The chronicle of the horse may 2016

KIP ROSENTHAL: Relief For Robotic Equitation Horses p. 42

DXp ) 0# )'(- $4.99

Vol. 79, No. 11

Living Legend: Patty Heuckeroth p. 32

sss

Inside: 9 Arguments Against Ace p. 26 Andy Kocher On Cap’n Crunch & Donald Trump p. 44 Mini Horse Madness p. 88

LOYALTY 2016 Winter Equestrian Festival Circuit Champion 3'3" Amateur Owner Hunter

ƂvÌiÀ > ÃÕVViÃÃvÕ i } Ìii Ì Ã Ü Ì -V ÌÌ -ÌiÜ>ÀÌ Ì i À Ã] V Õ` } Ü } Ì i Óä£{ 7 ÌiÀ µÕiÃÌÀ > iÃÌ Û> Ónd 9i>À Àii 7 À } Õ ÌiÀ ÀVÕ Ì > « à « > ` Ì i Óä£{ - Ü Õ ÌiÀ > v > i Àii 7 À } Õ ÌiÀ v Ì i 9i>À ƂÜ>À`] Þ> ÌÞ Li}> à ºÀi> » L >à > > >ÌiÕÀ ÀÃi°

NOTHING IS MORE NOBLE, MORE VENERABLE THAN LOYALTY. Loyalty is rarely found in the world. A loyal individual bears moral character and disciplined manners; he is honest and brave, and cannot be tempted to deviate from his path of virtue. Loyalty forms the basis of `i> V >À>VÌiÀ] Vi ÌiÀi` v> Ì vÕ iÃÃ] Ã>VÀ wVi] compassion, sincerity and boldness of nature

THANK YOU:

SCOTT STEWART, KEN BERKLEY and ANDY WITZEMANN v À w ` } Ì Ã iÝÌÀ> À` >ÀÞ ÀÃi SCOTT STEWART and SAMANTHA DARLING v À LÀ } } ÕÌ Ì i LiÃÌ Þ> ÌÞ DR. HAYNES STEVENS and IAN CURRY v À ii« } Þ> ÌÞ «i> V ` Ì ANYELO TORRES v À «À Û ` } Þ> ÌÞ Ã `> Þ V>Ài] > ` v À Û } Þ> ÌÞ >Ã ÕV >Ã ` The RIVERS EDGE TEAM v À Ì i À Õ v> } ÃÕ«« ÀÌ

Glen Senk and The Fashion Farm

summer is

A STATE of mind Come Show with Us!

4066 Pea Ridge Road, Mill Spring, NC 28756 | (828) 863-1000 | www.tryon.com | info@tryon.com

Tryon International Equestrian Center and Tryon Resort offers spectators, exhibitors, and competitors a wide variety of on-site lodging options, all located just steps away a convenient and stress-free stay. If interested in booking lodging for the 2016 Tryon Summer Show Series, please contact lodging@tryon.com for more information

from facility stabling to ensure n regarding weekly rates.

The 2016 summer Series

TRYON SUMMER 1 (JUNE 29 -JULY 3)

FEI CSI 3*/ AA PREMIER HUNTERS/LEVEL 6 JUMPERS

TRYON SUMMER 2 (JULY 6 - JULY 10)

FEI CSI 3*/ AA PREMIER HUNTERS/LEVEL 6 JUMPERS

TRYON SUMMER 3 (JULY 13 - JULY 17) FEI CSI 4*/ B HUNTERS/LEVEL 6 JUMPERS

TRYON SUMMER 4 (JULY 20 - JULY 24) FEI CSI 4*/ B HUNTERS/LEVEL 6 JUMPERS

The Florida Horse Park

Educate - Inspire - Excel

%" ." (+.&! +./" .' &* ( .&+* +1*05 ,.+2&!"/ " 10&#1( 3+.(! ( // /"00&*$ #+. "-1"/0.& * "2"*0/ 0%.+1$%+10 0%" 5" . &0% /-1 ." #++0 (( 3" 0%". ."* /"2"* ."$1( 0&+* !."// $" ."* / +2". + /0 ("/ *! /0 (&*$ 0%" , .' &/ -1& '(5 " +)&*$ %1 #+. 0%" /0 0" / "-1&*" 0&2&0&"/ .+) "$&**"./ 0+ (5),& */ 0%" (+.&! +./" .' % / /+)"0%&*$ #+.

"2".5+*" 0/ "4, *!&*$ .. 5 +# "!1 0&+* ( ,.+$. )/ ,.+2&!"/ (&*& / #+. %+./" +3*"./ *! ."0 '"./ *! &*/,&."/ *"3 $"*". 0&+*/ +# %+./" "*0%1/& /0/ 4,".&"* " 0%" (+.&! +./" .' !1.&*$ 5+1. *"40 2&/&0 0+ 0%" 1*/%&*" 0 0"

+10% &$%3 5 6 ( (+.&!

6 333 +./" .' +) 6

THE BEST RESULTS IN COMPETITION BEGIN WITH THE BEST FEEDS.

Ask your vet, trainer or feed retailer about ProForce® feeds.

ProForceFeed.com

From jet to jump.

Wherever you want, whenever you want!

Let Bloom Business Jets introduce you and your team to the extraordinary benefits of private business aviation, including the flexibility, greater security and the ability to hold meetings and discuss confidential information in complete privacy while flying to your equestrian event destination. Because you can fly to 10 times more airports via private versus commercial aviation, you typically save time by landing closer to your equestrian event or other destination. Be it through an aircraft acquisition, our 25-Hour Jet Card program, or chartering, the professionals at Bloom Business Jets are experts at finding the business aviation solution that fits your needs.

With more than 30 years of experience, Bloom Business Jets is your trusted connection to business aviation.

Toll-Free: (855) BLOOMJET • www.mybusinessjet.com • info@mybusinessjet.com

OUR

PASSION IS OUR

PEDIGREE

Equine care at its most advanced isn’t a field you fall into. It must begin with a pure and powerful affinity for horses. A sensitivity to their specialness, an appreciation of their nobility, a desire to see them vital and strong.

You then cultivate that feeling with the most rigorous academic discipline – absorbing the research, acquiring the expertise, refining the techniques. For those who perform at the highest level, there is New Bolton Center. Where the finest equine care in the world is practiced. With unbridled passion.

BRED FOR EXCELLENCE NewBoltonCenter.vet.upenn.edu | 610.444.5800

®

bigeloil quilted poultice

doesn ’ t mess around.

It’s hard to say exactly when something

This makes them ideal for use in low-water

becomes “tried and true.” But

regions and for travel. And because they’re

given that poultices have

compact and light, they’re easy to store

been used for thousands

and have ready for use after a hard

of years, we think it’s

workout or when unforeseen leg

safe to say they

or hoof issues arise.

qualify. Now we’re

V E RS AT I L E L E G

proud to offer

AN D H O O F CAR E

a “no-mess”

Bigeloil® Quilted Poultice Leg

poultice that

Wraps can be used whenever

makes this

you’re concerned about heat

enduring method

or stiffness in your horse’s leg.

of leg and hoof

Bigeloil® Quilted Poultice Hoof

care quick and

Pads can be used after heavy

easy. You get all the

work or competition, or when

benefits of traditional

heat, bruising, or soreness of

poultice ingredients such

the hoof is a concern.

as Kaolin clay and Epsom

FO R E V E RY R I D E R

salt, but in innovative, quilted fiber

With so much to offer,

paper pockets. That means

it’s no wonder Bigeloil®

no residue left on the legs

Quilted Poultice products

or hooves—and no cleanup.

are used by everyone

QU IC K , EASY, A N D C LEA N

from recreational riders to

Using a Bigeloil® Quilted Poultice is simple: just soak for 20 seconds, apply to your horse’s leg or hoof, and cover with a wrap. Both the wraps and pads typically remain wet for 12-18 hours. Removal is also easy: just take off the wraps and pads and throw them away.

Bigeloil® Quilted Poultice products require minimal water for preparation and absolutely no water after removal since there’s nothing to wash off.

professionals such as show-jumping icon Ian Millar. So when you’re looking for the best in a leg or hoof care poultice, look for Bigeloil®. And when you’re looking for other exceptional horse care products, look for the yellow ribbon.

The Horse World’s Most Trusted Name® absorbine.com

THE GREAT MAGNOLIA SHOW JUMPING TOUR Location! Location! Location!

Three Venues - Six Shows - One Tour America’s Olympic Stadium!

ATLANTA SUMMER CLASSIC JUNE 15-26, 2016

USEF Premier Rated | USEF Jumper Level 4 $35,000 Grand Prix $15,000 Welcome Class $10,000 Six Bar Classic $5,000 Futures Class $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby $2,500 USHJA National Derby $1,000 Pre-Green Incentive $1,000 Pre-Green Challenge $350,000 in Prize Money and Awards USHJA Children's/Adult Championships USHJA Emerging Athletes Program USHJA Children's/Adult Regional Championship

Please scan for up-to-date Classic Company information.

POST OFFICE BOX 1311 ) JOHNS ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA 29457 8437685503 ) CLASSICCOMPANY.COM

ATLANTA SUMMER CLASSICS June 15-26, 2016 classiccompany.com 843-768-5503

'&+%# % '$ *$$ ' *% *#, - ! &*) # ((! *#,

Great Magnolia Show Jumping Tour Part 1

Nashville’s Music Scene!

Charleston’s Show-Cation Destination!

Charleston

Great Magnolia Show Jumping Tour Part 3

SUMMER CLASSIC

SM

July 12-16, 2016 July 19-23, 2016

USEF Premier Rated/USEF Jumper Level 4

$35,000 Grand Prix each week

#brownlandfarm

2016

*% *#, - '&+%# % '$ *$$ ' *#, - ! &*) # ((!

USEF Premiere (AA) Rated Events USEF Jumper Level 4

GRAND PRIX - WELCOMES HUNTER DERBIES - CLASSICS

Please scan for up-to-date Classic Company information.

615.791.8180 Brownland Farm, LLC 1155 Hillsboro Road, Franklin, TN 37069 +++ '&+%# % '$ &$ Post Office Box 1311 Johns Island, South Carolina 29457 843-768-5503 classiccompany.com

BROWNLAND FARM SUMMER AND MIDSOUTH CLASSICS June 29-July 10, 2016 brownlandfarm.com 615-791-8180

CHARLESTON SUMMER CLASSICS July 12-23, 2016 classiccompany.com 843-768-5503

Circuit Champions will receive a silver trophy awarded at the Charleston Summer Classic! ""&'2 , )! ,%1 )! "' *("- 3 /).", ", %"- 3 " !'%)" .* -

The Great Magnolia Show Jumping Tour offers it all.

It’s the tour with more!

LILLIE

BROWN

Equestrian Real Estate Specialist 951 South Trade Street Tryon, North Carolina

TryonHorseFarms.com

864.978.9465

Historic Hunting Country Farm Magnificent Post&Beam! | Equestrian Training Center 2 Barns total 19 stalls | 10+ Acres & 19+ Acres of deeded access | Convenient to FENCE Landrum SC | $1,380,000

Fairwinds Road Farm

Clear View Farm 22+ Acres | Hunter-Jumper Equestrian Center | Two Large Riding Rings 2 Barns total 16 stalls | 12 Paddocks & Round Pen | Residences for Owner, Guests & Staff Includes all farm equipment & jumps | Landrum SC | $2,225,000

2BR, 1BA | 15 Acres Convenient to FENCE 3 Pastures | 2 run-in Sheds Riding Ring | 4-Stall Barn Landrum SC | $520,000

Vestavia Horse Farm 64+ Acres | State-of-the-Art Training Facility | Main & Guest Houses 2 Barns total 15 stalls | Garage and Equipment Outbuildings | 35 Acres Established Pasture Columbus NC | $2,275,000

Holly Ridge Lane Farm

Green Acres Farm —The Enclave at Fairview Farms 4BR, 3BA | 10+ Acres | Set among Hardwoods with Pastoral Views Living room with stone fireplace | 4-Stall Barn, 3 pastures Campobello SC | $619,000

3BR, 2.5BA | 4+ Acres Stoneybrook Equestrian Community 2-Stall Shedrow Barn | Fenced Pasture FETA Trail System Tryon NC | $485,000

6:7/6:ÂŽ

JSVKYVUH[L PUQLJ[PVU Bisphosphonate For use in horses only.

Brief Summary (For Full Prescribing Information, see package insert) CAUTION: Federal (USA) law restricts this drug to use by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian.

DESCRIPTION: Clodronate disodium is a non-amino, chlorocontaining bisphosphonate. Chemically, clodronate disodium is (dichloromethylene) diphosphonic acid disodium salt and is manufactured from the tetrahydrate form.

A stride forward

INDICATION: For the control of clinical signs associated with navicular syndrome in horses.

CONTRAINDICATIONS: Horses with hypersensitivity to clodronate disodium should not receive OSPHOS.

for Navicular Syndrome

WARNINGS: Do not use in horses intended for human consumption.

HUMAN WARNINGS: Not for human use. Keep this and all drugs out of the reach of children. Consult a physician in case of accidental human exposure.

Introducing OSPHOS, the new

PRECAUTIONS: As a class, bisphosphonates may be associated with gastrointestinal and renal toxicity. Sensitivity to drug associated adverse reactions varies with the individual patient.

Renal and gastrointestinal adverse reactions may be associated with plasma concentrations of the drug. Bisphosphonates are excreted by the kidney; therefore, conditions causing renal impairment may increase plasma bisphosphonate concentrations resulting in an increased risk for adverse reactions. Concurrent administration of other potentially nephrotoxic drugs should be approached with caution and renal function should be monitored.

Use of bisphosphonates in patients with conditions or diseases affecting renal function is not recommended.

Administration of bisphosphonates has been associated with abdominal pain (colic), discomfort, and agitation in horses. Clinical signs usually occur shortly after drug administration and may be associated with alterations in intestinal motility. In horses treated with OSPHOS these clinical signs usually began within 2 hours of treatment. Horses should be monitored for at least 2 hours following administration of OSPHOS.

FDA approved intramuscular bisphosphonate injection from Dechra Veterinary Products

Easily administered via intramuscular injection

Well tolerated* in clinical trials

Bisphosphonates affect plasma concentrations of some minerals and electrolytes such as calcium, magnesium and potassium, immediately post-treatment, with effects lasting up to several hours. Caution should be used when administering bisphosphonates to horses with conditions affecting mineral or electrolyte homeostasis (e.g. hyperkalemic periodic paralysis, hypocalcemia, etc.).

Proven efďŹ cacy* at 6 months post treatment

No Reconstitution required

OSPHOS contains clodronate disodium, a bisphosphonate indicated for the control of clinical signs associated with navicular syndrome in horses. OSPHOS is the only FDA-approved bisphosphonate for use in horses that is labeled for intramuscular injection.

In a clinical trial evaluating OSPHOS in 86 horses, lameness improved in 74.7% of horses by at least one grade 56 days after treatment. Only 9% of horses displayed clinical signs of being uncomfortable, nervous, colicky and or pawing after receiving OSPHOS. Less than 1% of horses experienced colic requiring treatment.

