly Lusitano, Quarter Horses, and Draft Horses from France, Cananda, and the US. For the latest show info check the Cavalia website at www.cavalia.net. If you have any questions you can email me at karen@equineextremist.net or just reply to this post. Thank you for the questions. Hope to hear from you soon.
Well, I have a few last minute things to do before I start getting ready for a busy Christmas with my husband and my doggies.
Ride Fast... Take Chances!
karen
Dec. 24th, 2004 @ 12:26 pm
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| » Cavalia Christmas and New Years! |
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Last year at this time we were in Montreal. It was freezing cold and there was 20 inches of snow on the ground. What a difference here in Santa Monica! It has been in the 70's and beautiful here the past couple of days. I should have taken the time to lay out at the pool and bask in the sun, but I had to catch up on a few things. It was so cold last year that I had to put four little booties and a heavy winter coat on my doggies just so they could go outside. My littlest one could only go outside for no more than :30 secs when it was under 0 degrees. It even got as cold as 40 below without the wind chill. We never canceled a show either! Thank you to all for your generous offers during the holidays. It is greatly appreciated.
We are gearing up for the final weeks here in Santa Monica too. As I mentioned before, things change here so our NEW opening date in Scottsdale is Tuesday January 25th. Our last show date in SM is Jan. 2nd. Our final week we will be doing lots of shows, 9 of them to be exact. Double shows most of the days over the holidays. We do have time off on the 24th/25th and New Years day. (Thank you Normand!) Plus, Normand is throwing us a great Christmas party too.
Did anyone see the KTLA live spots on the morning news last Tuesday? I recorded them and hope to put a link on my website so you can check them out. I had to be there at 5:45am to be on TV for 10 seconds. That's showbiz! I love being on TV, but I don't do mornings too well. The radio interview my brother and I did was lots of fun. It was at 9am last Saturday. We actually had an hour to talk with the host, Rita Barna. We talked about Cavalia, training horses, traveling, and our lives with horses. Rita was such a wonderful host. We would love to do it again, but we'll have to call in from the road. My brother Tommie flew back to Orlando and is back with his horses. He's gearing up for a busy year in 2005. We've got a lot of things planned. Lots of people have really taken notice to "Equine Extremist". Everyone who rides a horse is extreme, we all just have different levels. We hope to take this to the next step and with your support I think we can do just that. Keep your eyes, ears, and web browsers glued here for all the exciting stuff that will happen in 2005. Happy Holidays from all of us!
Ride Fast... Take Chances!
karen
Dec. 17th, 2004 @ 09:59 am
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| » Santa Monica Cavalia and Scottsdale |
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I told you all that things change on Cavalia. Those of you in Phoenix, tickets for our opening are now for January 27th. This is a horse show like no other, with a constantly changing schedule and unique and exciting show. We have been working on adding more to each act. More aerialists, more horses, and more action. Not sure when they will be in the show, but as soon as they are ready. We have three new Lusitano horses in our stables and they are so beautiful. Fred and Magali will be working with them to get them ready for their parts in the show. For the quarter horses, we are adding a new roman team with Amigo and Zorro, and have been using Bungee in the trick riding. We added them when we were in Glendale and now they are in the show. Training never stops, even on the horses that have been with us since the start. Bandit still needs to be worked to let him know what I expect from him every week, otherwise he might improvise and do his own thing. He was great last night, even after a couple of days off.
My brother is in town with me and we will be doing a Horse talk radio interview on Saturday at 9:00am with host Rita Barna (KHTS AM1220). You can hear it via the internet at www.hometownstation.com. Tommie and I will both be featured during the show. If you have any questions for us, please email me and put QUESTIONS on the subject line and we'll answer them during the show for you. www.karen@equineextremist.net
Ride Fast... Take Chances!
karen
Dec. 9th, 2004 @ 12:26 pm
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| » Las Vegas NFR and Cavalia |
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It has been a whirlwind. With all the shows we have been doing and between running off to Vegas, I haven't had time for much. To start, I would like to thank Diane for sending me the link for the photo contest. http://www.equinephotocontest.com/winners.asp?bis=faves The picture I am now using for my LJ icon, check out the nice equine photos too. Thanks again Mary for a great photo.
