"Equine Extremist" Karen Turvey

Busy Busy Busy

Wed, 09 Mar 2005 16:54:51 GMT

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!
karen

Beautiful Photos of Cavalia

Wed, 23 Feb 2005 04:46:29 GMT

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!
karen

Having a Great Time in Texas!

Tue, 22 Feb 2005 05:49:24 GMT

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!
karen

Hello everyone! I'm alive and well.

Sun, 13 Feb 2005 21:29:22 GMT

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 turvey

Thank you Santa Monica!

Tue, 11 Jan 2005 03:59:47 GMT

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!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Sat, 25 Dec 2004 17:58:58 GMT

I'm having a wonderful Christmas here in Santa Monica. "Merry Christmas!"
karen

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

Fri, 24 Dec 2004 21:27:22 GMT

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

Cavalia Christmas and New Years!

Fri, 17 Dec 2004 18:46:30 GMT

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

Santa Monica Cavalia and Scottsdale

Thu, 09 Dec 2004 20:50:05 GMT

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

Las Vegas NFR and Cavalia

Wed, 08 Dec 2004 08:07:09 GMT

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

Very Busy Weekend

Wed, 01 Dec 2004 10:40:25 GMT

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

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

Thu, 25 Nov 2004 07:55:16 GMT

Just wanted to say "Happy Thanksgiving" to you and your families.
Ride Fast... Eat Turkey!
karen

Fantastic Weekend

Tue, 23 Nov 2004 01:12:00 GMT

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

Ready for the Weekend

Fri, 19 Nov 2004 18:45:35 GMT

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

Rehearsals in Santa Monica

Tue, 09 Nov 2004 07:30:08 GMT

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

Santa Monica Pier

Sat, 06 Nov 2004 01:53:13 GMT

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!

Hello Everyone

Sun, 31 Oct 2004 17:46:10 GMT

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!

Final Show in Del Mar

Mon, 25 Oct 2004 09:11:36 GMT

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

Final Week in Del Mar

Mon, 18 Oct 2004 03:02:14 GMT

I can't believe how many people told me they have been following my blog/journal this week. I guess I just don't realize how many people have access to it just by searching on the internet. I'm not that computer savvy, so it just blows my mind to have people ask me a question or repeat a comment I made on this blog. It's such a nice compliment. We have one week left here in Del Mar and then we pack up and get ready in Santa Monica. We are going to go to the San Diego Zoo on Monday, thanks to Lenna (who saw the show on Saturday) and invited us to go. We also had as a special guest, Hap Hensen. He is a legend in show jumping. We had a rehearsal after the show, so I didn't get a chance to met him in person. I also got another dozen roses and a special picture drawn by Jenna today. She sat right in the front row with her Dad and all I saw the entire show was this big smile on her face. Well, she put a smile on my face by being so nice. Also thanks to a couple of SDPD officers who saw the show and gave me a nice bottle of wine as a token of their appreciation. I didn't get a chance to thank them, so I wanted to do it here. I have met so many nice people here in Del Mar.
As for the show, I had to replace Bandit today with Choice in the Roman Riding. Bandit wasn't feeling up to par, so instead of pushing him, Choice got the call. It has been 6 months since I had Choice paired with Hollywood, so it was going to a bit of a challange with all four out there. I was cautious at first, but he remembered his job like a pro. For those who think it's easy just had to see todays Roman Riding. Making a change of one horse can change the entire act. The slightest miscalculation can cause a lot of trouble. It really showed how unpredictable it is working with horses.
We now have one week left here in Del Mar. I take a weeks vacation and then return to Santa Monica for our Nov. 10th premier. So, keep the emails coming this week.
Ride Fast... Take Chances!
karen