WITH OSPHOS THE BENEFITS ARE CLEAR . . .

Learn more online

www.dechra-us.com www.equinelameness.com www.osphos.com

Call our 24 hour Tech Support

The safe use of OSPHOS has not been evaluated in horses less than 4 years of age. The effect of bisphosphonates on the skeleton of growing horses has not been studied; however, bisphosphonates inhibit osteoclast activity which impacts bone turnover and may affect bone growth.

Bisphosphonates should not be used in pregnant or lactating mares, or mares intended for breeding. The safe use of OSPHOS has not been evaluated in breeding horses or pregnant or lactating mares.

Bisphosphonates are incorporated into the bone matrix, from where they are gradually released over periods of months to years. The extent of bisphosphonate incorporation into adult bone, and hence, the amount available for release back into the systemic circulation, is directly related to the total dose and duration of bisphosphonate use.

Bisphosphonates have been shown to cause fetal developmental abnormalities in laboratory animals. The uptake of bisphosphonates into fetal bone may be greater than into maternal bone creating a possible risk for skeletal or other abnormalities in the fetus. Many drugs, including bisphosphonates, may be excreted in milk and may be absorbed by nursing animals.

Increased bone fragility has been observed in animals treated with bisphosphonates at high doses or for long periods of time.

Bisphosphonates inhibit bone resorption and decrease bone turnover which may lead to an inability to repair micro damage within the bone.

In humans, atypical femur fractures have been reported in patients on long term bisphosphonate therapy; however, a causal relationship has not been established.

ADVERSE REACTIONS: The most common adverse reactions reported in the ďŹ eld study were clinical signs of discomfort or nervousness, colic and/or pawing. Other signs reported were lip licking, yawning, head shaking, injection site swelling, and hives/pruritus.

(866) 933-2472

As with all drugs, side effects may occur. In ďŹ eld studies, the most common side effects reported were signs of discomfort or nervousness, colic, and/or pawing. OSPHOS should not be used in pregnant or lactating mares, or mares intended for breeding. Use of OSPHOS in patients with conditions affecting renal function or mineral or electrolyte homeostasis is not recommended. Refer to the prescribing information for complete details or visit www.dechra-us.com.

CAUTION: Federal law restricts this drug to use by or on the order of licensed veterinarian. * Freedom of Information Summary, Original New Animal Drug Application, NADA 141-427, for OSPHOS. April 28, 2014.

+PZ[YPI\[LK I`! +LJOYH =L[LYPUHY` 7YVK\J[Z *VSSLNL )V\SL]HYK :\P[L 6]LYSHUK 7HYR 2:

Â? +LJOYH 3[K 6:7/6: PZ H YLNPZ[LYLK [YHKLTHYR VM +LJOYH 3[K (SS YPNO[Z YLZLY]LK 5(+( (WWYV]LK I` -+(

M a r k y o u r c a l e n d a r

The Capital Challenge Horse Show October 1-9, 2016

The Gochman Family The Hallman Family Heritage Farm John R. Ingram Fund

Thank you

The Kellogg & Sadrian Family Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Oare Peter Pletcher The Revers Family The Wheeler Family

to last year's sponsors for making 2015 a success,

Sharon Lynn Campbell

and to our future sponsors for making it possible to host a show of the highest caliber.

If you would like to join the Capital Challenge family and step into the ring as a sponsor please contact us: PATRON AND DONOR SPONSORSHIPS / Mimi Warren (267) 205-7121 mwe1065@aol.com PROMOTIONAL & CORPORATE SPONSORSHIPS / Weinberg Harris Equestrian Group Tracey Weinberg (410) 243-1333 ext. 224 (410) 627-3913 (mobile) tweinberg@weinbergharris.com VENDORS / Michele Markward (301) 260-2467 mmarkward@CapitalChallenge.org

w w w. c a p i t a l c h a l l e n g e . o r g

# risetothechallenge

May 2 & 9, 2016

The

VOLUME .0 EUMBER 11

Contents

Chronicle Horse of the

SPRING HORSE SHOWS ISSUE

32 Living Legend: Patty Heuckeroth

By Mollie Bailey

42 Horseman’s Forum: Trying To Solve An Age-Old Problem

By Kip Rosenthal

44 Free Rein With: Andy Kocher

By Haley Weiss

46 Between Rounds: Demystifying The LOC

By Julie Winkel

50 Khosla Plays A Hot Hand Into $50,000 Blenheim Spring Classic IV Grand Prix Victory

By Catie Staszak

58 Little Manhatten Pens His Fairytale In Camden

By Kimberly Loushin EVENTING

64 O’Neal’s On Top At Ocala

By Lindsay Berreth

70 Twin Rivers CIC*** Win Keeps Linstedt On The Road To Rolex

44 HORSE CARE

76 A Broken Leg And Back Again

MOLLIE BAILEY PHOTO

HORSE SHOWS

50

By Abby Gibbon

80 Between Rounds: Pinpointing The Reasons Behind Poor Performance

By Christiana Ober

On The Cover: THE CHRONICLE OF THE HORSE ARCHIVE PHOTO

24 Commentary / 26 Feedback / 28 In The Country / 82 Gone Away 83 Marketplace / 86 Advertisers Index / 87 Art Gallery / 88 Finish Line 20 The Chronicle of the Horse

MCCOOL PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTO

By Lisa Slade

The Winning Formula for Champions

The ONLY FDA approved equine PSGAG for the intramuscular treatment of non-infectious degenerative joint disease (DJD) of the carpal and hock joints proven to: s DIMINISH the destructive processes of degenerative joint disease s REVERSE the processes which result in the loss of cartilage components s IMPROVE overall joint function and associated lameness Available for order! For more information about equine joint health and treatment with Adequan® i.m., please visit www.adequan.com.

Georgina Bloomberg and Lilli won the Adequan® Grand Prix CSI 3* at the 2015 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) in Wellington, FL.

INDICATIONS For the intramuscular treatment of non-infectious degenerative and/or traumatic joint dysfunction and associated lameness of the carpal and hock joints in horses.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

There are no known contraindications to the use of intramuscular Adequan® i.m. brand Polysulfated Glycosaminoglycan in horses. Studies have not been conducted to establish safety in breeding horses. WARNING: Do not use in horses intended for human consumption. Not for use in humans. Keep this and all medications out of the reach of children. CAUTION: Federal law restricts this drug to use by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian.

Please see Full Prescribing Information at www.adequan.com.

Adequan® and the Horse Head design are registered trademarks of Luitpold Pharmaceuticals, Inc. © Luitpold Animal Health, division of Luitpold Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2016. Image of Georgina Bloomberg and Lilli © Sportfot® used with permission. AHD189 Rev. 2/2016

facebook.com/chronofhorse

WWW.CHRONOFHORSE.COM

twitter.com/chronofhorse

Online

youtube.com/chronofhorse pinterest.com/chronofhorse instagram.com/chronofhorse

We’ve Got It Covered

The International Omaha The organizers in Nebraska are getting ready to host the 2017 FEI World Cup Show Jumping and Dressage Finals, and the International Omaha will serve as a test run. Mollie Bailey is headed to Omaha to check it out, and she’ll bring you great photos, behind-thescenes details and more from the show jumping and dressage on May 6-8.

PHOTO COURTESY OF INTERNATIONAL OMAHA

Chronicle writers and photographers will be traveling all over in May! As always, we’ve got coverage planned from some of the biggest shows. Follow along at www.coth.com, as well as on our Facebook page, Instagram and Twitter at @chronofhorse.

Jersey Fresh International CCI

LINDSAY BERRETH PHOTO

Lindsay Berreth and Kimberly Loushin will be in New Jersey on May 12-15 to bring you all the action from the CCI***, CIC***, CCI** and CIC**.

It’s the biggest horse show of the spring, and we’ll have full coverage from the famous blue stands at Devon from May 26-June 5. From junior weekend action on May 26-29 to the open and amateur hunters the next week and the Sapphire Devon Grand Prix on June 2, Mollie Bailey, Kimberly Loushin and Molly Sorge will be there to bring you photos, stories, and anything you might need to know.

SUBSCRIPTIONS & RENEWALS:

THE CHRONICLE OF THE HORSE (ISSN 0009-5990) is published

The Chronicle of the Horse, P. O. Box 433288 Palm Coast, FL 32143-3288 Phone 800.877.5467 Email subscriptions@chronofhorse.com

January 11, January 25, February 1, February 15, February 22, March 7, March 21, April 4, April 11, April 25, May 2, May 16, May 30, June 6, June 20, July 4, July 11, July 25, August 1, August 15, August 29, September 5, September 19, September 26, October 3, October 17, October 24, November 7, November 14, November 21, November 28, December 12, December 19 and December 26 in 2016

by The Chronicle of the Horse, LLC, 108 The Plains Road, Middleburg, Virginia.

Periodicals postage paid at Middleburg, VA and additional mailing offices.

Mail

Manuscripts and photographs, accompanied by return postage, will be handled with care. Publisher assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material.

Copyright© 2016 by The Chronicle of the Horse, LLC. Reproduction of any material (including photographs and drawings) without written permission is prohibited. All rights reserved. The Chronicle of the Horse® and the distinctive masthead that appear on the cover of the magazine are all registered trademarks of The Chronicle of the Horse, LLC. and may not be used in any manner without prior written permission.

22 The Chronicle of the Horse

SUBSCRIPTION RATES United States and possessions $59.95/yr. Canada $79.95/yr. Foreign (other than Canada) $159.95/yr. Digital-only $59.95/yr.

POSTMASTER SUBMIT ADDRESS CHANGES TO P.O. Box 433288, Palm Coast, Florida 32143-3288

CANADA POST Publications Mail Agreement #40612608 Canada Returns to be sent to Bleuchip International, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON, N6C6B2

MOLLY SORGE PHOTO

Devon Horse Show

works like magic to

relieve sore feet.

Whether you’re talking the latest in digital technology,

Show jumping legend Ian Millar is also a fan, saying:

medicine, or hoof care, the best science always seems

“Magic Cushion is my go-to hoof packing to keep my horses

a bit magical. Created by a veterinarian and trusted by

comfortable and performing at their best.”

®

®

farriers, Hooflex Magic Cushion Hoof Packing works like magic to provide very real results: fast, soothing relief for overworked, overheated hooves.

PROV EN REL I EF

Like all good science (and only the best 95°

73°

O U TSTA N D I N G VA LU E

You’ll find that along with outstanding relief, Magic Cushion® Hoof Packing also offers great value.

Since the average hoof application is only three ounces, you can pack about 10 hooves with

magic), we have proof.

a two-pound tub,

Magic Cushion® is

and 20 with a

clinically proven to

four-pound tub.

For those who

reduce hoof heat

ride performance

starting within one hour, and to keep working for up to 24

Treated hoof after 4 hours

hours.* It’s also proven to help relieve the symptoms

associated with hoof concussion and trauma,* and to calm sole and frog inflammation and soreness.

Don’t just take our word for it. Magic Cushion® was named “one of the top 5 products recommended by farriers to clients” in the 2014 American Farriers Journal Business Practices Survey.

horses, Magic Cushion®

Easy to apply

Xtreme uses a higher concentration of ingredients to provide even faster, stronger relief.

A N A M E YO U CA N T R UST

Magic Cushion® is just one of many Absorbine® products trusted by horse owners around the world. So when you’re looking for the best in horse care products, look for the yellow ribbon.

International Show Jumping Champion Ian Millar trusts Magic Cushion®

COMMENTARY

May 2 & 9, 2016

The

Chronicle Horse

Horsemanship Is About Turning Opinion Into Brilliance

of the

VOLUME .0 › EUMBER 11

“Opinionless.�

That word really stood out to me in Kip Rosenthal’s forum “Trying To Solve An Age-Old Problem� (p. 42), where she brings our attention to the fact that it’s not just the hunters that undergo extreme measures to “quiet� their performance.

Equitation horses also endure excessive work and medicating in the pursuit of a “perfect� round.

At the highest levels of the equitation world, the slightest mistake costs placings for the rider (and as a domino effect, financial losses for the trainer). A little spook, an overjump at an unusual fence, a tiny bid to a gap distance—these are all perfectly normal reactions from a horse on course and in no way reflect the rider’s skill. But at an equitation final, they could mean the difference between a ribbon and a return to the barn before the second round.

Back at the barns, equitation horses are joked about as being “slaves.� That’s loaded terminology, of course, but it’s an apt description of many of their lives. The top horses are priced ridiculously because of their rare ability to negotiate a course with a robot-like attitude, but with clean and beautiful jumping efforts, and to lengthen and shorten their stride effortlessly and without expression.

Patty Heuckeroth put it perfectly in her Letter To The Editor (p. 26) when she wrote: “Drugs and quieting agents are trying to make a horse like a car. We’re not dealing with metal with an engine that is the same under all circumstances.�

Building a relationship with a horse—understanding his strengths and weaknesses, nurturing his talent, and teaching him how to handle difficult situations—is the very bedrock of horsemanship. You don’t do any of those things with a car.

Ideally, the equitation finals aren’t supposed to be the ultimate riding test. “Horsemanship� is in the official title of the ASPCA Maclay Final. And those classes are supposed to be the breeding ground for our future top horsemen. But is relegating your equine partner into catatonic obsequiousness—or as Rosenthal put it, an “opinionless� state—horsemanship? I think not.

The U.S. Equestrian Federation has a pretty complicated puzzle to solve here.

There is no question that some horses are suffering in the pursuit of the perfect round, whether they’re hunters or equitation horses. I think at the heart of it, the people who support legalizing tranquilization are appalled at what goes on back at the barns and therefore do have the horses’ best interests in mind.

But this culture of taking medication or overwork shortcuts to create compliance, instead of training, is what our young riders are increasingly learning. The horsemanship—the celebration of a horse as a talented but individual athlete—is slowly being subtracted from the equation. No matter how talented a teenage rider might be, he can’t learn to compromise with a horse to find his best if that horse has been reduced to “opinionless.�

Some of the best horses in the world are known for vehement expressions of their opinions. In a generation, there might not be a grand prix rider capable of working with a horse like Rothchild, of celebrating his grit, desire and, yes, opinion, despite his unorthodox style and bucks on course. And what a loss that will be.