To start, Nov. 28th my brother Tommie, my husband Jamie, and I flew to Vegas for the IAFE convention at the Hilton. The informal name is the "showman's convention". It is where the touring entertainers and show committees go to book new acts for their shows. It is a great chance for us to keep in touch with old friends and make new ones. We met lots of great people. Tommie got to meet Leroy Van Dyke, the man who sings "the Auctioneer". When Tommie hears it on the radio he'll turn it up and start singing along. After the expo, (thanks to Marla from Three Hills Rodeo) we went to the Balloon Peddlers Party in a suite at the Mirage. Gino Zoppe was there. We saw his act during the "Super Cirque" in Montreal last year. He does an aerial act that is incredibly funny and incredibly dangerous. After that we went to the Riveira and had a great Filet Mignon and hung out with Eremes Zamperla, who is a human cannonball.(It ain't easy folks... Check out this link to see what can happen in our line of work. http://www.cnn.com/video/us/2002/02/10/human.cannonball.cnn.med.html) The next day we flew back to LA to do a show Tuesday Night at Cavalia. My brother stayed the week in Las Vegas though. He is in the PRCA and went to the PRCA convention and the NFR. He got his PRCA card and is a specialty act. When we got back to Santa Monica, we had shows all weekend. Cavalia is doing very well. The only problem we have having is battling the cold and wet. When it is cold here, I try and remember how cold it was when we were in Montreal this time last year. The snow, cold and wind chills were unbearable, but we made it through and never canceled a performance. There were more stars at the show too. Meg Ryan, Pierce Brosnan, Alex Trebec, Norm McDonald, Olivia Newton John, Scott Hamilton, and Rob Riener were a few I met during the stable tour or saw in the audience. ONJ was so sweet. What a nice lady. Also want to say thank you to all of you who ask for me after the show. Some of you I couldn't see after the show due to rehearsals or interviews. I'm sorry, but I hope you got to see the beautiful horses. Special thanks to Dana and Lauren for giving us a place to unwind and relax at the Mor. (We'll be back) After the weekend of shows, my husband and I headed back to Vegas. We hit the Sahara at 10:00pm and hung out at the Tropicana. Monday we went to Circus Circus and saw a few circus acts, (the Russian bar guys, the Sanduos saw my "Cavalia" shirt and started talking with us), won a few stuffed animals, and played the slots. We ended up doing some "western shopping" and then hitting the Thomas and Mack Arena for Round 4 of the NFR. We got in the VIP (Redd Room) before the show and hung out with the stock contractors and contestants. We had great seats, right next to roping chute on the ground level. I;ve seen hundreds of rodeos in my time, but this one was the best. The action was non-stop with the show being taped for ESPN2. Every bronc and bull ride was exciting. These guys are the bravest and best in the world. Paulo, a bull rider is fearless and got the crowd going. He scored a 92. The last ride of the night was the wildest, when the bullfighter (the guy who distract the bull when the rider gets off) jumped in front of the bull to protect a rider and got tossed like a ragdoll in the air. We gave him a standing ovation. After the show we went to the Gold Coast Casino where they have the trophy buckle ceremony and all the cowboys hang out and party. Tuesday morning, we hit the casinos for a couple of "bloodies" and play roulette. My brother hit "00" and we quit to celebrate before we left for Santa Monica. We packed up our doggies, (they love Vegas too) and headed back on our 4 hour trip to Marina Del Rey. We had a nice steak BBQ when we got back here and watched "Dodgeball" while I answered emails and update my journal. It is now midnight and time to get my rest. For those of you who haven't checked, we are heading to Phoenix (Scottsdale) where we open Feb. 2nd. Not sure what our last day will be here in SM, keep checking the Cavalia website for the most current schedule. I'll answer more questions in my next post. Keep the questions and comments coming. karen@equineextremist.net
Ride Fast... Take Chances!