Having Fun in Del Mar

Thu, 14 Oct 2004 15:56:19 GMT

Our Del Mar run has been going very well. The only noticeable change is with our dancer in the second scene with the white Lusitano. Our original dancer, Julie, is not able to continue the tour, so one of the aerialists, Nadia, is now the dancer in this act. Nadia has this beautiful mysterious presence. She is very fluid and loves horses. As will all the acrobats, most had never ridden a horse, let alone a liberty act, but they all are taking riding lessons from Magali. (You couldn't have a better teacher.) The Lusitano in this act is either Chucaro (My horse in the "Carousel") Bandelero, Iman, or Hades. You can download a listing of acts from the show at my website www.equineextremist.net/cavalia.htm On the top left hand side, click on "Listing of Acts". I haven't adjusted it yet for the couple of changes, but you'll get the idea.
My experience in Del Mar with the people is incredible. I have met some wonderful people. Thank you for asking for me after the show. Don't worry if I'm busy, catch me during the stable tour, or if you didn't get the Rendez-Vous package, if I can come and meet you I will. Just find someone who works for the show with a walkie talkie. You are the reason I am here in Del Mar, so don't be afraid to ask. "Jenna, thank you for the roses!" I walk into my dressing room BEFORE the show and sitting on my desk is a flower arrangement. That made my night and the show hadn't even started! If we get flowers it is usually after the show, so I was surprised to get an arrangement before the show. I haven't even met Jenna yet either. She is a 10 year old girl who loves horses and is coming to the show on Sunday. Her parents wrote to me to tell me she has been doing great in school and deserved something special like "Cavalia". So, I told her if she drew me a picture (She is a budding artist too.) I would give her a tour of the stables. So, I wasn't even expecting the flowers. Now I can't wait to meet this wonderful young lady and her parents. When I get gifts or things from people, I always pack them up and send them to my home in Florida, where I fill my office and scrapbooks with my memories like these. Thank you all for making my travels memorable. Every where we go, people are willing to help us out. They tell us the best places to eat, travel, and sight see. I invited the owner and staff at Jimmy O's in Del Mar to see the show Thursday night. They stay open late and serve excellent food until midnight, so we usually end up there after the show. The manager, Billy always reserves us a table and Laura makes sure we get food even if the kitchen is closed. Now that's service!
We have ten days left in Del Mar, then I go back to my home in Florida for a week, then return to Santa Monica for the Nov 10th opening. My husband will stay and work with the show during the "demontage" or tear down and take care of our doggies while I'm gone. I know he will miss me, but I'm sure he enjoys the break. Time to hit the beach before the show tonight.
Ride Fast... Take Chances!

Things are Going Great in Cavalia

Fri, 08 Oct 2004 08:03:22 GMT

Not much to say about the show except everything is going very well. Trick riding is really exciting. Olivier is back with us and doing more incredible tricks. Damian is still as tight and quick as ever. Kansas is throwing down some nice tricks with the new horse, Bungee and Ricky is moving fast with the new horse, Zorro. I'm still on T-Bar and he is still working hard for me. Tonight our choreographer had Olivier wear a "cowboy" hat during the trick riding. I knew from experience that it wasn't going to stay on and it would end up in the path and it did. The first pass T-Bar didn't see it. The second pass was a different story. He jumped over it and started bucking a bit. I couldn't do my trick. Someone eventually would pick it up to avoid any more problems. My next pass it was still there, but I let him know it was ok before we left the wings and I did my trick quick, just in case. I noticed our jumper didn't do his usual no handed jump and I saw one of our Russian Bar holders fall after the acrobat, Pierre Luc did his double flip. There is always a lot of little things that happen in every show. It is the result of working with horses. Most people don't even notice, but I strive to have a perfect show every night. So, any little thing I notice and hope to make it better. Most of the time it is timing or rider error and sometimes the horse. I just make sure I'm ready for any situation and very sure of what my horse can and can't do. The more prepared I am the more comfortable I am on stage.
Well, it's getting late and we've got a long weekend ahead of us. I did have acupuncture done today. It seemed to work. We'll see after a few sessions. I'm still looking for a good massage therapist. I need a good deep tissue massage.
Getting lots of emails from poeple excited about our upcoming Santa Monica shows. Looks like it will be a great time there! Ride Fast... Take Chances.