Editorial PRESIDENT/EXECUTIVE EDITOR

9<K? I8J@E Â&#x203A; brasin@coth.com MANAGING EDITOR

J8I8 C@<J<I Â&#x203A; slieser@coth.com SENIOR EDITOR

DFCCP JFI>< Â&#x203A; msorge@coth.com ASSISTANT EDITOR

C@J8 JC8;< Â&#x203A; lslade@coth.com SENIOR REPORTER & MARKETING COORDINATOR

DFCC@< 98@C<P Â&#x203A; mbailey@coth.com MEDICAL EDITOR

JOE DAVIS, DVM EDITORIAL STAFF

J?8IFE IFJ< Â&#x203A; srose@coth.com C@E;J8P 9<II<K? Â&#x203A; lberreth@coth.com A<EE@=<I :8C;<I Â&#x203A; jcalder@coth.com B@D9<ICP CFLJ?@E Â&#x203A; kloushin@coth.com :8K@< JK8JQ8B Â&#x203A; cstaszak@coth.com 8EE >C8M8E Â&#x203A; aglavan@coth.com EDITORIAL INTERN

HALEY WEISS t JOUFSO!DPUI DPN EDITORIAL PRODUCTION MANAGER

C8LI<E =FC<P Â&#x203A; lfoley@coth.com

Design & Production ART DIRECTOR

AFJ? N8CB<I Â&#x203A; jwalker@coth.com SENIOR DESIGNER

JFEP8 D<E;<B< Â&#x203A; smendeke@coth.com SENIOR DESIGNER

8;I@<EE< D8IK@E<Q Â&#x203A; amartinez@coth.com

Advertising ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

8C@JFE K?8P<I Â&#x203A; athayer@coth.com SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER

C@E;8 8E;<IJ<E Â&#x203A; landersen@coth.com AD PRODUCTION MANAGER

9<K? ?FE:?8IJB@ Â&#x203A; bhoncharski@coth.com ACCOUNT MANAGER

C8LI8 ?FEF?8E Â&#x203A; lhonohan@coth.com

Business Office PUBLISHER

D8IB 9<CC@JJ@DF Â&#x203A; mbellissimo@coth.com CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

D8CCFIP CF9@JJ<I Â&#x203A; mlobisser@coth.com ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

BI@JK@E J:IL>>J Â&#x203A; kscruggs@coth.com

MOLLY SORGE Senior Editor

24 The Chronicle of the Horse

COREE REUTER PHOTO

MAIN OFFICE

108 The Plains Road, Middleburg, Virginia 20117 Telephone: 540.687.6341

chronofhorse.com

Over 20 years of excellence and discretion representing premier Manhattan properties.

Lisa Tarnopol Deslauriers LICENSED REAL ESTATE BROKER

212.439.5182 | ldeslauriers@warburgrealty.com

Linda Reiner LICENSED REAL ESTATE BROKER

212.439.4538 | lreiner@warburgrealty.com 654 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10065 | warburgrealty.com I\Xc \jkXk\ Yifb\ij Xe[ jXc\jg\fgc\ Xîc`Xk\[ n`k_ NXiYli^ I\Xckp GXike\ij_`g Ck[ Xi\ `e[\g\e[\ek ZfekiXZkfij Xe[ Xi\ efk \dgfcp\\j f] NXiYli^ I\Xckp% <hlXc _flj`e^ fggfikle`kp%

FEEDBACK Nine Reasons Against Tranquilizers In The Show Ring H Having shown back in tthe late ’50s up through ttoday—and not ever b being one who uses ttranquilizers in the show rring—I learned how to p prepare my horses the ““old-fashioned” way, w with no tranquilizer.

I was naïve to the fact that many professionals were using them. I could never understand how some professionals were able to ride forward with pace and drive their horses forward to the long spot, fence after fence, without their horses getting strong or playing. I had to learn to ride “conservatively.” Often, if I asked my horse to move forward for one long spot, I couldn’t get “a pull on the reins” the rest of the round! He’d be long gone!

I’ve read both articles, for and against the use of tranquilizers (“Solve A Host Of Problems With Controlled Quieting Medications,” March 21 & 28, p. 88, and “Why Not Just Allow A ½ CC Of Ace?”, April 11 & 18, p. 70).

There have been many good arguments for giving tranquilizer, but many more and far more important ones for not giving them!

In response to some of the arguments for the use of tranquilizer, here are my responses: 1. It would result in less pounding on the horse physically.

Response: Don’t show every week!

Pick and choose a realistic number of shows that might allow your horse to last longer.

2. It would require less time to prep for the show ring.

Response: Learning the individual horse’s needs for prep and comfort, physically and mentally, are a big part of horsemanship and training.

The time invested to produce a good performance is all part of it.

3. It would quiet and desensitize horses so that they could take a much less accurate ride and accept more riding mistakes.

Response: But quieting and desensitizing horses lowers our

26 The Chronicle of the Horse

standards of riding, training and horsemanship. Dealing with horses’ emotions is half the battle.

Drugs and quieting agents are trying to make a horse like a car.

We’re not dealing with metal with an engine that is the same under all circumstances. Learning to address your horse’s needs is what riding and training is all about.

4. It would eliminate use of illegal substances to quiet an animal, and the sport would only need to test for the amount of certain “prescribed” medications, so that would cut the cost of enforcement enormously.

Response: Illegal substances to quiet an animal will not go away. It’s often people’s nature to think “more is better.” If they don’t get the exact response they want, they will add Other Things to the mix, especially if we are not testing for anything but a certain amount of the “prescribed” medications.

Another concern is, with horses showing so much, they will be on tranquilizer more than they are off tranquilizer! And how many days in a row will they have tranquilizer administered to them? Does it become cumulative? What if you have a class early in the morning and again late in the afternoon? Are you going to tranquilize two times a day?! Talk about “welfare of the horse!” What about schooling at home? Are they going to be tranquilized there as well?

5. No exhibitor, trainer or rider would have the advantage of winning due to a quieter animal.

Response: Wrong! It gives the advantage to the owner of the “hot or crazy” horse! It gives the advantage to the riders who don’t ride very well. When drug testing first started I had the advantage for a while, because I didn’t need to change my training program.

6. Longe line abuse would disappear.

Response: There can be longe line abuse when horses are forced to run around wildly, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Proper longeing is a wonderful asset. It prepares horses physically and mentally while instilling balance, rhythm and discipline. Lack of the weight of the rider also helps to alleviate back soreness.

7. Lawsuits would disappear.

Response: Using drugs that alter the horse’s mind, and in some instances his gait and balance, would only open us up to more lawsuits! With the varied responses different horses have when given any tranquilizer, one can’t be sure how the horse will react. Stumbling, tripping, falling— some horses even have the reverse reaction when given a tranquilizer and become more excited. This could be brought into question when there is a fall of horse and/or rider. Injuries will be scrutinized.

Big lawsuits will follow.

8. Dangerous side effects of quieting medications would no longer be an issue.

Response: Dangerous side effects will always be an issue, even with legalizing ace and supposedly educating people as to how and when to use it. There will always be uneducated people who are “needle happy” trying to “get the edge.”

Being that “one size does not fit all,” and each horse can have a different reaction to the same amount of tranquilizer given, people will add other substances (often illegal) to try to perfect their horse’s performance.

9. The cost of testing will be much lower.

Response: Not really. Testing will always be necessary as long as there are people trying to cheat the system. By opening up the door to tranquilizers, there will be far more use of them, which will require even more testing to be sure they are within the limits and that there are no added substances. We will always need a “policeman” to check for other illegal ingredients.

The bottom line is we are already failing to develop any real horsemen.

We’re dealing in an era of instant gratification. We have developed some wonderful riders, but how many of them have any idea what it takes to train a horse? If we choose to ride tranquilized horses, one doesn’t learn to deal with the horse’s emotions, which are such a key part to the successfulness of the training.

PATTY HEUCKEROTH Jflk_\ie G`e\j# E%:%

Congratulations to Amanda Dougherty and Alavanta for their successful Springtime In Texas Series!

Three National Derbies and three top 12 ďŹ nishes.

ALAVANTA IS OFFERED FOR SALE â&#x20AC;&#x153;Rosieâ&#x20AC;? is a bay, 16.1, 9 year old mare. She will take your rider from the 2â&#x20AC;&#x2122;6â&#x20AC;? to the 3â&#x20AC;&#x2122;6â&#x20AC;?. She can do it all!

FOR SALE OR LEASE Please contact Patty Roberts 713-805-8266 Patty@memorialparkhunters.com

We have a place for the beginner rider, the competitive rider and everyone in between!

Our clients win in the Equitation, Hunter and Jumper Ring Top Ponies and Horses For Sale -

- #(&'#" + & *** ! !#% $ % ("' %& #!

IN THE COUNTRY First Foal On The Way For Rafalca It’s not unusual for top mares to reproduce via embryo transfer, but Jan Ebeling’s 2012 London Olympic Games partner, Rafalca, is about to deliver her first foal.

“We knew from the beginning at some point we were going to breed her when we were done riding her,” Ebeling said.

“My wish was that I have one baby, the first baby, grow up with her mom in the field, because when I wake up I want to look out the window and see that mare with a baby. So that wish was granted.”

Ebeling and the team of owners behind Rafalca (his wife, Amy Ebeling, Ann Romney and Beth Meyer) tried to breed Rafalca following her retirement ceremony at the Central Park Horse Show (N.Y.) in 2014, but the mare didn’t take.

“We were a little disappointed. We thought, you know, maybe she’s just too old,” Jan said. “Maybe it’s not going to happen. And then our vet said, ‘No, I think we just need to try next year again.

I think I can make it happen.’ ” They selected Connaisseur, a Dutch Warmblood stallion (Con Amore— Donna Clara, Donnerhall) who had fresh semen available, which was a priority to better ensure the Oldenburg mare (Argentinius—Ratine, Rubinstein), now 19, would take this time around.

That was 10 months ago.

“I’m standing right here looking at her, and she’s just huge,” said Jan, who called from his Moorpark, Calif., farm with Amy and Romney standing with him, all admiring soon-to-be mama Rafalca.

“I don’t really care whether it’s a filly or a colt, I just want her baby. I just want to look at it. I mean that horse has given me so much; she’s been such a hard worker, and she’s really catapulted my career into the limelight.”

Rafalca spends her days in a pasture with an older retired gelding and her nights in a stall.

“She’s it,” Jan said. “She’s my darling

TAYLOR, HARRIS INSURANCE SERVICES, LTD. – Equine Insurance Specialists –

800.291.4774 – www.THIShorseinsurance.com

28 The Chronicle of the Horse

and my super horse.”

“It’s such a mutual feeling between the two of them,” said Amy. “If you ever see the two of them together, Rafalca never takes her eyes off of Jan when he’s around, even now when he’s not riding her anymore or anything. It was such a magical team.”

The Ebelings and Romney hope to have three more foals with Rafalca—in their ideal world, two by embryo transfer and another carried by Rafalca.

ANN GLAVAN

FEI Suspends Two Officials Following Global Champions League Event The Fédération Equestre Internationale confirmed the suspension of two officials, international judge Rogier van Iersel and course designer Rob Jansen, following the first leg of the inaugural Global Champions League in Miami Beach, Fla. An FEI spokesperson confirmed: “The FEI has applied its rules relating to unsanctioned events and can confirm that the two officials are ineligible. FEI officials will not be authorized to officiate in any capacity at FEI and national events for a period of six months.”

The suspensions are the most recent byproduct of the ongoing conflict between the FEI and the Global Champions Tour, which hosts the league.

The GCL introduced a new team format at GCT competitions.

FEI rule GR113 states riders, horses and show officials may not participate in unsanctioned events six months prior to participating in an FEI event.

“FEI officials were informed in December that they would not be authorized to officiate in any capacity at any GCL events, which have not been sanctioned/approved by the FEI. However, it was made clear in the same communication that they would be eligible to officiate at the Global Champions Tour, which is an FEI sanctioned event,” said an FEI spokesperson.

Van Iersel and Jansen released a joint statement, as first reported by WorldOfShowJumping.com.

“We feel that what Jan [Tops] has

developed with GCT for more than 10 years has been great for the development of show jumping,” they stated. “The concept of the Global Champions League is another dimension, and the first two events have proven what we thought, that it will be good for show jumping. We wanted to support this initiative, and if you saw the atmosphere in Miami and Mexico it has immediately proven itself to be the positive new dimension we expected.

“Secondly, we don’t understand at all that riders and horses are allowed to compete and that officials are being used to try to block it, which we feel is totally ridiculous for a number of reasons, including horse welfare,” their statement continued. “The precautions for horse welfare at GCT and GCL events are far and above requirements. It is a transparent format and people understand it immediately. We saw in Mexico, where there has not been this level of show jumping for many years, and people were very enthusiastic and understood it.

We are really pleased we can support the development of this, and we are really positive and pleased to help.”

The two officials also stated they informed the FEI of their plans before the first GCL event and requested a waiver, which was denied. They’ve appealed that decision and no final decision has been made yet.

KIMBERLY LOUSHIN

Show Jumping Hall Of Fame Elects Elizabeth Busch Burke, Katie Prudent And Susie Hutchison The Show Jumping Hall of Fame will honor Elizabeth Busch Burke, Katie Prudent and Susie Hutchison with induction at the Devon Horse Show (Pa.).

These are individuals whose contributions to the sport have set them apart and whose influence has had a significant impact on the sport of show jumping and the equestrian community.

Burke, the daughter of 1988 Show Jumping Hall of Fame inductee August A. Busch Jr. and wife of 2001 inductee Bobby Burke, was a dedicated compet-

Roffman And Meredith Welcome First Child

G

rand Prix dressage rider Caroline Roffman and her fiancé, show jumper Ben Meredith, welcomed their first child, Mae Victoria Meredith on April 1.

Mae was 7 pounds 6 ounces and 19 ¾ inches.

“I was very lucky,” said Roffman. “It was a very easy pregnancy. I was able to teach; I was teaching at the horse show the day I was induced.

“It’s very special,” she continued. “As many times as people tell you, you can’t understand or imagine your instant attachment.

“She’s very easy; you barely know she’s there sometimes, so she makes my life pretty easy at this point, which

itor, owner and businesswoman. She was a rider, owner and leading force in promoting the sport.

She worked tirelessly to help build show jumping in the United States, leveraging the Anheuser-Busch name to open doors and develop sponsorship and media opportunities. Classes that benefited from her support included the American Invitational, American Grandprix Association Championships, Grand Prix de Penn National, Grand Prix of Devon, and several FEI World Cup Finals in Las Vegas. Elizabeth also used her influence to gain TV coverage for show jumping.

She owned many successful horses, including several champion hunters.

But it was grand prix show jumper Authentic who was the most famous.

She bought the Dutch Warmblood for Beezie Madden to ride in 2001, and the pair won Olympic team gold in 2004 in Athens, an accomplishment they repeated in 2008 in Hong Kong after Elizabeth sold Authentic.

Elizabeth helped create the Show Jumping Hall of Fame and served on its board of directors until her death in 2011.

For more than two decades Prudent was one of show jumping’s most

means she’ll probably be a wild 2-year-old or something, but for now I’m pretty lucky,” Roffman added with a laugh.

She got back in the saddle two weeks after Mae was born and is looking forward to introducing her daughter to the horses. Mae has already sat on their Corgi, but Roffman joked that she needed to borrow a pony for a day because all of her horses are so big.

Roffman credited her barn staff at Lionshare Dressage in Wellington, Fla., for keeping everything running smoothly while she gets back in the groove.

KIMBERLY LOUSHIN successful riders. In 1969 at the age of 15 she won the ASPCA Maclay Finals. She then won the AHSA Medal Finals in 1972, making her one of the few to win both titles.

Prudent rode to dozens of grand prix wins around the world. In the first FEI World Cup Final, in Gothenburg, Sweden, in 1979, she finished second to French rider Hugo Simon. She rode in five more Finals in the 1980s.

