Post by Christina on Nov 2, 2023 1:10:26 GMT
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THE SUNDAY PAPER đ°
Nov. 19, 2023
The Sunday Paper is a bi-weekly newsletter packed with curated content from around our community, including the latest CC drops, my personal recs, tips and tricks, personal stories, character news, and more.AROUND THE COMMUNITY
Photo of the Week
Hello and welcome to our first public edition of The Sunday Paper! đď¸ This is a fully reader-supported newsletter and I'm so happy to be sharing it with you. I hope it brings you new ideas & inspiration, helps you discover more goodies to add to your game, teaches you something new, and helps you connect with other members in the community.
I'm super excited about this issue because I got to do something I've always wanted to do here on ES: an interview! I won't spoil it for you, but this member has been with us for almost as long as I have (that's 10+ years), and I've always admired the fact that she's stuck with her stable from the very beginning. She's truly built a legacy within the community and it was so much fun getting to dive into her story. I hope you enjoy the interviewâwho knows, maybe you'll be next?
I've also created several pieces of CC for this issue. When I came up with the theme for this week's curated content list, I realized there weren't a ton of options for both games, if any at all...so I took it upon myself to make (and convert) them for us. It doesn't look like a lot, but gosh, creating and managing files for both games is a lot of work! đľâđŤ But, I'm happy to be able to share my content with everyone, so it's worth it. Huge shoutout to Raya Collins for helping me test and grabbing photos for this week's issue.
As always, if there's anything I can do to add more value to this letter, please DM me here or on Discord to share your ideas. If you enjoyed reading, please leave a comment or like this post! It keeps me inspired.
This one's a long one, so grab your favorite beverage, settle in, and read on! I'll see you at the bottom.
Apples by ÂĄJacques at Sketchfab. Carrots by SIMcredible! Designs.
*Hay straws are not a functional accessory. Floor level, can be used for poses or as deco.
*Hay straws are not a functional accessory. Floor level, can be used for poses or as deco.
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COMMUNITY INTERVIEW
Lidija Rotherford
Christina: Hi Lidija, itâs so good to finally meet you in person and to have a chance to sit down with you one-on-one. I want to kick this off by going back to the basics. How did you get your start with horses?
Lidija: Hi, welcome! It is good to meet you as well, what an honor it is indeed! The founder, the person who made this whole thing happen! We should be interviewing YOU! (laughs) I got my start when I was 14 or 15 years old, my aunt had a small stable close to Ardorwen (where the Estate is built now) with 2 horses and weâd come visit. With me taking a liking to the horses and the sport, my family bought a few more but they could not stay at my auntâs and things started rolling from there.
C: I think we can all agree that the Rotherford Farms Estate has grown into a vast, state-of-the-art facility. How do you stay on top of it all? Do you ever miss the days when you were a small backyard stable?
L: Oh dear, I absolutely love the buzz but canât say that everyone who is here does! We have a team of 25 permanent employees (just for the horses, mucking out, feeding & turnout is a separate team) and constantly take in interns or working students to help out. Our employees have a very busy 5 day work week with paid accommodation (on-site or off-site) and a car, so providing good working conditions enables us to have a trustworthy long-term team by our side. The other 2 days a week are covered by the weekend team, so yeah, three very hardworking teams of people, without them this would not be possible.
I do miss the times that it was a bit smaller as there was less logistics to it all and it felt less like âworkâ, but we are on the downsizing path, not by selling but by simply not buying new horses. This way I can keep all the current ones and give them the retirement and their golden years that they deserve.
C: I know we have a behind-the-scenes tour scheduled after this, but tell us a little about what the day-to-day is like here at Rotherford. How do you like to spend your time, in and out of the arena?
L: I am looking forward to the tour, there is so much for you to see! Canât believe youâve never been!
Rotherford has a lot of riders. Some are private people and work just their own horses and some are my riders and have assigned horses. The grooms come at 6AM and start preparing the horses, since they donât have to muck out, feed or take the horses out. Riders usually (if itâs a regular day) arrive by 7AM and immediately start riding. Of course, grooms help out the other team with turnout but that is their free will and being good colleagues.
I come a bit later, at 9 or 10AM as there is always something to do in the morning, some show plan arrangements, ordering things for the Estate like hay, bedding, feed for the horses, etc. I have 15 horses of my own and they donât work every day, as I would not have the time. Currently some of my horses are on a 2 week vacation in Spain before the KJT Finals in Oliva Nova. This is good because - less horses at the Estate, but itâs bad because - my groom is with them in Spain, so one man less here! I like to do flat work. Not even dressage, just flat work. Easy riding, stretches, small gymnastics and things like that. It gets my mind off of things and I can truly enjoy the horses. Out of the arena I like to drink coffee on this terrace right here, where we are now! I can see the horses in the paddocks from here, people riding on the track and the evening sun is always warming this place up nicely, very cosy, very private. Some days when I come here, sit down and look around it really sinks in what I have here, how many people shared joy with us and how many more exciting things are ahead!