karen
Dec. 7th, 2004 @ 11:59 pm
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| » Very Busy Weekend |
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It has been a very busy time for me. First off, Thanksgiving was really nice with just me and my husband and our two girls. (the doggies) We had the traditional dinner complete with stuffing and turkey. It took most of the day to cook and clean, but that was the fun of it. Thanks for all the emails and the Thanksgiving wishes. The Cavalia show has been going great. The horses are all doing good. We have 3 more new horses on the way. They should be here soon. (I'll keep you posted) Trick Riding is exciting as ever, the Roman Riding is getting really fast with the four team. Bandit and Hollywood are working really well together. Bandit was kicking and bucking a bit tonight. He gets like that after a day off. I just got done reading an article in the New York Times. (http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/30/theater/newsandfeatures/30cava.html?ex=1102482000&en=0a18cb8275b8c4f7&ei=5006&partner=ALTAVISTA1) Check it out. Great photos to download too. They kinda got a couple acts put together as one. They state that you will never see in a competition, a person standing on the backs of two horses (roman riding), jumping a 5 foot jump, (trick riding with the show jumping part), and doing a backflip while riding (Bareback riding). It sounds like it is one act, but it is actually a combination of 3 acts. They didn't give any credit to the riders or the acrobats in any of the acts either. There is a great photo of Ricky and Eric roman riding together. Click on "enlarge image" and then right click and save it.
Lots more celebs came to see the show. Cher, Body by Jake, David Duchovney, Diane Lane, Pierce Brosnan (who we also saw at the Sarah Brightman concert on the past Monday Night at the Staples Center.) and Martin Sheen. There were lots of others too, but it's getting late and time for bed. I'll talk about my Vegas trip and my brother, Tommie Turvey jr. Good night y'all. Ride Fast... Take Chances!
karen
Dec. 1st, 2004 @ 02:02 am
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| » HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE! |
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Just wanted to say "Happy Thanksgiving" to you and your families.
Ride Fast... Eat Turkey!
karen
Nov. 24th, 2004 @ 11:53 pm
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| » Fantastic Weekend |
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Things are going great for us at Cavalia. The dates keep getting extended here at Santa Monica. We have had many special guests, including the Governor of California and his wife. Yes, Arnold and Maria Shriver came to our Sunday 5pm show. The place was crawling with security, but I was amazed that he took time out of his busy schedule to not only see our show, but he took the barn tour and spoke to many of the performers. I had the opportunity to speak to him and Maria. What incredibly genuine people. He is probably the busiest man in the country next to Pres. Bush and he took the time to see our show. What an honor that is. I also spied Fran Drescher in the front row. Kim Basinger was at our 1pm matinee. Robert Englund (Freddie), Paul Stanley (of Kiss), Bill Paxton (Twister)and James Cameron was other notable VIP's. (There are more, but I just can't remember them all!) For a quick story, after the show I was talking with Mika (one of my blogger fans)right before the stable tour. Mika was kind enought to bring me a beautiful bouquet of flowers and presented them to me during the finale. While we were talking a gentleman and his two daughters came by and started asking me questions about the show. The little girls were so cute. Claire, the littlest one, was so excited to go see the horses. I picked her up and swung her around to say "Weeeeeeeeeeee". After they all left for the stable tour, I learned it was James Cameron. Where were my business cards when I needed them!
I also want to say hi and thank you to Alexa for searching me out! I hope you enjoyed the show. Nina and Tanya were so patient after the show, following me around until we got a chance to talk in the VIP tent. They are so wonderful and giving. Well, It's my day off so I've got to get ready for the Sarah Brightman concert tonight at the Staples center. (thank you Christine and Tony! You are so sweet!) More about the show coming up. Thanks for all the emails everyone.
Ride Fast... Take Chances!
karen
Nov. 22nd, 2004 @ 04:31 pm
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| » Ready for the Weekend |
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This week has been flying by. Literally! Yesterday we had a rehearsal for the Roman Riding at 10am and then my husband and I were treated to a Helicopter Tour of the city by LAHelicopters.com. Thanks to Tim for taking us up with Gil our pilot. We flew over the city, the Hollywood sign, the Big Top, (which looks really neat from the air!)and the ritzy neighborhoods. We flew in a 4 seater without the doors on to get the best views. It was so exciting. We had lunch at the Marina at Shanghai Reds while we watched the sunset and the seals play. I will post pictures as soon as I can.