Couple Days Off

Mon, 04 Oct 2004 23:42:13 GMT

Time to relax for the artists and horses. We have three days off (mon/tues/wed) before we start back with the show on Thursday. Our producer wanted to give us a bit of a break. The shows have been great and the people wonderful. The emails keep pouring in and I love it! I haven't done much here in Del Mar, except hang out on the beach with my puppies and my husband. We found a couple of great places to eat. We love Japanese Steakhouses, where they cook in front of you, so we went to "Miyabi". They were very accommodating as they close at 9pm and we arrived after the show at 8:57p. The chef, was a lot of fun. He showed us some cool tricks we haven't seen before, and we've seen a lot. He even let Ricky Suarez behind the grill to try the "egg roll" with the spatula trick. It wasn't easy! Jon, our chef was target practicing by throwing the shrimp appetizer in our mouths right from the grill and letting us skewer lemons as he tossed them to us. It was lots of fun and the food was excellent. Lots of shrimp, lobster, filet, sushi and saki. They let us stay for as long as we wanted. We'll be back there soon. The other cool place we went is "Jimmy O's" It's a sports bar with 8 to 10 tables. We went there Wednesday night for food and they gave us menus and told us to call in our orders before the kitchen closed and they would reserve us tables. The food was great and the drinks were nice. We went last Friday night and it was packed! There was a line of people waiting to get in, but the manager, Billy saw us and let us in and even got us one of the 4 booths available. Now that's service! It was crazy. Our server, Laurie made sure we were well taken care of. So today looks like a beach day and then the Zoo and a day of so in Mexico before we leave.
To answer a few questions from you all, most people just write comments, but some ask questions. One is "Isn't 2 shows a day too much for the horses?". The answer is no for this show. With 30+ horses, each only works 5 to 10 mins each show, so they only work up to 30 mins a day on two show days. On the other hand, most of the performers arrive at 11am and work all day with make-up, costumes, warm-up, meetings, rehearsals, and doing the acts (I am in 6 acts)in the show and leaving at 11:00pm. It is a long day for everyone!
People also ask why we don't say where our touring route is. Well, that is because the producer is only going city by city. He wants to have the freedom to go where ever he wants. Our next city is Santa Monica which was just released last week. Our next location he is looking at is Phoenix, Vancouver, Denver, Chicago, or Miami. So, we never know until the contracts have been signed. This give us a lot of flexibility to stay in a location longer. I love it because we get to live in the city and experience it like we are part of the community. It is a wonderful concept. Another question was about the show and our training. Well, Frederic is magical with his horses. It comes from a lifetime of being around and raising the Lusitanos. He has such a gentle touch and knows each horse. We have evolved the show around the horses. If we find something the horse likes to do, we add it to the show or work with it, not against it. Like "Aetes" during the Liberty with Fred will jump off the back level to the bottom level, so Fred runs with him over the jumps and chases him. Aetes love it. No other horse will do that, but he loves it so Fred worked it into the show.
Well, time for me to hit the beach. Thanks for the all the feedback and those who ask for me when you come to the show. Also for the flowers, they are beautiful! It really picks me up after the show to get flowers. It is such a wonderful feeling
Ride Fast... Take Chances!

Wonderful Magazine Article and Photos

Mon, 27 Sep 2004 22:32:04 GMT

Here is a fantastic website with articles and photos... Check it out.
http://www.ialha.org/new/features/articles/cavalia_p1.php

Thanks to Mary Cornelius for my new Roman 4 team photo icon.

I am enjoying my day off on the beach.
Ride Fast... Take Chances!

Wonderful Response at Del Mar

Sat, 25 Sep 2004 00:27:16 GMT

We had a full house opening night here in Del Mar, CA. THe show went very well and you should see the "trick riding" now! Wow. Olivier, who was with us from Shawinigan to LA, arrived back after taking a 2 city break to go home to France. He is in "trick riding" along with Damian, an incredibly quick and picture perfect rider, Kansas from the Riata Ranch Girls camp. She is a veteran trick rider with lots of tricks. So, these 3 with our already talented cast, makes for quite an exciting show. We are packed in the wings as they come barreling in after a run. It is a sight to see. We can hear by the audience how they are reacting. It could be a laugh, an "ohhhhhhh", or a "yeahhhhh". I hear the ending really well with the applause. I am the last rider with the long scarf, so I finish the act. It is incredibly loud and wonderful to hear them cheer non-stop for over a minute or more. You can feel the adrenaline pumping after that act! There are people who actually leave after that act, because they think it is over and want to beat the traffic. Our director did that on purpose. He wanted people to be blown away and then get blown away more! (there is actually 2 more acts) After our act is a surreal time with rain, snow, and leaves, and then the magic of Frederic Pignon and his beautiful relationship he has with his Lusitano stallions. I can't imagine coming to see this show and missing the ending because you thought it was over.
Getting ready for tonight, so I gotta run and warm up Bandit and Hollywood. Talk to you all soon.
Ride Fast... Take Chances!

Del Mar Opening Tomorrow!

Tue, 21 Sep 2004 02:32:51 GMT

Time has been flying by here at Cavalia. (When you're hanging out on the beach!) Well, not really. We started back with our rehearsals and tonight, we are going through a run through of the show. This morning we had our press conference and there were lots there. We do four acts to give them a preview. TV, radio, and magazine people were there to get a glimpse of what's to come. They will all be invited to the Premier Tuesday Night, but a preview always helps get them writing about the show. I was a little worn from taking a digger off my roman team on Sunday. Hollywood liked the time off a little too much and wasn't ready yet. He let me know it. A got a nice scrape and a bruise or two, but it's par for the course. (I guess that's what you call a two week vacation wake-up call.)As always, I got back on to let Holly know that it's time to go back to work. He was fine after that. I have pictures I will be posting to my other blog (www.cavalia.blogspot.com) of the press conference and set up, so check it out. I also have other thoughts to post. Keep the emails coming. Del Mar looks like it will be a very good area for us. Time for the rehearsal. Ride Fast... Take Chances!