C: Youâre on the rise in the world of Show Jumping. Whatâs your vision for the future? Are you going for Gold? Is there currently anything holding you back from reaching your goals?
L: With time I grew to love developing young horses, so this is what I am currently doing and the Estate has some amazing youngsters heading into show arenas in 2024. My vision for the future is to drown in ribbons in my office! (laughs) I looove ribbons, trophies and all kinds of awards and love to proudly display them. I would love to see an all-homebred team across the disciplines Rotherford participates in. Right now I have a lot of horses from other breeders, which are amazing horses, but I am very excited for foals from these very same horses in a few years time!
Currently I am focused more on jumping, but I have just one horse (RFE Sibelle, pictured below) that is doing 1.60m classes. With her I do the big important shows but she canât jump all the time, she needs a break, which means I canât go into the Grand Prix of every show I participate in. Right now most of my horses are at around 1.35m and Iâve been having lots of success at that level (Rothschildâs Banjo, Tanns Schneebeere (retired after 2022 season), Westwoodâs Aquaxius). Hopefully in a season or two I will be able to show more in the Grand Prix circuits. And regarding dressage, I have 2 Grand Prix ready horses (RFE Kristyan & Gadiel JS) but there havenât been many shows this year where they could show, so younger horses travelled for experience instead.
C: Rotherford Farms is home to over two hundred horses. Tell me, do you have a favorite? Donât worry, your secretâs safe with me.
L: Oh come on, 202! Iâve had over 350 and believe me, never getting to that number again!
Of course there are favourites! The horse that gave me most show jumping confidence in quite awhile has been Tanns Schneebeere (barn name Weebles). I saw her a long, long time ago in some photos by Eowyn (Vance) and thought how amazing it would be to own that mare. Several years later she was for sale and I was over the moon that I got her! She was out of work but in top body condition, it took us half a season to get her back on track with work and it were only 1st and 2nd places with her. She was fierce, quick and powerful. Bucked around and hated other horses, but jumping like a firework. She won the overall CTJL 1.30m title in 2022 and was retired after that due to her age. She is 21 today and thriving. Still hates everybody.
BUT, I know Weeblesâ story sounds amazing, alas my heart horse is my sweet boy Rothschildâs Banjo (Lidija's face softens completely with a love filled look, like if she saw the cutest puppy ever). Similar story to Weebles, I saw him competing as a 4yo by Ian (Salvatore), he was doing the CTJL circuit back in 2021 with him. I knew I needed to have this horse so after some persuasion and determination, Ian sold him to Rotherford. This horse is brave, bold, honest, scopey and never finished below top 5 (in T-shows). He was my first ever contender for the overall CTJL title, as he stacked up points in 2021, which was my first year of doing the circuit. I joined half-way through so my other horses did not stand a chance for the title, but Banjo did because of Ian. I can remember the butterflies in my stomach and the pure nervousness heading into the CTJL Sydney Playoffs. We won the 1.20m class and with that the overall CJTL 1.20m 2021 title. Over the moon to this day. I have a framed photo in the office below, I will show you. The joy and adrenaline kept me sharp all day, I actually won both the 1.30m class with Weebles and the 1.40-1.45m class with Okurimono (happy facepalm). He just kept going strong and to this day is my top horse in development, he is only 10 years old. Finished in 2nd place for the 2022 CTJL overall title and will be jumping for the winning spot in the KJT Finals in December. So, definitely one to watch and definitely one that has a firm grasp of my heart! Itâs no secret!
C: Your Aherne Marwin and Ardowen Cups are internationally-recognized events. What have you learned about the industry after hosting so many shows over the years? On a more personal note, how do you stay on top of your own training around your responsibilities as an event sponsor?
L: Yes, they are and I am happy that itâs like that. The AJC (*Ardorwen Jumping Cup*) had 10 big international shows and the ADC (*Ardorwen Dressage Cup*) a total of 17. The stallion show has not been hosted in a few years, but who knows?
I learnt that itâs all about being persistent, determined and showing up. We saw so many determined riders win over riders with fancy horses just because they showed up more, point by point their consistency made them win which is something I applaud. Show up. Be there. Support the shows, support the hosts and your effort will be rewarded.
Early start in the day is your friend when a big show that you host is coming up, and my horses usually donât get ridden for that period. My groom Andre works them for me, lunging, walker, water treadmill and they go out. Problems arise if I have a big show coming up that same weekend so I leave, but weâve hosted these so many times that most of the things run without any need of overseeing, and other trusted team members can keep things in check.