Prudent rode on the U.S. team at the 1980 Alternate Olympics in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, where she helped the team finish fifth. She won the American Invitational three times aboard three different horses. She was also part of the U.S. gold medal team at the 1986 World Championships in Aachen, Germany.

Prudent was named the AGA Rider of the Year three times (1982, 1986 and 1988), and in 1987 she received the Whitney Stone Cup. Prudent also developed multiple young riders including her son, grand prix rider Adam Prudent, as well as Alison Firestone, Elise Haas and Reed Kessler. In 2000, Prudent was named Coach of the Year by the U.S. Olympic Committee.

Prudent maintains her base at her

Plain Bay Farm in Middleburg, Va. Hutchison’s career in show jumping has been highlighted by more than three dozen grand prix wins. She’s represented the United States at six FEI World Cup Finals and the FEI World Equestrian Games. She finished fourth in the 1993 World Cup Final in Gothenburg and topped the World Cup’s USA West Coast League standings three times.

Hutchison has won such events as the Los Angeles National Grand Prix and the Grandprix of New York at the National Horse Show at Madison Square Garden. She also won the Mercedes Challenge Series in 1989.

In 1992, Hutchison was named AGA Rider of the Year and was voted Show Jumping Horseman of the Year by The Chronicle of the Horse. In 1994 she rode at the World Equestrian Games in The Hague, the Netherlands, aboard her longtime partner Woodstock. The team finished fifth.

She remains an active and successful grand prix competitor.

Insure your Champions with a Champion

An Official Sponsor of the 2016 Winter Equestrian Festival Proud Sponsor of the “Champion Equine Insurance Hunter and Jumper Style Awards”

Laura Fetterman

Offers 21 Years of Professional Equine Insurance Experience

561-596-5408 Wellington, FL

lfetterman@championequineins.com May 2 & 9, 2016 chronofhorse.com 29

Where you FLY before you RIDE Asheville Regional Airport your easy connection to Tryon International Equestrian Center Frequent Daily Flights ALLEGIANT | AMERICAN | DELTA | UNITED

SPRING HORSE SHOWS ISSUE

Living Legend

Living Legend: Patty Heuckeroth She created her own superstar horses from scratch, building an extraordinary career on a horse-first approach.

BY MOLLIE BAILEY

32 The Chronicle of the Horse

Loving The Challenge The daughter of German native Otto Heuckeroth, the longtime manager of the Ox Ridge Hunt Club (Conn.), and his wife Marjorie who, in Patty’s words, “barely knew a bay from a gray,” Patty grew up in the saddle.

“A lot of people ask me, ‘Your father being German, did he teach you German?’ ” said Patty. “My response is always, ‘Oh no. My mother wouldn’t have it. We already spoke horse. She would have been cut out entirely.’ ” Patty’s two older brothers didn’t take to the sport, but Patty became a barn rat from an early age. Otto would plunk her on the saddle in front of him before she was ready to ride on her own and go for a canter around the polo fields. When she was big enough he fed her a steady diet of naughty ponies.

Her first pony “was a little black Shetland who dumped me every day,” Patty recalled. “We even had a class at the show where whoever stayed on her twice around the ring bareback would win. They were all either black or black and white, and they all reared or spun or stopped or did something terrible.

But I loved the challenge.”

When she was 9 Patty inherited Morris’ junior hunter Gamecock, with whom he’d won the AHSA Medal and ASPCA Maclay Finals.

“He was 16.1 hands, a good-sized Thoroughbred horse,” recalled CATHRIN CAMMETT PHOTO

A

sk Patty Heuckeroth if she’s ever been married, and she just laughs. “ ‘Yes, I’ve been married my whole life to all these horses,’ ” she jokes.

“I never could figure out where there’d be any time left over for a husband.”

For Heuckeroth, the horses have always come before everything, and she’s produced decades of show ring results thanks to that credo, earning the 1970 AHSA Horsewoman of the Year title, induction into the Show Hunter Hall of Fame in 2007, the J. Arthur Reynolds Horseman Award at Upperville (Va.) in 2011, and the 2009 and 2013 North Carolina Hunter Jumper Association Horsewoman of the Year titles.

She’s trained dozens of top hunters to major titles, but the accolades were always the byproducts of what longtime friend George Morris described as her “good, old-fashioned horsemanship.”

“I owe Patty,” said Carol “Hoffy” Hoffman who worked for Heuckeroth for more than a decade and is now general manager at Anne Kursinski’s Market Street. “I can’t pay her back for all that I learned about good horsemanship, appreciation for the horse and how to turn them out for the show ring. She’s just a class act and a great horsewoman.”

Patty Heuckeroth started working with Ed and Fran Bulkeley’s Sly Step as a weanling, training him to the green conformation championship at The National Horse Show.

DARKROOM ON WHEELS PHOTO

May 2 & 9, 2016 chronofhorse.com 3 3

SPRING HORSE SHOWS ISSUE Morris, who trained with Otto. “For her it was a big step up at a young age to move onto a physically big horse.”

She reveled in the chance to ride a well-broke mount, and she rounded out her education riding plenty of different kinds of charges, too.

“There were 100 horses at the club and very few turnout places there,” she said. “Most horses didn’t get turned out, just had to be exercised every day, so I got to ride lots and lots of different horses. I always said my father gave me the basics, and the horses really taught me the rest, as they will. Each horse is a new lesson.”

In 1962 Patty won the Harry T. Peters trophy at Madison Square Garden for winning the USET Combined Test Championship, a precursor to today’s Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals, on Pete, a horse she competed in the hunters, equitation, jumpers, dressage and even a horse trial—which she won (see sidebar). Patty also dabbled in dressage, borrowing Madam Silly from Mrs. Joshua Barney to win the PHA National Dressage Medal three years in a row, retiring that trophy.

After high school Patty worked at Ox Ridge, and one winter she escaped the Connecticut snowdrifts to ride in Virginia with Gene Cunningham, who was winning major hunter titles aboard legendary mounts like Cap And Gown at the time. She remembers that trip as a very humbling experience.

“We started with a little cavaletti and an x, and I thought, ‘Thank goodness, you can’t go wrong with that.’ So I go through the first time, and he said, ‘Well you were a little to the left, do it again.’

And the next time it was, ‘You’re a little too fast through there,’ and the next it was, ‘You’re holding too long through there.’ I thought, ‘Wow! I never knew the x was so hard!’

“It got to the point where I was trying so hard to do everything the way he wanted me to do it,” she continued. “I had mostly been on my own, with my father of course, but letting the horses tell me what to do. At the end of the Patty Heuckeroth’s first teacher was her father Otto, who taught her aboard a variety of naughty ponies. PHOTO COURTESY OF PATTY HEUCKEROTH

34 The Chronicle of the Horse

Living Legend

I always said my father gave me the basics, and the horses really taught me the rest, as they will.”

—PATTY HEUCKEROTH

winter I told him, ‘I’ve got to go because now I can’t even canter!’ ” Patty returned to Ox Ridge, riding for the likes of Mr. and Mrs. John J. Farrell and Ed and Fran Bulkeley. Several years later her friendship with Cunningham brought the two back together, and they dated. He continued to influence her horsemanship throughout her life.

“She had a very good recipe for riding,” said Morris. “Her father Otto, his system was German, more behind the horse. Then she became close with Gene Cunningham, who rode with Gordon Wright and was a forward seat rider. So she had the recipe of the German school and of our cavalry school, which did very well for her in the hunters.”

An All-Around Favorite

Getting On The Map Big breaks can come from anywhere, and Patty’s biggest came in the form of a special little mare that needed some time off. That horse, Aldie Belle, was owned

by Grace Schettino of Bittersweet Farms and went off to show with Schettino’s son Brooks in the junior divisions under Morris. When she popped a splint the mare came back to Ox Ridge to be rehabbed, a chore Patty happily took on. Once she had recovered Patty started showing her and found herself with an extraordinary hunter who really put her on the map.

In the beginning Aldie Belle would often be Patty’s only charge at the show, and even though bigger barns with fancy tack stalls dwarfed her miniature operation, she was the one walking back to the barn with armloads of blue ribbons. The mare won the AHSA Horse of the Year award in the regular working hunter division in 1968 and was inducted into the Show Hunter Hall of Fame in 2014.

“She won and won and won,” said Patty. “She just hated to touch a jump. She was so brave, and she was champion everywhere, including at all the major shows.”

After she retired from showing Aldie Belle foaled two offspring.

The first was a sweet, kind chestnut named Short Stop. Patty showed him as a first year horse but worried that he maxed out at 3'6".

“I was interested in the 4',” said Patty.

P

Patty Heuckeroth enjoyed a long atty Heuckeroth hesitates to partnership with Fleetford, whom she name one horse as her all-time named as her favorite all-around hunter. favorite. After all, there was ERIN HARTY PHOTO Aldie Belle who put her on the map, Once A King who carved a special place in her heart and died at the height of his career after a bout of colic, and dozens of others who won class after class.

But one horse had all the pieces: Fleetford.

“He was elegant moving and jumping, careful and agile and brave, a great hack and so pretty,” she said. “He wasn’t always the easiest because he was a little bit sensitive, but when he put it all together you couldn’t beat him. He was so beautiful across the ground as well as over the jumps. He was so light and airy when he jumped; he took your breath away.”

Heuckeroth says watching videos of Fleetford compete put her other mounts to shame, and she recalled one handy hunter class at Devon (Pa.) when she received a standing ovation for a fantastic trip.

“One year we went to Capital Challenge [Md.], and I hadn’t seen Larry Glefke in a long time,” she said. “I had Fleetford in the regular working and the conformation, and we won every class the first day, and Larry was second or third.

Larry says, ‘Congratulations, that’s something.’ We’re both stabled next to Jack Stedding who says, ‘Larry, I see Patty has all the blues, and you’re third and fourth.’ Well the next day we won it all again, and as we’re walking back to the barn Jack calls out, ‘Larry, I see nothing’s changed.’ ”

“I thought he slapped out a little on the landing, and [he was] a sweet horse but not a candidate for the 4'. I sold him to Canada and didn’t really follow up on how he did. Years later I was talking to Jim Elder about horses I’d had that ended up on the Canadian team, and he

mentioned Tretorn. I didn’t know who he was talking about until he said he was out of the little black mare I used to ride in the hunters. He said, ‘You don’t know Tretorn? He’s been the leading Midwest grand prix winner for three years in a row.’ ” May 2 & 9, 2016 chronofhorse.com 3 5

SPRING HORSE SHOWS ISSUE

That mare’s second offspring was a good jumper, but back problems shortened her career. She became a broodmare, throwing another black mare named Aldie’s Image who won one of the International Hunter Futurity classes at 3.

In 1969 Patty moved to her current base in Southern Pines, N.C., establishing Heuckeroth Farm and continuing her career with horses like Cornelia Guest’s Li-Ke, who won the 1970 AHSA Regular Working Hunter Horse of the Year award. Heuckeroth Farms would turn out winner after winner over the years, from the pre-green ranks through indoors, with charges like Once A King, Riot Free, Boren, Mesmerized, Wind Chimes and Fleetford.

A Passion For Young Horses Young stock always played a central part in Patty’s career, and she was a passionate devotee, and frequent winner, 36 The Chronicle of the Horse

Living Legend

of the International Hunter Futurity program. When she looks down her barn aisle today she counts one who was bred on the farm, one she bought as a yearling, and most of the rest who were bought under the age of 4.

She credits owners like Mary Braga for supporting her ethos in making up horses herself.

“All the customers and I were interested in the process, not in the winning—winning was the frosting on the cake,” she said. “I had people sending me horses in training so they could sell them, but I would say to them, ‘It takes a lot of expense and time, and at the end maybe we’ll get lucky and sell it and make some money, but if you don’t enjoy that part in between that, it won’t work.’

“Mrs. Braga would say, ‘I don’t understand these people! They rush their horses too much!’ ” Patty continued.

“And I told her, ‘They don’t have

Aldie Belle was Patty Heuckeroth’s first superstar, winning the 1968 AHSA Regular Working Hunter Horse of the Year award. BUDD PHOTO

customers like you. They buy one and want to win the next week.’ I respect someone as a rider and trainer who can show me many they’re winning with that they started, not ones who bought the best and did well.”

Patty’s résumé certainly shows that.

While a few of her big winners like Aldie Belle and Li-Ke already had a few miles before she took over the ride, she started many horses who ended up going on to serious hunter careers.

There’s Wave Bounder, bred by Braga and her daughter Pam Ohrstrom, who won the green conformation championship at the National (N.Y.) at just 5.

And Patty picked out the Bulkeleys’ Sly Step as a weanling as well. That horse would go on to win green conformation titles as a 5-year-old at

OVER $1.5M IN PRIZE MONEY

Come Enjoy

SUMMER IN THE ROCKIES SUMMER IN THE ROCKIES I JUNE 8-12, 2016 $30,000 Front Range Kubota Grand Prix SUMMER IN THE ROCKIES II JUNE 15-19, 2016 $40,000 Parker Hotels Grand Prix $15,000 Jumper Derby with $5,000 Jr/Am Bonus $25,000 USHJA Hunter Derby SUMMER IN THE ROCKIES III JUNE 22-26, 2016 $50,000 Grand Prix

SUMMER IN THE ROCKIES IV JUNE 29-JULY 3, 2016 $60,000 Ariat® Grand Prix $15,000 Jumper Derby with $5,000 JR/AM bonus $50,000 USHJA Hunter Derby SUMMER IN THE ROCKIES V JULY 6-10, 2016 $60,000 SIR Grand Prix SUMMER IN THE ROCKIES VI JULY 13-17, 2016 $75,000 Nutrena Grand Prix

SUMMER IN THE ROCKIES VII JULY 20-24, 2016 $100,000 Adequan® Grand Prix FEATURING: - $20,000 Open Welcome Stakes weekly - $10,000 High Junior/AO Jumper Classic weekly.

All are Premier (AA) for the Hunters, Jumper 4 for the first 3 and Jumper 5 for the last 4.

THE COLORADO HORSE PARK | 7522 SOUTH PINERY DRIVE | PARKER, CO 80134 (303) 841-5550 | (303) 841-7461 SHOW OFFICE | COLORADOHORSEPARK.COM

SPRING HORSE SHOWS ISSUE Washington International (D.C.) and the National in 1982.

Even toward the end of her life Braga was still passionate about young horses. She bought the Thoroughbred So Be It as a yearling in 2007, saying it would be her last purchase—that is until another special young Thoroughbred came along whom she bought and named, aptly, Never Say Never. When Braga died in 2014 she left her horses to Patty.

“I was very lucky,” Patty said. “I always had someone there feeding me raw material, and they were very realistic customers. If things didn’t work out they understood that.

And we were lucky—some of them really worked, and it was fabulous.”

While Patty’s heart was always in the hunters, she had an eye for finding great jumpers as well.

The Bulkeleys purchased No Penalty as a 2-year-old for Patty. “I saw her in a pen and liked her looks,” she recalled.

That horse showed in the hunters for a while and dabbled in the jumpers, and she went on to jump for the U.S. team and then the Canadian Equestrian Team.