The show has been going really well. My team has been jumping strong. They have really stepped it up a notch in speed. Some of you have noticed the costume changes. Mine is new too, but it has the same look. Someone wanted to know how many acts I am in. They guessed two, but I am actually in six. The opening walk in, Voltige en round (I run the draft horse, Buddy from the center of the ring), Roman Post on Bandit and Hollywood, Trick Riding on T-Bar, the Carousel on Chucaro, and the finale with Chucaro. Jill wrote and said I must be the hardest working person on the show with all I do. My part is nothing when you compare it to our stable manager, Karine. She IS the hardest working person. She is not in the show, but she is the one responsible for the horses before the show, during the show, and after the show. She puts in 14 hour days EVERY day. She has a dozen or so crew to help, but it is her dedication to the horses and the cast that make the show a success. Her care of the horses and their safety is immeasurable. Every time you see me on-stage, she was most likely the last person I saw to make sure I had everything. I always tack my own horses, but she is always there to make sure it was done. I have never seen someone with so much dedication. Karine got a great write up in an article too. I'll post it when I find it on-line. To see the photos of the red-carpet people go to http://www.celebrityphoto.com/scripts/search/search.pl?grid=40&keyword=cavalia&subkeyword=&celebrity=&search_type=caption&year=&start=0
I've also seen Victoria Principal, Ken Howard (the "White Shadow"), Larry David, and lots of familiar faces in the crowd. Many of my "stunt" friends too. We have shows Fri, Sat, Sun and then Monday off. Let me know if you have any questions, comments, or inquiries. Sorry about the delay in the updates. I just couldn't find the time to post my thoughts! For those of you who stop by the Big Top, take a walk around to the beach side of the site and you may be able to see some of the horses enjoying the sun or watch us training in the paddock area. Don't be shy to say hi either. We don't mind. It may be a few minutes before we can get to you, but we'll try our best to take a minute and say hi. I've got lots to do before the show tonight, so time to get on the stick. Weekends are a blur, so time to begin the blur! See you at the show. Ride Fast... Take Chances!
karen
Nov. 19th, 2004 @ 09:27 am
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| » Santa Monica Cavalia Horse Show |
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Everything is great here in Santa Monica. The weather is beautiful and going to the beach every day for work is a dream come true. Our practice and turn out paddocks are right on the beach. We can see the ocean and the incredible sunsets every night. I have been getting tons of email asking lots of questions. I try to answer them all. The most popular question is when are we coming to... Well, there is no definite schedule. The next city is the only city announced. Our producer, Normand Latourelle, plays it by ear, so he can get the most out of each location. Lots and lots of stars are still coming out to see the show. I'll have more of a list in a couple of days. Adam Sander, Nicolas Cage, and Sugar Ray Leonard was the familiar faces at one of the shows. I really need to thank a lot of people who stopped by to say hi. Pat Crosswhite brought me a beautiful bouquet of flowers for opening night. Gracie was a special guest of mine and my husband and she gave us truffles and ice wine. (Mmmmmmm) Christine, who made the trip all the way from Seattle to see the show again, came with her sister. She has such a wonderful smile and kind heart. She brought a beautiful silver horseshoe necklace and then we spent the night talking and talking and talking. Chris brought her mom who was an old school rosinback rider. She presented me with this beautiful beaded horse necklace, made by Sara Haium of Sarandipity. I also got the first glimpse of a painting that Diane Ramadan has been creating of me on my 4 horse roman team. It looks amazing. What a wonderful keepsake memory it will be when it's finished. (Thanks for the Starbucks too!) She also painted 2 wonderful pictures of Templado and 1 of Dao. I'll post more of Tim Barkers photos on my website and blog in a few days.
Well, it's late and I've got to get to sleep. Keep the emails coming. I;d love to hear from you. Long week ahead...
Ride Fast... Take Chances!
karen
Nov. 15th, 2004 @ 01:53 am
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| » Santa Monica Premier Night |
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Opening night in Los Angeles was incredible. We had special guests in the show, Daryl Hannah and David Carradine, both of Kill Bill fame. They performed in the show on horseback. Daryl has been training with us for the past week. We got to know her real well. She is an incredibly nice person. She rode "Joe" and "Arete". It was so cool watching her in the stables and rehearsals being so gentle and kind to the horses. She would scratch them and talk with them. I told her that "Arete" was trained on voice commands so she should talk to him while on stage and he will listen. She did wonderfully! David rode "Popeye" and looked great on stage. It was such a thrill having them involved with the show.