C: Is Rotherford Farms a family affair? Do you know to whom youâll pass the torch someday?
L: I have two family members who ride here. Caren (33) and Vienna (23). Caren rides the most promising and talented show jumpers as she is a talent herself, but she prefers to be a rider and nothing else. Vienna rides for fun, has around 9 horses total, does shows when she feels like it, even though they are good horses. Neither really have the desire to take over one day, so I donât really have an answer to that for now!
C: As the seasoned competitor you are now, what advice would you give to your younger self? The one whoâs just starting to find their stirrups, so to speak.
L: Stay in your own lane, donât compare yourself and as I said previously - show up. Show up every day, every time and do your best, whatever that âbestâ is that day.
C: How do you feel about your results at Monaco? Is there anything you wouldâve done differently, looking back?
L: UhâŚwhat a question. You know we all nit-pick our rides every time, re-watch videos and think how we could have done this, that⌠but I have to be down to Earth and face that this was Banjoâs first 1.40-1.45m class and I threw him in the deep end with it being a 5* show. Pulling out a podium finish, would it be nice? Yes. Is a 5th place bad for such circumstances? Absolutely no! A top 5! He was clear, he was in time, I feel proud!
C: As a final and
L: Nothing goes by you, eh? That is my boyfriend of 4 years, a very supportive man. He is not that much into horses as in riding and all, but likes to hang around with them and have an occasional stroll on one of my dressage stallions. He travels with me everywhere and then I go to the show and he goes off into the city and does tourist-y things, a win-win situation. His real community debut was in Monaco, where we attended the auction and the gala dinner together, and when I am with him I canât wipe the smile off my face. Who knows, maybe he is the key to passing on the torch to somebody younger one day? (wink)
A HUGE thank you to Lidija Rotherford for giving me her time and contributing these beautiful photos to this week's issue of the Sunday Paper.
Winter is Coming...to O'Neil Equestrian
Winter is a busy season at O'Neil. As clients show up fewer and farther between, preferring to hunker down under their blankets and sleep in late as the mornings get colder, the team is preparing for the upcoming show season. Like every year, Ryan and his team will be traveling down to Florida for the winter circuit. Only this time, he's not only going as a trainer, but as a competitor. While Morgan will stay behind to manage the property, Ryan and the best of his students and trainers will be hitting the road come January.
The horses are loving the brisk weather. Some of them, a little too much. Yesterday, Ryan caught Mia up by the front of the barn, where they got to chatting about her newest horseâhe wasn't shy about his opinion on her interest in returning to dressageâand Mia ended up joining him as he walked up the hill to get Cas from the front paddocks.
Only...when they got there, it was the thing of every equestrian's nightmare. Cas was covered, head to hoof, in mud. Not just any mud, the caked-up, stuck-to-his-coat, gonna-take-hours kind of layered mud. Somehow, the Houdini had escaped his turnout sheet. They found it, also covered in mud, near the paddock gate, where Ryan had to make a "getting dirty" joke that I'm sure had Mia like đđŞđ¤
The horses are loving the brisk weather. Some of them, a little too much. Yesterday, Ryan caught Mia up by the front of the barn, where they got to chatting about her newest horseâhe wasn't shy about his opinion on her interest in returning to dressageâand Mia ended up joining him as he walked up the hill to get Cas from the front paddocks.
Only...when they got there, it was the thing of every equestrian's nightmare. Cas was covered, head to hoof, in mud. Not just any mud, the caked-up, stuck-to-his-coat, gonna-take-hours kind of layered mud. Somehow, the Houdini had escaped his turnout sheet. They found it, also covered in mud, near the paddock gate, where Ryan had to make a "getting dirty" joke that I'm sure had Mia like đđŞđ¤
Featured
 Meet STACIE o'DONNELL "Stacie grew up spending much of her childhood on her grandmother's land. When her grandmother passed away, Stacie inherited the stables, which had fallen into disrepair. Determined to keep her grandmother's legacy alive, she embarked on the journey of rebuilding the stables from the ground up..." Read Stacie's Story â | "Life shaken upside-down by sudden news, Filly Heartlock must navigate through the difficulties of her newfound responsibilities as barn manager. Fillyâs only rock in this mess is her fatherâs trusted employee, Javier. A young, aspiring musician whoâs slowly come to realize that music isnât his only love..." Read Filly's Story â |
- We now have a new Guestbook on the forum! Please take a moment to make a post to formally introduce yourself, and feel free to use it as a space for sharing links to your blogs, socials, and forum threads to help others stay connected with you and your creations.
- Clubs are also now OPEN for all members to create and/or join. Feel free to start sharing info about your breed, discipline, or fun member clubs.