In fact, she’s one of a slew of horses that started under Patty’s saddle then went on to jump in international competition. Out Late, whom she started as a 2-year-old, went on to represent the United States; The Immigrant, whom Patty started as a jumper, went on to win Olympic gold with Jim Elder for Canada in 1968, and Mexteco,

Living Legend to bring the canine count in the barn up to five most days.)

She’s picked up her share of injuries over the years—five broken collarbones, one separated shoulder, one broken leg, two broken arms and a few ribs, fingers and toes—but she still rides three days a week.

“Young horses are still interesting to me, but I understand too that you don’t bounce anymore,” she said. “You have to be willing to take the fall.

When you were younger your bones are rubber, and you have no fear. I’ve tested this body enough over the years.”

Patty’s passion for horsemanship, for doing right by the horse whether it’s a green horse in a lesson or a seasoned horse at a major championship, trumps all.

“Riding is a two-way conversation between you and your horse,” said Patty. “Most people have a one-way conversation, like the way I use my cell phone—to only call out. You have to be attuned to whether the horse heard you.

“To me that’s what makes the difference between good riders and great riders: being able to deal with the horse the way it’s feeling underneath you at the time,” she continued.

Professional Sue Sisco, Aiken, S.C., has turned to Patty for tips for more than 25 years, and she appreciates that empathy for the horse guides her first and foremost.

“Other professionals might take a horse and say, ‘Oh this one isn’t good enough; it’s not going to be a first year green contender at Devon,’ ” said Sisco.

“She feels, ‘Well the horse needs

That’s what makes the difference between good riders and great riders: being able to deal with the horse the way it’s feeling underneath you at the time.”

Patty Heuckeroth paired up with Li-Ke to win the 1970 AHSA Regular Working Hunter Horse of the Year award for owner Cornelia Guest. BOB FOSTER PHOTO

38 The Chronicle of the Horse

—PATTY HEUCKEROTH

whom she started as a jumper, represented Mexico and then Canada. She also started Simpatico, one of the top open jumpers of his time, over fences.

Less Is More While Patty spent decades leading the jog, her real passion has always been for the animals themselves, not the competition. These days, at 72, she and barn manager of 30 years Torrie Clavan have 15 horses. Patty splits her time between instructing students, judging, teaching clinics and showing, though she prefers to stay closer to home near her horses and dogs. (She has two dogs of her own but runs an unofficial doggie daycare

Advice For Young Riders

P

atty Heuckeroth competed in the USET Combined Test Championship, a precursor to today’s Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals, twice, winning on her second try.

The first year Heuckeroth was leading after the dressage phase, and she recalled that many riders struggled over the 3'9" course. Though she showed up too late to walk the track and worried she wouldn’t remember her course, she and her mount, Pete, completed it beautifully, only to hear over the loudspeaker that she was disqualified for using a standing martingale.

“You never forget something like that,” she said.

“I still dream I go into a class, heading to the first fence, and I don’t know what the course is. I still have that same nightmare! As for people who get caught on a technicality I think they shouldn’t feel bad. They should be delighted to find out [at a smaller show] and not at the finale.”

Ed and Fran Bulkeley were longtime supporters of Patty Heuckeroth’s career, keeping her well-mounted on horses like Once A King. PHOTO COURTESY OF PATTY HEUCKEROTH

With a snake or ostrich printed cuff you’re bound to make a statement in the Limited Edition Heritage Ellipse.

KNOW WHERE YOU STAND.

May 2 & 9, 2016 chronofhorse.com 39

SPRING HORSE SHOWS ISSUE

Living Legend

Patty Heuckeroth picked out No Penalty as a 2-year-old for owners Ed and Fran Bulkeley, and that horse turned out to be a spectacular hunter before he went on to a career representing the United States and Canada in international show jumping competition. BOB FOSTER PHOTO

Always Her Own Woman

P

atty Heuckeroth’s never been afraid to share her views on the horse world: She’s anti-numerical scoring system (“A good mathematician can really do some damage”), antiincreased prize money without a cap on entry fees (“There are divisions now where even if you won every class in the division you wouldn’t win your entry fees back”) and anti-show industry (“You can’t afford to be a good sport anymore”).

“With Patty, it’s all about doing the right thing for the horse,” said longtime friend Betty Oare. “She has a good mind of her own, and she’ll stand her ground about what she thinks as a judge or at conventions whether it’s the popular view or not.”

Her passion for horsemanship continues to this day, as she’s been ardently opposing the legalization of ace or other tranquilizers in the show ring, and she wrote a letter published in this issue to that effect (see Feedback, p. 26).

Even in the pre-drug testing days when there were no ramifications for medicating at will, Heuckeroth prepared her horses for the ring with training and horsemanship, not medical assistance.

“I was so naïve,” she recalled. “When I went to Gene Cunningham’s to ride for the winter I asked him, ‘How come these other pros can gallop along and jump big jumps from the long spot time after time, and the horses don’t play on the other side?’ And he said, ‘Well Patty, they get a little extra help.’ I didn’t even know what he meant, I was so naïve.”

40 The Chronicle of the Horse

to be trained,’ and because she’ll put in the same effort and takes the time to do it properly she’s had success with some that others wouldn’t. And of course a well-trained horse is more desirable and has a better chance at a better home.”

Sisco appreciates Patty’s “less is more” approach when it comes to showing and her opinion that homework should be done at home. Patty handwrites Sisco riding lessons for particular horses, memos that Sisco studies before rides.

Patty Heuckeroth had a succession of top regular working hunters, including Sue Frishman’s Riot Free. THE PORTRAIT GROUP PHOTO

“We know the system, so if she’s not saying something, that says something.

It means all is going well,” said Sisco.

“There’s not a lot of discussion at the in-gate and in the schooling area.

“There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think, ‘What would Patty do?’

Everything I do follows what she does, with horses on the ground, riding and

There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think, ‘What would Patty do?’ ”

Watering made

—SUE SISCO

Patty Heuckeroth still runs Heuckeroth Farm and stays busy teaching, riding and instructing clinics. PHOTO COURTESY OF PATTY HEUCKEROTH

general behavior in life,” she continued.

Hoffman started working for Patty when the former was still in college. She credits Patty for instilling the fundamentals and the details of how things should be done, whether preparing for a schooling ride or for the green hunter stake at Devon.

“I preach it to this day,” said Hoffman, Frenchtown, N.J. “If we’re working with a young horse every now and then, and I’ll say, ‘Patty would say…’ and Anne, teasing, will say, ‘I’m so sick of hearing about what Patty would say or Patty would do.’ I was so blessed to be around her for a decade, and that horsemanship is still ingrained in me today.”

Just hook up a hose. It’s that easy!

Face it, filling and scrubbing tanks is the worst! Luckily, there’s an easy solution from Classic Equine by Ritchie. Just hook up a garden hose to EZ-FOUNT and give your horse a constant supply of fresh, clean water. And, it’s portable so move it wherever and whenever you want.

What could be easier? classicequinebyritchie.com

May 2 & 9, 2016 chronofhorse.com 41

SPRING HORSE SHOW ISSUE

Horseman’s Forum

Trying To Solve An Age-Old Problem The author pleads for a better way of treating top equitation horses.

BY KIP ROSENTHAL PHOTO BY MOLLY SORGE

I

thought the article Mr. Ernie Oare wrote (“Solve A Host Of Problems With Controlled Quieting Medications,” March 21 & 28, p. 88) regarding hunter showing today was honest and forthcoming.

I’d like to continue this regarding the equitation division as I see it today.

I’ve been in the “trenches,” and I’ve judged major horse shows and all the equitation finals.

Let me start by saying that the top equitation trainers will continue to be the best because they have a very sound and educated system in which to produce the best horses and riders.

There is no shortcut to training winners at this level. The best equitation horses will continue to succeed because they have the best hunter traits, including attractiveness; a beautifully balanced uphill, rhythmic canter; and the elasticity and willingness of a jumper to jump anything from any angle or distance, whether a narrow obstacle or a spooky unusual jump.

The top riders are terrifically schooled and can answer anything the courses ask. The top trainers, horses and riders are the best because of their vast knowledge, expertise and repetition. This is why they win! This is why 42 The Chronicle of the Horse

riders go to these top trainers to polish up their skills in order to have their best chance at winning at the regional and national levels.

It is time for the U.S. Equestrian Federation, U.S. Hunter Jumper Association and USEF Equine Drugs and Medications Committee to wake up and understand what, in many cases, is being done to make these horses appear to be almost robot-like.

Let’s Face What’s Really Going On Let me give you a little look behind the scenes of what goes on. Mr. Oare talked about excessive longeing, and perhaps in some cases, medication that is given to the horses that isn’t known by all.

The equitation, in my observation, has a different approach.

Understand that a mere swap of a lead for one stride between two shrubs, or a shake of a horse’s head as one ear plug loosens up, or the raising of a horse’s head and neck as it approaches the end of the ring where the scoreboard might go from black and blank to suddenly flashing the rider’s number and name— are all enough to lower the rider’s score out of contention. These “blips” have nothing to do with the rider’s ability,

Kip Rosenthal believes there’s a better way to prepare equitation horses for big events, one that doesn’t involve riding them all night before the class. “It’s time to do what’s best for our horses and help them out instead of riding and jumping them into the ground,” she said.

but when you have numerous riders in prestigious classes it may, and usually does, drop the rider out of contention.

Judging will not change. It is what it is; it’s noticeable, therefore penalized. The equitation horse at “special” events has to be rendered opinionless! These might be special classes at the Winter Equestrian Festival (Fla.), Devon (Pa.), Lake Placid (N.Y.), the Hampton Classic (N.Y.), the Maclay regionals and all the equitation national finals. I’m sure this is also true in the South, Midwest, Southwest and West Coast where they have their own special shows and classes. I just speak from the area I know.

So how is a horse rendered opinionless? Not so much by longeing, as is apparently done to the hunters, according to Mr. Oare, but by excessive riding and jumping. Sometimes these horses are ridden for a good portion of the night. The schooling areas are not shut down, and the ring

is littered with unusual spooky very small, maybe 2'6" jumps. The horses might be ridden by the junior show rider, but many times, it’s the barn’s staff members riding them for hours at a time until the horse is thought to be rendered opinionless. The horse is cooled down, brought back to the barn, washed and tied in his stall waiting for the braiding fairy to come in. Once again the horse is tied up, unable to lay down. Sometimes water is withheld.

The lights are on all night, and the horses get very little rest.

can’t “allow them to be horses” and have a possible blip on the radar then let’s finally do what those of us in the trenches have been talking about doing for years. Let it be public disclosure. Add a sheet to every entry form.

Continue to drug test. Make the pros accountable if a horse of theirs is found to have a substance not on the med list.

I’ll bet the pros will be willing to do this. Most professionals I know do this job for a living because they love their animals; otherwise it would be too long and hard a career, seven days a week, eight to 14 hours a day. It’s time to do what’s best for our horses and help them out instead of riding and jumping them into the ground.

It seems like such an easy fix to me.

Yes, I understand horses metabolize medications differently. So how about instead of our association just slamming the door, how about talking to well-respected pros, getting their input on how this medication could be used?

I’m just trying to come up with a solution to an age-old problem. I’m trying to speak for the equitation horses to find a way to resolve the all-night riding and jumping.

Acepromazine does not make a bad horse a good horse nor an uneducated horse an educated one.”

Allowing And Listing Medications I’ve always been told to stop complaining and come up with a solution. My proposed solution is actually very simple and has been talked about “behind the scenes” for a long time. My answer is the use of acepromazine, a mild tranquilizer that has been around for as long as I’ve been riding. Please allow me to explain more on this topic.

When we go to a doctor today, whether it be a dentist, a dermatologist or a cardiologist, we are told to bring a list of all the medications we currently take, including the dosage and prescribing regimen. I suggest that on every entry form, we include a list of all the medications that horse receives, signed off by the trainer responsible for sending the horse to the ring, not a groom or stable manager, but the trainer who will walk into the ring with his or her rider to accept the awards.

There is already a precedent set that all horses must provide a health certificate that includes the vaccinations and Coggins. We would continue to follow the medication rules, with the exception that acepromazine would be an allowed medication. This medication report should have full disclosure.

Drug testing will still be done, and a copy of the entry form and medication report would be submitted with every drug test sent in for testing. If a horse or pony is found to have a medication that is not listed on the entry form the

trainer would receive a stiff penalty.

However, if acepromazine is found and has been listed as one of the medications on the horse’s entry form, there would be no penalty.

Acepromazine does not make a bad horse a good horse nor an uneducated horse an educated one. It takes hours, days, weeks, months and years to make our top equitation horses beautifully trained, schooled and educated.

What it would do is stop the excessive riding and jumping to render them opinion-less, which is what, in many ways, it’s come down to.

One answer I’ve heard is that “no one other than a veterinarian” can give a horse an injection. If this is true, why are sharps containers found stapled or nailed up in tent stabling areas? The veterinarians have their own sharps containers in their cars. We already give our horses Legend and Adequan, plus probably other meds; I really don’t know. These medications are given through injection, and when used, the needles are put in the sharps containers.

Again, it’s time for the USEF, USHJA and D&M Committee to wake up and see what’s being done to our horses to render them without any opinion. These animals give us their all, but they’re still animals, not pieces of sporting equipment. Their performance on a special given day could depend on being a winner or also ran. These very special days are stressful for all, including the trainers, their staff, riders, families and, probably most of all, our horses.

Acepromazine will not make a loser a winner but will help the very best not be literally ridden to the ground.

Our top trainers and instructors will still be our winners simply because they are the most knowledgeable and experienced and have a terrific teaching system. Their horses are beautifully educated, and their riders are extremely educated. However, it’s time to give our wonderful horses a break. If we

KIP ROSENTHAL has ridden and trained

with the likes of George Morris, Victor Hugo-Vidal, Bert de Némethy and more. She placed in the top three at the AHSA Medal Finals and ASPCA Maclay Finals and rode her horse Goodboy Dee to the AHSA Horse of the Year Junior Hunter Championship.

As an R-rated judge, Rosenthal has judged prestigious competitions including the Hampton Classic (N.Y.), Lake Placid (N.Y.), Capital Challenge (Md.), the NCEA National Championships, as well as the Pessoa/USEF Hunter Seat Medal Finals, Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals and the ASPCA Maclay Finals.

The owner and trainer of Benchmark Farm in Bedford, N.Y., she serves as a member of the USHJA Hunter Seat Equitation Task Force. She also holds a Ph.D. in clinical counseling psychology and conducts sports psychology seminars throughout the country.

IN THE FORUM, horsemen are invited to express their views and offer constructive criticism on any topic relevant to working with and enjoying horses. The opinions expressed by the writers are entirely their own and not necessarily those of The Chronicle of the Horse.

May 2 & 9, 2016 chronofhorse.com 43

SPRING HORSE SHOWS ISSUE

Free Rein With: Andy Kocher

BY HALEY WEISS PHOTO BY MOLLIE BAILEY

W

hen Andy Kocher first started riding at his grandparents’ farm in State College, Pa., he was really more interested in baseball. But he soon realized that wasn’t his calling, gave up the bat, and threw his energy into riding.