The red carpet event was exciting too. We had many stars come out to see the show on opening night. Rod Stewart, Bo Derek, Dennis Franz, Ileana Douglas, June Lockhart (such a sweet lady!), John Favreau, John Lovitz, Lea Thompson,Bill & Elizabeth Shatner, and Jillian Barbarie. I'm a big movie person, so it is a great thrill to see some of my favorite actors/actresses in the crowd. My favorite had to be Jillian. At the finale Normand gave all the cast members a rose. Some of the cast members started tossing the roses into the audience as they gave us a standing ovation. I saw Jillian in the front row and gave my rose to her. I think she is awesome. She is brash, tough, and I love her attitude. When I gave her the rose she said "You Rock! You were my favorite!". I wanted to meet her in person after the show, but I got caught up with everyone there and didn't get the chance. I want to invite her back along with Steve, Lucy, and Nash of LA Live. "Jillian call me!" An old family friend was there too, Corky Randall, the legendary Hollywood Horse Trainer. We had a couple of "bumps" in the show, but everything came out fine. Check the newspaper articles and you'll see what they are talking about. My horses did great. They enjoyed the time off, but I think they missed the spotlight. My roman team was very fast and T-Bar was consistant as ever.
The Premier Party was a blast! Great music, great food (Duck Duck Mousse), great people, and most of the cast came out to play. I had the pleasure of speaking to many people there and want to say "thanks" to Dina,Debra, and Tim. (Incredibly nice people.) I'll let you know how the rest of the shows go this week.
This is the start of a great run!
Ride Fast... Take Chances!
karen
Nov. 12th, 2004 @ 12:56 am
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| » Rehearsals in Santa Monica |
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Things are going pretty well here at Cavalia. Everyone is coming together. Our current crew of performers have now been together for a minimum of 3 months and are really "clicking". We are working on bigger tricks and upping the excitement. All of the artists want to keep pushing the bar while staying to the context of the show. So, for anyone who saw the show in Glendale will notice some changes when they see this show here at the Santa Monica Pier. I just noticed it was getting late. Been answering long awaited emails and lost track of time. Gotta get my sleep for the dress rehearsal tomorrow and the show on Wednesday. Time to sleep. See you all at the show.
Ride Fast... Take Chances!
karen
Nov. 8th, 2004 @ 11:19 pm
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| » Santa Monica Pier |
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I am back in California. Cavalia is now set up at the Santa Monica Pier. What a beautiful place. I just watched the sun go down as I was finishing up working the horses and it was incredible. I have been feverishly writing back to everyone who emailed my while I was home in Florida between shows. Thanks to all of you in Del Mar for the wonderful support and help while I was there. I already strapped on my rollerblades and hit Venice beach all the way to the tent. It is wild here. Lots of people from everywhere. We usually are near "horse" places, but now we are in the middle of "people". I've asked a few people I know in the area, but if anyone knows where I can get the 25lb bags of carrots I would appreciate it. I know there will be lots of celebrities, movie execs, and industry people coming to the show too. This is the best place to be in my business. Lots of the right people will see what I can do and you never know what could happen. I really can't wait until we start back up again. My horses, bandit, hollywood, and T-bar are doing great. They loved the time off and are frisky to be back working again. I had quite a few questions about the show from people who have emailed me, so I will try to answer the frequently asked ones here. If you have a question, please contact me via email at cavaliatrainer@yahoo.com. People want to know how long it takes to move and set up the show. Well, our last show in Del Mar on the was the 24th and we open on the 10th, so that leaves us 16 days to move and get it ready. The artists arrive about 5 days before the opening start rehearsals. I have been here working the horses and getting them warmed up to work again. They never forget what they do, they just need to be reminded. It's great to be in LA. To be training the horses and have Daryl Hannah come in and say hi was a real treat. You never know who will show up. Well, I hope to see you all when you come to the show. I'll try my best to say hi to every one of you blog readers. It's the least I can do for all that you do for me. Ride Fast... Take Chances!
