No matter what is there, she believes that she can jump it, whether it’s a puissance wall, an eventing fence or a show jump.
Eighteen-year-old Mershad, of New Albany, OH, is on the fast track to a thriving career in show jumping. At 17, she competed in her first grand prix, and that same year she was invited to ride in the New Albany Classic Invitational, the prestigious annual grand prix held in her hometown. Udonna and Mershad were an instant fit, and after a year of leasing the mare from Little, Mershad became her owner. “It feels amazing to ride her,” 18-year-old Mershad says. “I’m always wanting to go clear, and I’m a big one on trusting the animal. With Udonna, I never feel nervous. No matter what happens I know she has my back.” In 2014, Udonna and Mershad stepped-up to compete in the $95,000 Artisan Farms Young Rider Grand Prix Series at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival. The mare’s charismatic boldness over every fence is eye catching, and when she gallops into the arena with her flaxen mane and tail flying, she is magnificent. “She’s just one of those super athletes that could have been anything,” Little says. “She’s just that talented. We always joked that when she was too old to jump we could call Chester Weber and give her a third career as a driving horse.” Mershad is lucky enough to have a string of jumpers to compete with, but with Udonna, Mershad has more fun than most riders her age.
When the opportunity arises, Mershad has been known to canter through water complexes with Udonna. “I never feel nervous like she’s going to spook or stop,” Mershad says. “She’s literally so trustworthy.” In the meantime Little has developed a string of four-star eventing horses, as well as the respect of the eventing community with her solid record of four-star results, and is now an established member of the United States Eventing Team. There’s a real chance that Little will be competing at the 2014 World Equestrian Games – on the eventing team - rather than watching it on her television this year. Her Raylyn Farm in Frederick, Maryland is busier than ever, with strings of top-level horses in both disciplines to train and compete. When she has the opportunity, Little checks in on Mershad and Udonna and always enjoys watches them in the ring together. “In the moments when Gabriela wasn’t as confident, Udonna’s confidence has carried her. And in the moments when Gabriela was ready to win, Udonna was there for her,” Little describes. “It’s a great partnership.”
SEPTEMBER 23 THRU OCTOBER 5, 2014 Land Rover World Cup Grand Prix of Sacramento CSI-W2*
Udonna was a horse that changed Little, not only in her riding, but in the direction of her career. One day, Little hopes that Mershad will look back and say that Udonna was a horse that changed her, too.
Opposite page: Gabriela Mershad and Udonna competed in the $95,000 Artisan Farms Young Rider Grand Prix Series this January. Photo ©Erin Gilmore Above: With Marilyn Little, Udonna competed up to the 2* level in three day eventing.
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photo ©Jennifer Muncy
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jumping rider Gabriela Mershad came to try horses, and the decision was made to allow her to lease Udonna, as well as another of Little’s jumpers.