A third generation horseman, he learned the fundamentals of the sport from his uncle, Kerry Kocher, and began attending local shows. Throughout his junior years, Andy borrowed horses from his father and grandmother to compete in the junior hunters and the children’s jumpers. From there he bounced around between various riding jobs, which included working with race horses for four years.

At age 23, Andy acquired a steady job working for Dave Pellegrini’s Spring Mill Farm in Eads, Tenn. During that time, Maida Clifton gave him the opportunity to show her horse, Optimistic, in grand prix classes. His career soon took off, and he won his first grand prix at the Germantown Charity Horse Show (Tenn.) aboard his ex-wife Ashley Morrison’s Paramore G in 2008.

At HITS Ocala (Fla.) this winter, he won two grand prix classes and placed 15th in the Great American $1 Million Grand Prix. In March, he won the $50,777 Grand Prix at the Gulf Coast Finale VI (Miss.) with Cantu 5.

Andy also enjoys sales and has a thriving business, with 40 horses under his direct care and 90 horses through partnerships across the country.

Although known to live on the road, he’s turning his focus to preparing his new property in Tryon, N.C., in order to have a more stable home base this fall.

Home Base: Chester, N.J. Age: 33 44 The Chronicle of the Horse

What’s your training philosophy?

It has evolved a lot over time. The main thing is, I think it’s important to have the best horse you can get. Everyone thinks they can train their horses to do this and that, but it’s not true. You can train a horse that has a bad attitude or is spooky or has confidence issues, but you can’t do anything with an untalented horse—other than sell it to an amateur. I just say, “Look, as long as you jump these fences and don’t hit them, I like you.”

it’s more for me than for the horses. I think you always need a water jump, a liverpool and a spooky gate. I don’t believe in having 10,000 poles on the ground and long, fancy gymnastics.

What quality do you most appreciate in a horse?

I like something light and Thoroughbred-like with blood that can move across the ground and miss the rails.

What music do you listen to while traveling?

I like to turn the radio on really loud and then switch the channel every two minutes. I like all kinds of music, but mostly I just like to see if I can irritate Jenny.

Do you have a warm-up routine at shows?

I try to do five jumps and then go in the ring. I try to be as simple as possible.

What’s your favorite horse show?

It changes, but currently my favorite show is Live Oak International (Fla.).

What’s the most embarrassing thing that’s happened to you in the show ring?

I was at Tryon in the fall, and I was riding my horse, who is known to stop at water. At that point I had only shown at FEI level three times, so I didn’t know that you had to wear a white tie on the first day. I was about to go in the ring, and the only guy who could loan me a white tie was Peter Leone. He is a very nice guy, but he’s proper and has everything together—I’m probably not known to be like that. I think he was reluctant, but he let me borrow his tie.

Then I fell off in the water and dyed his tie blue. I looked like a smurf. [My girlfriend] Jenny [Jones] ran off to buy a new tie, and I offered to wash the ruined one, but Peter wanted to take care of it because the tie happened to be a gift from his godmother who recently passed away. I felt terrible. The good part about this story is that now I only show in white ties.

What will you have set up in your ring once it’s built?

I like to have a solid wall to practice––

Where would you go if you could travel anywhere?

I would go do the Longines Global Champions Tour. I would need a new horse or two because I don’t know if I have the right stock for it, but I’m getting close.

Do you have a favorite snack and drink while on the road?

I’m the guy who always goes into the gas station and gets the turkey sandwich in the plastic that no one else eats because it tastes bad. I also like to eat pistachios and chuck the shells out the window as I’m going down the highway. My favorite drink is a bladder-buster sized Diet Coke.

What’s your favorite food?

I love Cap’n Crunch. I could eat it every day for the rest of my life. I’m like the guy who loves shrimp from Forrest Gump— that’s me with the Cap’n Crunch.

Do you have an exercise routine to stay in shape?

I just ride as many horses as I can and do barn chores.

What’s your favorite barn chore?

Up until two years ago I did all of my own work. If I had to pick a job though, I would clean stalls.

What celebrity would you most like to meet?

Michael Jordan—he was my favorite athlete as a kid, and I like all of his books. I also like Donald Trump—I’m not going to lie. That’s going to be controversial right now, but I’ve read all of his books too.

What superpower would you want?

To be able to teleport.

If you could ride any horse, who would it be?

Gem Twist.

Which other equestrian discipline would you like to try?

Definitely racing.

If you weren’t a horseman, what would you be doing?

I always thought it would be really cool to be a sports agent.

Do you have any words of wisdom for up-and-coming riders?

Practice as much as you can, and get the best horse that you possibly can. If the horse doesn’t suit you, you will not get anywhere. Don’t be afraid to lose money on a horse—I think that’s where everyone gets stuck. You have to break up with the horse if it’s not working—it’s like a bad boyfriend or girlfriend.

Do you have any moments in your life that you would like to relive?

My grandmother on my mom’s side pretty much raised me, and she died last year shortly after Valentine’s Day. If I could relive some things I wish that I could spend more time with her. She was amazing.

What’s the best decision you’ve ever made?

To focus on my riding because it has led to everything else that’s happened to me in life. Riding gave me something to do; it gave me purpose, reason, and the financial means to travel. That’s how I met Jenny, and that’s how I got my two little boys [Aiken, 3, and Austin, 6].

What win are you most proud of?

When I won the grand prix at the Germantown Charity Horse Show (Tenn.). That’s not a big class in the grand scheme of things, but I never thought that I would do a grand prix. I never thought that I would do what I do right now.

How do you celebrate a big win?

We will go have dinner with whoever is around and then get up and do it again the next day. I try not to rest on my wins. I’m always thinking about what to do next. Winning helps me build a little confidence to do something that I wouldn’t have done before.

May 2 & 9, 2016 chronofhorse.com 45

BETWEEN ROUNDS WITH:

JULIE WINKEL

Demystifying The LOC The USEF Licensed Officials Committee works tirelessly behind the scenes, and our columnist explains who they are and exactly what they do.

PHOTOS BY MOLLIE BAILEY

O

ver the years I’ve had the honor of working on many committees and task forces for the U.S. Equestrian Federation (formerly the American Horse Shows Association) and the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association.

My first appointment was on the AHSA Equitation Committee back in the early 1980s when the federation resided in New York City. I was young and naive. It was eye opening to be among the big shots of our industry.

I basically listened and learned how meetings were conducted. I rarely had anything interesting or constructive to contribute, so I kept my mouth shut.

But I loved the idea of being involved.

Since the formation of the USHJA, I’ve served as a director on the board, chair of various judges and officials committees, was and/or am a member of the USHJA Equitation Task Force, Trainer Certification Program, Emerging Athletes Program, Zone 10 Jumper Committee, as well as chairing the USEF Continuing Education Committee.

Twenty-five years after my first gig, I landed a spot on the prestigious USEF Licensed Officials Committee.

This very important committee is responsible for the licensing of judges, stewards, course designers and tech-

46 The Chronicle of the Horse

nical delegates of all the breeds and disciplines in the United States.

It was fascinating to learn from all these great horsemen on the committee how each group interpreted their rules and how their officials should behave, adjudicate and whether they should be promoted to higher licenses with more responsibilities.

Then a few years into my service, the powers that be decided to cut the committee down to 35 members. I panicked, sure that I would be cut, since I was fairly new. When the dreaded email came from USEF, I was caught off guard. They were asking if I would be interested in becoming the co-chair along with Robert Peebles, who comes from the National Show Horse and Saddlebred world.

I was in shock, with disbelief that I would even get to stay, let alone be put in charge! I gladly accepted. I had

no idea how much time and responsibility came with the job.

How The Committee Works While the Licensed Officials Committee does meet several times each year by conference call, our primary meetings are the ones we have three times a year in person in Lexington, Ky., either at the USEF office or during the annual convention.

Each in-person meeting involves two long days of going over applications for licenses or promotions, clinic and officiating extensions, discussion of protocol, policy and reviews of denied applicants, who may come themselves to present their case. Information on applications is confidential, and we take that responsibility very seriously in all matters related to officials.

In 2015 the LOC weighed in on close to 400 USEF and Fédération Equestre Internationale applications and took

action on more than 150 extension/ reinstatement requests, nearly 50 procedural, requirement and other miscellaneous requests, 62 proposed rule changes and a dozen reviews.

Current Committee Members In addition to my co-chair Peebles and myself, our LOC consists of: Ralph Alfano, Danute Bright, Robin Brueckmann, Gretchen Butts, Mary Ann Cronan, Teresa Cross, Carol Dean-Porter, Fran Dotoli, Richard Griffith, Chuck Herbert, Cecile Hetzel Dunn, Heather Irvine, Mary Jordan, Anna Marie Knipp, Pete Kyle, Allen Mitchels, Fred Moretti, Stan Morey, James O’Rourke, Danny Robertshaw, Gary Rockwell, Patrick Rodes, Charlotte Skinner-Robson, Margaret Sleeper, Mike Tomlinson, Robert Weber, Cathy Wieschhoff, John Williams, George Williams, Ed Young, Lois Yukins and Linda Zang.

These awesome committee members

have endless experience, wisdom and knowledge in the equine show world.

They have the high officiating and behavioral standards you’d expect of a licensed official representing USEF. As a committee, we get a lot of backlash when people feel someone should or shouldn’t have received their license or promotion. But I can assure you every candidate is carefully reviewed, and all background and evaluations received on these individuals are carefully looked at and discussed.

We look at the positives as well as the negatives and have needed discussion on each one to best make an informed decision. Some days are more exhausting than others, but it always feels like we’ve made informed decisions and are constantly trying to improve our policies for the good of the sport.

We have around 2,000 licensed officials currently in the system.

The USEF Licensed Officials Committee conducts work behind the scenes to ensure judges and other officials are licensed and that members can express their opinions about the officials.

Your Voice Is Heard The LOC also has a subcommittee that reviews complaints received about officials.

The USEF’s licensed officials department received more than 200 members’ confidential evaluations in 2015. About 75 percent were negative, while 25 percent were positive comments on our officials.

When several are received about the same official, or if one is received that is considered “extreme,” the official is asked to weigh in with his or her side of the story, and the sub-committee considers that response when making a decision on what action, if any, should be taken.

May 2 & 9, 2016 chronofhorse.com 47

SPRING HORSE SHOWS ISSUE In addition to our committee work, Peebles and I receive numerous emails, sometimes on a daily basis, asking us to weigh in on presidential modifications and any other topic that requires our input as co-chairmen.

Safe Sport Policy In 2014, the USEF implemented Part 1 of a two-part series called Safe Sport.

As a requirement of Part 1, all national licensed officials were mandated to pass a background check.

Part 2 of the Safe Sport Program was implemented for the 2016 competition year and requires all licensed officials to participate in Safe Sport Training. This module was developed by the U.S. Olympic Committee and is used in all Olympic sports.

All national officials are required to complete the Safe Sport Training before they can renew their licenses for 2016, and they are required to complete background checks every two years.

With the help of USEF’s licensed officials department—managing director Sally Ike, director Samantha Kline and licensing coordinators Lindsey Sanquenetti and Sarah Beth Hollowed—we’ve made leaps and bounds on so many levels. We couldn’t do it without this amazing team.

The LOC has greatly improved and updated the application and renewal process through new technology, and we’ve clarified the requirements and procedures necessary to apply to be a licensed official.

For All The Money Here’s the kicker: This prestigious group of accomplished horsemen and women who serve on this committee and give so much time and effort are volunteers and do it for free. Correction—they pay to work this hard!

My last trip to the LOC meeting was in January during the USEF Annual Meeting in downtown Lexington.

My flight from Reno, Nev., to Chicago landed on time, even though there was a significant snowstorm there. We had to wait for a gate to open, so we sat on the runway for 45 minutes.

Once we arrived at our assigned gate, the jet bridge was frozen and wouldn’t open. Another 20 minutes transpired before the ground crew could get the door open. Needless to say, I missed the Lexington flight, by five minutes. The next flight to Lexington would get me there at 3:30 p.m. the following day. Our meeting started at noon, so that wasn’t going to work.

The airline agreed to send me to Cincinnati on a 7 a.m. flight that would arrive at 9:30 a.m. If I rented a car ($250 due to different airport drop) I might make it—if I drove fast enough.

No vouchers for the hotel because the airline claimed it was weather-related.

The distress rate at the Airport Hilton was $400 a night. No other hotels in the area had rooms available.

So after a few hours of sleep, I boarded the morning flight, landed in a snowy Cincinnati, decided Uber might be a better idea than a rental car, as well as less costly. I arrived in Lexington at 11:45 a.m., checked in, ran to my

All Breeds And Disciplines Included

E

ach meeting is always educational, as well as eye opening for me, as the USEF Licensed Officials Committee is comprised of top judges, stewards, veterinarians and trainers that represent the following breeds’ and disciplines’ licenses: Andalusian/ Lusitano, Arabian, C1/C2 stewards, carriage pleasure, combined driving, Connemara, dressage sport horse breeding, dressage, endurance, eventing, Friesian, Hackney and harness, hunter, hunter breeding, hunter seat equitation, jumper, Morgan, National Show Horse, paraequestrian, Paso Fino, reining, roadster, saddle seat equitation, Saddlebred, Shetland, vaulting, Welsh, western, western dressage and FEI licensure.

48 The Chronicle of the Horse

room and changed into a suit. I’m 5 minutes late, but I’m there. Our meeting continues until 5 p.m., then we all carry on at a dinner for the group until late.

The next morning we start at 7:30 a.m. with business left over from the day before. Our agenda takes us through the noon hour, at which time we all run to catch flights or head home in our vehicles, until we meet again in April.

Typically my LOC trips cost $1,000 to $1,200 a meeting, although this one cost a lot more! I can’t speak for the others, but most of the members come from a good distance away.

The LOC feels like a big family. We enjoy and respect each other. But we work hard for the good of our officials and for the good of our sport.

I hope this article clarifies the process through which licensed officials are managed and especially how seriously the LOC takes each and every applicant, official and problem that arises.

JULIE WINKEL

Julie Winkel has been a licensed hunter, equitation, hunter breeding and jumper judge since 1984.

She has officiated at prestigious events such as Devon (Pa.), the Pennsylvania National, Washington (D.C.) International, Capital Challenge (Md.), the Hampton Classic (N.Y.) and Upperville (Va.). She has designed the courses and judged the equitation finals.

She has trained and shown hunters and jumpers to the top level and was a winner of multiple grand prix competitions and many hunter championships.

Winkel serves as co-chair of the USEF Licensed Officials Committee and chairman of the USEF Continuing Education Committee, chairman of the USHJA Judges Task Force and the USHJA Officials Education Committee. She serves on the USHJA Emerging Athletes Program committee, Trainer Certification and Zone 10 Jumper Committee. She also sits on the Young Jumper Championship board of directors.

Winkel owns and operates Maplewood, Inc., a 150-acre training, sales and breeding facility, standing grand prix jumpers Osilvis and Cartouche Z. in Reno, Nev. Maplewood Inc. also offers a year-round internship program for aspiring horse industry professionals.

She writes a monthly column for Practical Horseman’s “Conformation Clinic” and is a contributing columnist to Warmbloods Today magazine as well as an EquestrianCoach blogger.

