Susan Bellinger joins the Century Club

By Holly Clanahan

Reprinted with permission from the Quarter Horse Journal

For 20-plus years, Susan Bellinger has enjoyed the company of her American Quarter Horse gelding Bona Fide Beau, aka “Charlie.” They’ve fox hunted sidesaddle, done threeday eventing and competed in dressage.

And now, at ages 71 and 30, they have become members of The Dressage Foundation’s Century Club. The Century Club recognizes North American dressage or western dressage riders and horses whose combined ages total 100 years or more and who perform a test of any level, scored by a dressage judge or professional.

“I was just so happy that we could do that at the end of his career,” Susan says. “There are a lot of older horses competing, and I think it’s wonderful that they showcase that.”

Over the course of his life, Charlie has been ridden in both English and western events, has gone trail riding and has been used in 4-H, Pony Club and the Metamora (Michigan) Hunt Club. “He’s just such a fabulous Quarter Horse,” Susan says. “People, I think, don’t realize how versatile they are.”

The sorrel gelding has been semi-retired since 2016, when he helped another rider (Myra Wagener) enter the Century Club. To prepare for her own ride, Susan slowly got him in shape over eight weeks, and he was happy to comply. “He’s just a great horse,” she says.

For their qualifying ride, the longtime pair rode a Training-Level dressage test in a sidesaddle. “I just wanted to show him off,” Susan says. “He was pretty special that day. He is gorgeous sidesaddle.”

Susan is a certified instructor with the American Riding Instructors Association, and she gives lessons in English and sidesaddle and boards horses at her facility in Shepherd, Michigan.

“There is resurgence in sidesaddle,” she says. “I just went down and did three private les-

Photo by Nancy McCallum Photography.

sons in Metamora for three ladies who are riding sidesaddle now, and it’s fun to teach the traditions. I think Downton Abbey probably helped spark the renewed interest in sidesaddle.”

Susan began learning about horses in England at age 11, when she started mucking stalls in exchange for ride time. “I never owned a horse until I came to the United States many, many years ago,” she says. “And from then on, I just had one or two, and then four or five.”

She has taught her own kids and grandkids how to ride and once coached the equestrian team at Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant.

“It has been a life of horses, really,” she says. “My life has revolved around horses, and I’ve been very lucky at getting really good horses. I’m always thankful for that.”

And Charlie, who’s now fully retired, was certainly one of those good ones.