Nov. 5th, 2004 @ 05:21 pm
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| » Hello Everyone |
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I am still in Florida, enjoying my time off. It has been nice sleeping in my own comfy bed and spending the day with my family and friends. I do miss my doggies and husband. I will be back in Santa Monica Tuesday Night to begin training and getting ready for our opening on November 10th. This should be a fantastic location. My husband has been keeping me up to date on what is going on there. The site is going up as scheduled. He posted 2 photos to my photoblog (www.cavalia.blogspot.com) so you see how things are coming along.
My brother has been performing at huge shows in PA, Washington DC, and all over the place. I can barely keep up. (See his schedule at www.equineextremist.net/upcoming_events.htm) He is such a phenomenal entertainer. He is the hardest working entertainer and trainer I have ever known. He moves from town to town with his 3 prized paint horses, logs hundreds of miles a week, and finds time to train and work his and other peoples horses. We are looking for national sponsors and new venues to join our team and keep "Equine Extremist Entertainment" growing. It is amazing to be part of 2 incredible shows, "Cavalia" and "Equine Extremist". If you can see Cavalia in Santa Monica or Tommie Turvey at his shows throughout the East, you will not be disappointed. We will have his comedy act available on DVD or VHS soon on the website, so you can see it for yourself.
I hope to have as many of the artists in "Cavalia" give me info on themselves so I can post it on my website. I get lots of questions about them and would like to give them the opportunity to respond or at least give them the exposure they deserve. The Moroccans are extremely talented acrobats, along with Eric Martonivich (www.bighorseproductions.com), Pierre Luc Sylvain our Russian bar and strap act expert, and countless other talents performers. Check my site www.equineextremist.com/cavalia.htm for the info.
I will back on Nov. 2nd to Santa Monica. Make sure you VOTE! I made my vote count here in Florida.
See you in CA. Email me at karen@equineextremist.net if you have any questions or comments or just leave a reply. Thanks for all your support.
Ride Fast... Take Chances!
Oct. 31st, 2004 @ 08:46 am
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| » Final Show in Del Mar |
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It has been about 12 hours since our last show in Del Mar. Everything went very wellin Cavalia. A great and responsive crowd made the last show a memorable one. I fed my boys (horses) some carrots and apples for a job well done in Del Mar. They were flawless. T-Bar is still fast and powerful, and a joy to ride. He has such beautiful features and color. I know they will enjoy their time off, just like I will for the next week. I have to be at LAX in 8 hrs for my flight back to Florida. I drove by the tent and they are on the move, packing up all the equipment and staging. The tent should be down and out by Wed. Our next city is Santa Monica, so I will back in LA for the Premier on November 10, so don't expect a post until Nov 3rd. Keep those emails coming. www.cavaliatrainer@yahoo.com and I will do my best to email you back. My website is www.equineextremist.net. Check out my brother, Tommie who is an amazing performer and trainer. I do have to thank a few people, Lenna, Mel, Chris, Dustin, Tim and the rest of the gang from the San Diego Zoo. They are the best! Thanks for giving us a special tour when we were there. It made our trip to the zoo an incredible experience. My husband has liked Rhinos since he was 12, but he had never touched or fed one before. That was a dream come true for him. Thank you. I loved the Koalas, Giraffes, Elephants, Rhino, Camels, and WartyPigs. Especially the 7 month old "Konen" Koala. He was so cute. Thanks to Jenna for the picture and the roses, Mel for the wine, Lenna for the necklace, Mari for the wine, the SeaWorld Girls, and all of you who asked for me after the show. Believe me, I don't mind coming to say hi to you if I can. It is the least I can do. I also did an interview for the "Making of Cavalia" DVD to be done by the end of the year. Keep your eyes out for that. I noticed they added a Cavalia Coffee mug to the merchandising mix. I gotta get one! Well, it is getting late and I still have to finish packing. Thank you for the comments. See you all in Santa Monica!
Ride Fast... Take Chances!
karen
Oct. 25th, 2004 @ 01:40 am
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