- Do you love making custom content? Are you looking for something less chaotic than Discord for sharing your creations with the community? We have a new board for that.
- If you're running an equine business and looking to collab or roleplay with others, I encourage you to add your business to our listing here!
CURRENT EVENTS
- Did you hear about the Interpretations Challenge? I bet Anastasia Wade 's prizes will be amazing!
- Members are welcome to host Creative Challenges to inspire others to roll up their sleeves and get creative! Help one another dive into your characters, flex your sim or horse-making skills, or put your imagination to the test with a build or decor challenge. Remember you can also advertise your challenge on our Discord in the #creative-challenges channel.
COMING UP
- This coming week, I intend to finish my framework for our Licensed Breeder Program. Once that's finished, I'll need to create graphics and (likely) some custom content over the next few weeks before the first version is fully launched, but you can expect some updates to the board along the way.
- We're heading into the holidays! I'm still making event plans, figuring out what promises I can deliver upon, but Discord and our forum will start looking pretty festive come December. đ
What's Happening Behind-the-Scenes*
I've been thinking about what I really want to accomplish through Equus-Sims and my goals for the community. On a personal level, I really want you guys to get to know Ryan and the team behind O'Neil. I want you to be invested in their lives, in and out of the barn, and I also want that for your own characters. I'd love for us as a community to get to know characters by their names, feel emotionally invested in their failures and successes, and be inspired or moved by their stories.
I want to continue moving in the direction of storytelling. I'd rather focus on giving you guys ways to really connect with your characters and other storytellers rather than only giving you things to do. Events are great, but I want to give us ways to go deeper than that. I want us to have a reason to careâand that starts with each of us taking the lead by starting up a journal or story. Whether you're a storyteller or just want to share your gameplay shenanigans, get in there! Give us something to start talking about.
With this in mind, I'm planning to create a storytelling section on the forum called The Library. Stories will move there, and there will be more character-oriented goings-on in that section. It's just a high-level concept right now, but I know for sure I want to have a place where we can introduce our characters individually so we can start getting to know themâand I think the forum is better for than that Discord.
*This is a repeat from the last issue. I thought it was a good update to share with everyone!
Personal Updates, Thoughts, & Other Rec's
Have you ever felt super busy, but don't really have anything to show for it? Like you're running fast, spinning your wheels, but not really getting anywhere? That's where I've been the last couple of weeks, or maybe even months. Too many plates in the air, but I'm finally doing something about it now that I know why I'm like this.
I've been working with a fellow coach to get clear on my goals and we've created a schedule going forward that feels constructive for nipping my compulsive overthinking tendencies in the đ! I feel like it's going to allow me to move the needle on the things that matter to meâand, more importantly, actually FINISH them. That's my biggest struggle as a creative person. I love to start projects and am a Professional⢠at never finishing them. Maybe you can relate? Anyway, I'll let you know how it goes, and will be happy to share what worked for me on the other side.
As a less life-oriented update, I've been getting super into Sims 4! Gemma suggested I try to make Ryan, and if you're in need of a good laugh, here's what that process looked like. đ But I'm soooo happy I didâhe looks amazing! If you're curious, I'm putting together a side-by-side comparison to share with you guys on Tumblr this week, so stay tuned for that.
Lastly, can we talk about how many awesome mods there are for TS4? It's also been nice to be able to play without worrying about my game self-imploding (like TS3, which randomly quit on me while I was trying to take all these CC photos). Although, on that note, I still have a long way to go in figuring out TS4...at the moment, I keep accidentally deleting whole sections in Build Mode; I can't ever seem to find terrain paints; and I'm so intimidated by the building tools! It seems like the possibilities are endless and, guys, I have underwhelming building skills. I make up for it with details and decor...of which I currently have neither. đ¤ (Huge thank you to Felicity Royle for helping me remedy that!)
Currently Loving:
- Cozy sets like this.
- Obsessed with this post! I love the "moving in" theme, it's iconic for The Sims.
- Earnets for TS4 horses...finally!
- This TS4 protip for the lazy cc creator: You can press the âGâ key in Build or Buy mode to turn off the grid. (Also the fact that you can use tab mode in Build/Buy!!! âď¸âď¸âď¸âď¸âď¸)
PHOTO PROMPT
Tell us without telling us: what is one of your character's most iconic traits?
WRITING PROMPT
In the spirit of my interview with Lidija, let's make this week's theme about legacy. What's your character's vision for the future? Are they gunning for Gold? Staking a claim as the next best upcoming rider? Or were they thrust into this world by circumstance, and are trying to figure out what's next?
I hope you enjoyed today's post! Thank you so much for reading. Please do leave me a comment or drop a đ It keeps me inspired!
