Happy 4th of July!

Happy Independence Day to everyone. We're having a get together today with bunch of friends to play paintball, volleyball, listen to music and eat BBQ all day. We were watching videos of our Cavalia days yesterday, where we lived in Toronto at this nice little apartment and how safe it felt to walk around at night in the city, driving in the snow and freezing cold in Montreal over Christmas, taking walks along San Francisco Bay with our dogs in the spring, and the 4th of July in Seattle at the Park with all the fireworks and cast from the show there. We met a lot of incredible people along the way. Every city we would meet someone who was so generous and helpful. They would plan parties for us, or take us to dinner, give us directions to the best places to go, and help us with our new "home". So, now that we are really "home", we are putting on a party for the people we know here to kinda keep the circle going. We still keep in contact with most of them via email along with the cast members. A few of my friends from the show have left since I left in January 2005, and of course the show will go on. That's show business! I wish Fred Pignon and Magali Delgado, the equestrian directors of Cavalia, the best of success. They deserve a lot. It was such a joy working with them and riding their Lusitanos. As the quarter horse trainer, I worked all of the quarter horses and rode 3 in the show, but I also got to ride english on "Chucaro" during the "Carousel". You can still see me in the photo they use for the press with the other 5 riders. I convinced Ricky Suarez, who I worked with at Arabian Nights in Orlando, (and is still in the show) to come with me to Canada and be in this new and wonderful show back in May of 2003. It was a new adventure we embarked on, in a new country, and when we arrived to start training the horses it was in a small horse farm with horses that needed to be trained for the show. Only a couple had stage experience. The time table was to open the show in August. It seemed like an impossible task, but quite the challenge. What we did along with many talented craftsman, choreographers, musicians, photographers, designers, and artists was what you see today as Cavalia.
So, thanks to all of the well wishes and emails. I love to get mail, so keep them coming. I'll try and answer all of them whatever it may be. karen@equineextremist.net
So Happy 4th to Christine, Tony, Pat, Tim, June, Christiana, Karine, Deb, Diane, Dana, and Alex. Thanks for everything and making the world a better and nicer place.
Ride Fast... Take Chances!
karen