HORSE SHOWS

Khosla Plays A Hot Hand Into $50,000 Blenheim Spring Classic IV Grand Prix Victory The 24-year-old beats the pros for her first grand prix victory in San Juan Capistrano.

BY CATIE STASZAK

V

ani Khosla had no intention of jumping in the $50,000 Blenheim Spring Classic IV Grand Prix with her 11-yearold warmblood stallion Billy Mexico.

But after the chestnut propelled her to victory in the Under-25 Developing Rider Series qualifier and a sixthplaced finish in the Markel Insurance 1.40-meter Grand Prix earlier in the week of the Blenheim Spring Classic IV, she decided to give the stallion a chance and go for it.

“I was feeling really good on him, so I sat down with my trainers [Francie Steinwedell-Carvin, Dick Carvin, Susie Schroer and Zazou Hoffman of Meadow Grove Farm] and said that maybe this would be a good grand prix for us to try,” Khosla, 24, said. “We had a little conversation about it and decided that we would walk the course, enter it, and see how I felt. With the way things had been going [with him], I wanted to give myself a shot and see if I could get in there.”

Her last-minute entry paid off when the duo won the grand prix on April 16 in San Juan Capistrano, Calif., the first grand prix victory for both the horse and rider. Karl Cook and Tembla finished second, and Peter Petschenig and Colour Your Life were third after the three-horse jump-off for the blue.

Khosla, the only rider under the age of 25 to finish in the top 12, also claimed 11th with her second mount Dynamo.

“It’s a really big moment for me,” Khosla said. “I still can’t really believe that it happened. You go in those classes when you think you’re ready

50 The Chronicle of the Horse

for them, but to go out and win the first time was an amazing feeling.”

Khosla only started jumping at the grand prix level this year; her debut came with Dynamo in the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix at HITS Thermal (Calif.) in February. But she had never before competed at the level with Billy Mexico.

“When you walk the course, there’s a moment of, ‘Oh my God, I’m walking a grand prix course, and I’m about to go in it,’ but you have to bring yourself back down,” Khosla said. “A lot of it, for me, was just focusing on the jumps and the details and knowing what I had to do on that horse.”

The Leopoldo Palacios-designed track played to Billy Mexico’s strength with footspeed, as multiple riders incurred time faults in Round 1.

“Leopoldo has really tight times allowed, and he ended up moving the time allowed down after I went, which was very nice for me, because that meant there would be fewer clear rounds!” Khosla said.

In the jump-off, Khosla, first to navigate the shortened track, had a rail at the final fence but finished in a sharp time of 33.92 seconds.

“Cantering to that last fence, I definitely got a little excited. I knew I was clean, and I knew I was fast, and I definitely didn’t support him as much as I would have loved to for that last rail,” she explained. “It was a little disappointing, especially because it was my mistake, but I would have been thrilled with a third-place finish!”

But the final two would also have

rails. Last to go, Cook and Tembla crossed the timers agonizingly close to Khosla’s time—just .01 seconds slower than Khosla.

“When Karl actually crossed the finish times, I didn’t know what had happened. Our times were so close, and from where I was standing, I couldn’t see the clock,” Khosla said. “It took everyone a second to realize that I had

Vani Khosla captured the first grand prix victory of her career in the $50,000 Blenheim Spring Classic IV Grand Prix with last-minute entry Billy Mexico. MCCOOL PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTO

$50,000 BLENHEIM SPRING CLASSIC IV GRAND PRIX San Juan Capistrano, Calif.— Apr. 16 HORSE/RIDER

FAULTS

TIME

PURSE

1. Billy Mexico/ Vani Khosla

0-4

33.92

$12,500

2. Tembla/Karl Cook

0-4

33.92

10,000

3. Colour Your Life/Peter Petschenig

0-4

35.62

7,500

Also competed: 4. Kiwi Iron Mark/J. Fields, 1; 5. Dutch Amouretta/B. Riddell, 2; 6. Chantico/J. Pearce, 4; 7. Firestone/K. Hardin, 4; 8. Camerone/L. Archer, 4; 9. Acita/N. Nassar, 4; 10. Balu U/L. Clarke, 5; 11.

Dynamo/V. Khosla, 5; 12. Wilson/B. Riddell, 5; 13.

Woodpecker De Villars/Z. Hoffman, 6; 14. Here I Come/J. McAllister, 6; 15. S.F. Uryadi/J. Crooks, 6; 16.

Chamcara/S. Kayne, 9; 17. Camerino/P. Rohrbach, 9; 18. Con Spirit/N. Cooper, 12; 19. For Fun/R. Morgan, 12; 20. Solos Consept/L. Hite, 13; 21. NJK No Regret/N. Haunert, 14; 22. Chica Argentina/M. Alario, 15; 23. W Zermie 13/S. Kayne, 16; 24.

Cambridge 28/C. Frost, 19; 25. Amadeus/D. Bridges, 20; 26. Wiona/B. Riddell, 21; 27. Juncal/G. Obligado, 25; 28. Taxo De La Nutria/D. Flynn, 30; Uppercut Chavannaise/P. Petschenig, VW.

actually won the class. We were all standing at the back gate, and we all started screaming. It was so exciting!”

The Birthday Horse Khosla first heard about Billy Mexico the day before her 23rd birthday. Schroer received a tip about the stallion from Sue Middleton, a contact in Europe.

“Susie said, ‘You need to get on a

plane tomorrow, and you need to go try this horse,’ ” Khosla recalled. “I actually was like, ‘I don’t think I can do that.

My family probably won’t like it if I have to miss my own birthday dinner.’

Birthdays are big in my family!”

Carvin and Hoffman made the trip instead, returning with rave reviews for the 11-year-old warmbood stallion (Cevin Z—Bidorette, Le Mexico),

who was then being campaigned

by English show jumper William Funnell. Funnell jumped Billy Mexico in Nations Cups for Great Britain and in 1.50-meter grand prix classes.

Khosla traveled to Funnell’s farm in Surrey (England) two weeks later to see the horse for herself.

“I got straight off the plane, and it was 5:00 p.m. in November,” she remembered. “I tried him outside in the dark, and he was amazing. We went on to try maybe 24 horses that week, and he was the first horse I sat on, but I never forgot about him or how amazing he was. On those trips, you try so many horses that it’s easy to forget the early ones, but when we got to the end and knew that he was the one we all remembered, we had to go for it.”

The duo debuted at the 1.20-meter level in February of 2015 and has gradually climbed the ranks from the low to the high amateurs and the 1.45meter division.

“I always kind of knew that we’d start to step up into those classes and start to do some bigger stuff, but I definitely was not expecting it at this point,” Khosla said.

May 2 & 9, 2016 chronofhorse.com 51

HORSE SHOWS The Portola Valley, Calif., native, a recent graduate of Stanford University (Calif.) with degrees in computer science and civil engineering and structure, has accepted a job as a web developer with the Santa Monica, Calif., startup company Tradesy. “I spend most of my days looking at code. I love it; it’s really fun,” she said.

She will also continue to try to crack codes in the show ring. Khosla plans to take Billy Mexico to Thunderbird (British Columbia) and Spruce Meadows (Alberta) this summer to contest the 1.45-meter classes. Her year-end goal is the U.S. Equestrian Federation Under-25 National Championship at the CP National Horse Show (Ky.) this fall.

“Then hopefully we’ll get back in some [grand prix] classes again,” she said.

Coming Full Circle Katie Gardner saw potential in the 9-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding Maldini (Maloubet de Pleville—Platina) from the moment she met him as a 5-year-old. She’s gradually brought the chestnut up the ranks to the top level with a victory in the $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby April 15 at Blenheim.

“We always had an idea,” the 31-year-old Westlake Village, Calif., native said of the horse’s ability as a derby competitor.

Gardner and Maldini, ninth after the first round, skyrocketed to the top of the leaderboard after a second round that earned them a class-high 188 from judges Timmy Kees, Rob Gage, Brian Lenehan and Frank Willard. She retured third in the handy, and her score would hold to the very end, as she topped Buddy Brown and Derby Hill LLC’s Finally Ours (350.5) by .5 points for a 351.

John Bragg and Early August (349.5) finished third.

“I just thought, ‘You know what?

I’m just going to really go for the big options,’ ” explained Gardner, the national program coach and competition rider at Jim Hagman’s Elvenstar in Moorpark, Calif. “I think that really made the difference, and if I hadn’t done that, I’m not sure I would 52 The Chronicle of the Horse

$10,000 USHJA INTERNATIONAL HUNTER DERBY San Juan Capistrano, Calif.—Apr. 15 Judges: Panel 1: Brian Lenehan, Frank Willard; Panel 2: Timmy Kees, Rob Gage 1ST ROUND HORSE/RIDER

1. Maldini/Katie Gardner

2ND ROUND

PANEL 1 SCORE/ HEIGHT OPTION

PANEL 2 SCORE/ HEIGHT OPTION

TOTAL

PANEL 2 PANEL 1 SCORE/BONUS/ SCORE/BONUS/ HEIGHT OPTION HEIGHT OPTION

77/4

78/4

83/7/4

83/7/4

351

2. Finally Ours/Buddy Brown

72.5/3

86/3

80/8/3

85/7/3

350.5

3. Early August/John Bragg

87/3

87/3

77/4/3

76.5/6/3

349.5

4. Lago W/Mickie Sage

82/3

77/3

84/5/3

82/7/3

349

5. &RSSHUÀHOG (OOL <HDJHU

79.5/2

81/2

85/7/3

77/7/3

346.5

6. Center Court/John French

86.5/4

91/4

71/4/3

75/5/3

346.5

75/3

84/3

86/3/2

76/5/2

339 334.5

7. Comissario/Kaitlyn van Konynenburg 8. Small Gesture/John French

84.5/2

69/2

81/6/2

78/8/2

9. Burrata/Jenny Karazissis

81/1

85/1

73/2/2

80/6/2

333

10. Legacy/Jenny Karazissis

85/2

84.5/2

60/6/3

58/8/3

311.5

11. L’Con Reyes/Nathalie Cooper

76/3

82/3

55/3/4

60/6/4

296

74.5/4

79/4

45/4/4

44/3/4

265.5

12. Cartogold/Kelly Van Vleck 29 horses competed.

Katie Gardner brought Starlane Farms’ Maldini from the baby green division to a victory in the $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby at the Blenheim Spring Classic IV. RANSOME ROMBAUER PHOTO

prepare JODSFBTF CMPPEnPX

perform

Day 0: Circulatory disruption in left front limb.

help increase mobility

recover 3 days with Back on Track: Equalized circulation.

help prevent injuries reduce muscle tension

Study by Joanna Robson DVM, Napa CA

See

t ou wh a

mers are saying! r Custo TRUSTPILOT + + + + +

With more than 850 reviews, Back on Track has a Trust Pilot rating of “Excellent” with a score of 9.3 on scale of 0 -10!

“My 18-yr old gelding had heat & swelling in his leg randomly so I bought Quick Wraps. After using them, the heat and swelling were gone.”

usa: www.backontrackproducts.com, 1-888-758-9836 canada: www.backontrack.com/Canada, 250-851-0191 “My horse does not stock up when in a stall for the weekend with the Quick Wraps.”

Because comfort makes a difference May 2 & 9, 2016 chronofhorse.com 5 3

HORSE SHOWS have won. The scores were pretty close in the end.”

It was the first USHJA International Hunter Derby win for Maldini and second for Gardner, who won the first derby she ever contested in 2010, also at Blenheim, aboard Caroline Miguelez’s Parker.

“It was kind of surreal,” she said.

“I put in my round, and we had some kids competing in the ring next door, so I went over there. When I came back, I saw that my total was still leading, and I kind of couldn’t believe it! I watched the last few go, and it stayed. It was really exciting.”

Maldini, known as the “surfer dude” around the barn for his go-with-the-flow personality, wasn’t bought to be a derby horse. His primary job is navigating the adult hunters with owner Gail Horrigan.

The gelding often plays double duty between the two rings.

“He just adapts to whatever he’s doing very remarkably,” Gardner said.

He was first imported as a 5-year-old in 2012. “Jim found him in Sweden; he drove 10 hours just to see this horse,” Gardner said. “He said, ‘I think this is the horse for Gail.’ Right off the bat, he was exactly the right temperament for her, just very laid-back and easy going — sometimes to a fault, as he can be a little bit on the lazy side.”

Maldini progressed up the levels with Gardner in the open divisions and started jumping in derbies last year as a second year horse. “He really handled the second-year height so easily, and then we started dabbling in the derbies. They really get his attention. It’s a nice feeling—I know the height is there, and he’ll do anything,” said Gardner. Horrigan started showing Maldini in the adult division in 2013 as well.

Maldini jumped his first USHJA International Hunter Derby at Blenheim last June, but his breakthrough moment came in the $100,000 USHJA derby at HITS Thermal (Calif.) in March, when finished 11th. “That derby in particular was very big,” Gardner said. “When I went into this one the jumps were also very stout, and I knew he could handle it, which is always a good feeling.”

54 The Chronicle of the Horse

Horrigan’s third grandchild was born this year, and with grandmother duties taking priority, she told Gardner to pursue more of the bigger classes with her horse.

That’s opened the door for discussion about a possible start in the USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship (Ky.) in August.

“It might be something that we’re going to look into,” Gardner said.

“It’s always hard with scheduling, but I’d like to [do it]. I think it would be really fun and a great experience.

“He’s such a cool horse,” she continued. “There’s no fence that he has ever even remotely looked at.

Taking a horse like that, knowing that he’s going to do it, that would be the best part.”

Blenheim Spring Classic IV San Juan Capistrano, CA—Apr. 13-17.

3'6" PERFORMANCE HUNTER CH: Tuscany, Emily Sukert.

RES: Crocket, Anne Amerman.

SHORT STIRRUP HUNTER CH: Manhattan, Charlotte Olson.

RES: Touche, Marci Mosconi.

3'3" PERFORMANCE HUNTER CH: Kingston, Lindsay Maxwell.

RES: Canthano, Abigail Friedman.

CROSSRAILS HUNTER CH: Elton, Emily Rodosky.

RES: Crown Royal, Anna Rodosky.

LIMIT EQUITATION CH: Heidi Klinger.

RES: Lauren Pleasance.

WALK-TROT HUNTER CH: Yet Another Karacter, Annalise Gabler.

RES: Cinderella, Olivia Wright. .90M JUMPER CH: Whisper Walienna, Shirley Izaguirre.

RES: Ghost, Michelle Kerivan. .80M JUMPER CH: Morning Glory, Shannon Stevens.

RES: Boccacio, Maria Knowles.

LONG STIRRUP HUNTER CH: Vintage Pleasure, Amanda Edington.

RES: Handsome Winston, Sara Record. .65-.70M JPR. CH: Barahute, Jackie Caston.

RES: Ophelia De L’Estriverie, Chelsea Cain.

HIGH SCHOOLING HUNTER CH: Elite, Cynthia Hyde.

RES: Quinero, Caroline Goodman.

LOW HUNTER CH: Maverick, Shawna Dakides & Kensington Ask, Yvette Harris.

RES: WynDixie, Melessa De Luca & Quantano, Cherie Callander.

PRE-GREEN HUNTER CH: Kasall, Lucky Jack Farm LLC. RES: Bandit, Olivia Welsh.

GREEN CONFORMATION HUNTER CH: Seaside, Laura Strasburg.

RES: Kensington Ask, Yvette Harris.

3'3" PRE-GREEN HUNTER CH: World Affair, Huckleberry Farm.

RES: Monaco, Meadow Farm.

HIGH PERFORMANCE HUNTER CH: Early August, Ann Thornton.

RES: Academy Award, Mary Dick.

1ST YR. GREEN HUNTER CH: Felix, Briana Sukert.

RES: Early August, Ann Thornton.

2ND YR. GREEN HUNTER CH: Maritime, Meadow Farm.

RES: Crown Prince, DDM Equestrian LLC.

$25,000 MARKEL INSURANCE 1.40M GRAND PRIX San Juan Capistrano, Calif.— Apr. 14 FAULTS

TIME

PURSE

1. Dutch Amouretta/ Brenda Riddell

HORSE/RIDER

0-0

49.72

$7,500

2. Balu U/Lane Clarke

0-4

41.15

5,500

3. Rexar Du Houssoit/Saree Kayne

0-8

44.97

3,250

55 horses competed.

MEDIUM PONY HUNTER CH: Whispering Mikado, Kelly Covey.

RES: Just Heavenly, Devon Gibson.

LARGE PONY HUNTER CH: Goodness Gracious, John French.

RES: Center Field, Lexie Looker.

MODIFIED HUNTER CH: Sorbet, Nicodemus Farms.

RES: Bell Hop, Katerina Baney.

MODIFIED CHILDREN’S/ADULT HUNTER CH: Crosstown, Kelly Schussler.

RES: Imagination, Ariana Marnell.

MODIFIED JR./AMATEUR-OWNER HUNTER CH: Amazin Grace, Hailey Schiefelbein.

RES: Autumn Lane, Eugenie Kilb.

LOW CHILDREN’S/ADULT HUNTER CH: Cedric Croft, Anna Jacoby.

RES: Imagination, Ariana Marnell.

CHILDREN’S HUNTER, 13 & UNDER CH: Quinero, Caroline Goodman.

RES: Symphony, Maci Anderson.

CHILDREN’S HUNTER, 14-17 CH: Bell Hop, Katerina Baney.

RES: Cedric Croft, Anna Jacoby.

SMALL JR. HUNTER, 15 & UNDER CH: Small Gesture, Iwasaki & Reilly.

RES: Autumn Lane, Eugenie Kilb.

LARGE JR. HUNTER, 15 & UNDER CH: Seaside, Laura Strasburg.

RES: Small Adventure, Iwasaki & Reilly.

SMALL JR. HUNTER, 16-17 CH: Boss, Laura Wasserman.

RES: Forbes, Tonia Looker.

LARGE JR. HUNTER, 16-17 CH: Paddington, Lexie Looker.

RES: Crown Prince, DDM Equestrian LLC. ADULT AMATEUR HUNTER, 18-35 CH: Sundae, Balmoral.

RES: Stylist, Marta Mazess.

ADULT AMATEUR HUNTER, 36-50 CH: Wallace, Lexie Looker.

RES: Casiretto, Ashley Kaplan.

LOW AMATEUR-OWNER HUNTER, 18-35 CH: Now How Z, Claire van Konynenburg.

RES: Catalyst, Lindsay Maxwell.

LOW AMATEUR-OWNER HUNTER, 36 & OVER CH: Zilver Star, Sandra Bierman.

RES: Pebble Beach, Robert Peters II. ADULT AMATEUR HUNTER, 51 & OVER CH: Bay Lane, Noelle Wolf.

RES: Double Play, Missy Froley.

LOW SCHOOLING HUNTER CH: Quinnus, Gail Morey.

RES: Just Cooper, Sonja Petri.

CHILDREN’S JUMPER CH: Eastwood, Maria Pacifico.

RES: Warrick, Kristin Hardin.

ADULT AMATEUR JUMPER CH: Zeppelien, Cavallo Farms LLC. RES: Aragon, Carrie Wicks.

MODIFIED JR./AMATEUR-OWNER JUMPER CH: Cilantra, Olivia Schneider.

RES: Cascos Alubet, Lauren Anderson.

7-YR.-OLD JUMPER CH: WT CA Pow, Wild Turkey Farm.

RES: Montefuego, Scott King.

1.30M JUMPER CH: Milano, Abigail Weese.

RES: Doriena, Idyllic Imports.

LOW ADULT AMATEUR JUMPER CH: Contendo, Ania Ratomska-Gibbs.

RES: Whisper, Jonathan Walpole.

LOW CHILDREN’S JUMPER CH: Silver Dream, Stal Minion.

RES: Osiris, Tiffany Foster.

1.40M JUMPER CH: For Fun, Russell Morgan.

RES: Dynamo, Vani Khosla.

1.35M JUMPER CH: Formax, Jet Pets Equine.

RES: Taxo De La Nutria, Marisa Hutton.

JR./AMATEUR-OWNER JUMPER CH: Zorlando, Sydney Hutchins.

RES: SIG Caravaggio, SIG International.

SMALL PONY HUNTER CH: Goldfish, Sadie Anderson.

RES: Red White And Blue, Teton Farms LLC. LOW JR./AMATEUR-OWNER JUMPER CH: Chablis, Alex Trubey.

RES: Pariska 2, Gentry Hill Farm.

ADULT EQUITATION CH: Karen O’Leonard.

RES: Marta Mazess.

GREEN RIDER EQUITATION CH: Charlotte Olson.

RES: Sofia Langella.

EQUITATION, 11 & UNDER CH: Augusta Iwasaki.

RES: Stella Buckingham.

CHILDREN’S PONY HUNTER CH: Wish Me Luck, Jenifer Duron.

RES: Starswept Paris Blues, Roaring Fork Farms LLC. EQUITATION, 12-14 CH: Elli Yeager.

RES: Juliett Joseph.

GREEN RIDER HUNTER CH: Paradisio, Ariya Nathu.

RES: Chamaco, Teton Farms LLC. GREEN PONY HUNTER CH: Goodness Gracious, John French.

RES: Whispering Mikado, Kelly Covey.

SHORT/LONG STIRRUP EQUITATION CH: Charlotte Olson.

RES: Kirsten Emershaw.

LOW JR. HUNTER CH: Basic Instinct, Mary Burke.

RES: Askarii, Lauren Burke.

AMATEUR-OWNER HUNTER CH: Kingston, Lindsay Maxwell & Wish List, Kaitlyn van Konynenburg.

RES: Cristiano, Virginia Fout & Comissario, Kaitlyn van Konynenburg.

6-YR.-OLD JUMPER CH: Bajads 2, Crooked Willow Farms.

RES: Main Defender, Megan Wexler.

EQUITATION, 15-17 CH: Grady Lyman.

RES: Paris Sommerfeld.

VHigh Sch. Htr. - 1. Elite; 2. Quinero; 3. Grace Of Hearts, D. Schnitzer. VHigh Sch. Htr. - 1. Quinero; 2.

Elite; 3. Intangible, P. Hamrick. VHigh Sch. Htr. - 1.

Iconic, J. Andrew; 2. Crosby, K. Cook; 3. Campeche Z, J. Nagler. VHigh Sch. Htr. - 1. Tache Rouge, J. Andrew; 2. Campeche Z; 3. Opportunity, G. Lyman.

VHigh Sch. Htr. U/S - 1. Elite; 2. Grace Of Hearts; 3.

Manhattan. VLow Sch. Htr. - 1. Quinnus; 2. Dubai, M. Brazil; 3. Just Cooper. VLow Sch. Htr. - 1. Quinnus; 2.

Just Cooper; 3. Intangible. VLow Sch. Htr. - 1.

Quinnus; 2. Risque, H. Schiefelbein; 3. Dubai. VLow Sch. Htr. - 1. Quinnus; 2. Dubai; 3. Risque. VLow Sch. Htr. U/S - 1. Just Cooper; 2. Risque; 3. Unfinished Business. VLow Htr. - 1. Gavroche, A. Friedman & Kensington Ask; 2. Top Shelf, M. Stansbury & Adonis, G. Schmandt; 3. Emoji, J. Xie & Jovial, K. Cannon.

VLow Htr. - 1. Maverick & Kasall; 2. Emoji & Samba, H. Kane; 3. WynDixie & Quantano. VLow Htr. - 1.

Kensington Ask & Bandit; 2. Maverick & Handsel, Magnolia Farms; 3. Marie Rouge, J. Zambrano & Quantano. VLow Htr. - 1. WynDixie & Epic, M. Cobb; 2. Pirouette, H. Kane & Adore, S. Peters; 3. Marie Rouge & Quantano. VLow Htr. U/S - 1. Charlie Brown, S. Feinerman; 2. Maverick; 3. Samba. V3'3" Pre-Grn. Htr. - 1. Monaco; 2. World Affair; 3. Joyful, SN Stables LLC. V3'3" Pre-Grn. Htr. - 1. World Affair; 2.

Monaco; 3. Constantin, E. Halbreich. V3'3" Pre-Grn. Htr. - 1. World Affair; 2. Joyful; 3. Constantin. V3'3" Pre-Grn. Htr. - 1. World Affair; 2. Joyful; 3. Monaco.

V3'3" Pre-Grn. Htr. U/S - 1. World Affair; 2. Stylist; 3.

Scotch On The Rocks, K. Evanson. VPre-Grn. Htr. - 1.

Kasall; 2. Bandit; 3. Adonis. VPre-Grn. Htr. - 1.

WynDixie; 2. Bandit; 3. Top Shelf. VPre-Grn. Htr. - 1.

Kasall; 2. Bandit; 3. WynDixie. VPre-Grn. Htr. - 1.

Kasall; 2. Adonis; 3. Bandit. VPre-Grn. Htr. U/S - 1.

Patriot, C. Bevis; 2. Charlie Brown; 3. Maverick.

VGrn./Reg. Conf. Htr. Model - 1. Seaside; 2.

Kensington Ask; 3. High Road, Balmoral. VGrn. Conf.

Htr. - 1. Seaside; 2. Kensington Ask; 3. Shimmer, WJC Farms. VGrn. Conf. Htr. - 1. Seaside; 2. High Road; 3.

Shimmer. VGrn. Conf. Htr. - 1. Kensington Ask; 2.

Shimmer; 3. Small Talk, C. Runk. VGrn. Conf. Htr. - 1.

Seaside; 2. Kensington Ask; 3. Sundae. VGrn. Conf.

Htr. U/S - 1. Seaside; 2. High Road; 3. Kensington Ask. VH.P. Htr. - 1. Early August; 2. Academy Award; 3. Crown Prince. VH.P. Htr. - 1. Early August; 2.

Academy Award; 3. Cartogold, L. Freeman. VH.P. Htr. - 1. Academy Award; 2. Cambridge 28, G. Meyer; 3.

Leticia, S. Butcher. VH.P. Htr. - 1. Early August; 2.

Crown Prince; 3. Leticia. VH.P. Htr. U/S - 1. Early August; 2. Academy Award; 3. Crown Prince. V1st Yr. Grn. Htr. - 1. Technicolor, L. Maxwell; 2. Felix; 3. Early August. V1st Yr. Grn. Htr. - 1. Technicolor; 2.

Seaside; 3. Felix. V1st Yr. Grn. Htr. - 1. Felix; 2. Early August; 3. Seaside. V1st Yr. Grn. Htr. - 1. Felix; 2.

Seaside; 3. Early August. V1st Yr. Grn. Htr. U/S - 1.

Early August; 2. Seaside; 3. Felix. V2nd Yr. Grn. Htr. - 1. Crown Prince; 2. L’Con Reyes, Bravado LLC; 3.

Maritime. V2nd Yr. Grn. Htr. - 1. Maritime; 2. Crown Prince; 3. Erolie, L. Ward. V2nd Yr. Grn. Htr. - 1.

Maritime; 2. Crown Prince; 3. L’Con Reyes. V2nd Yr. Grn. Htr. - 1. Maritime; 2. L’Con Reyes; 3. Crown Prince. V2nd Yr. Grn. Htr. U/S - 1. L’Con Reyes; 2.

Maritime; 3. Crown Prince. V3'6" Perf. Htr. - 1.

Tuscany; 2. Nonchalant, B. Sukert; 3. Crocket. V3'6" Perf. Htr. - 1. Tuscany; 2. Crocket; 3. Captivate, K. Brennan. V3'6" Perf. Htr. - 1. Campeche Z; 2.

Crocket; 3. Tuscany. V3'6" Perf. Htr. - 1. Tuscany; 2.

Campeche Z; 3. Crocket. V3'6" Perf. Htr. U/S - 1.

Tuscany; 2. Captivate; 3. Bleeker St., H. Kane. VSm. Pony Htr. - 1. Small Addition, E. Walker; 2. Goldfish; 3.

Red White And Blue. VSm. Pony Htr. - 1. Starswept Paris Blues; 2. Goldfish; 3. Red White And Blue. VSm. Pony Htr. - 1. Red White And Blue; 2. Goldfish; 3.

Small Addition. VSm. Pony Htr. - 1. Red White And Blue; 2. Small Addition; 3. Goldfish. VSm. Pony Htr. U/S - 1. Goldfish; 2. Small Addition; 3. Starswept Paris Blues. VMed. Pony Htr. - 1. Just Heavenly; 2. Mighty Quinn, Paseo Farms LLC; 3. Editor’s Note, L. Owens.

VMed. Pony Htr. - 1. Just Heavenly; 2. Paris, Teton Farms LLC; 3. Find The Love, V. Mazzoli. VMed. Pony Htr. - 1. Whispering Mikado; 2. Editor’s Note; 3. Smilin Thru, B. Buchanan. VMed. Pony Htr. - 1. Whispering Mikado; 2. Editor’s Note; 3. Merlin The Magnificent, M. Anderson. VMed. Pony Htr. U/S - 1. Find The Love; 2. Whispering Mikado; 3. Editor’s Note. VLg. Pony Htr. - 1. Center Field; 2. Goodness Gracious; 3.

Kingston, A. Peck. VLg. Pony Htr. - 1. Goodness Gracious; 2. Center Field; 3. Kingston. VLg. Pony Htr. - 1. Kingston; 2. Center Field; 3. Goodness Gracious.

VLg. Pony Htr. - 1. Goodness Gracious; 2. Center Field; 3. Kingston. VLg. Pony Htr. U/S - 1. Goodness Gracious; 2. Center Field; 3. Kingston. VGrn./Reg. Pony Htr. Classic - 1. Mighty Quinn; 2. Just Heavenly; 3. Find The Love. VChild. Pony Htr. - 1. Starswept Paris Blues; 2. Touche; 3. Dust Bunny, Roaring Fork Farms LLC. VChild. Pony Htr. - 1. Dust Bunny; 2.

Starswept Paris Blues; 3. Touche. VChild. Pony Htr. - 1. Wish Me Luck; 2. Starswept Paris Blues; 3. Dust Bunny. VChild. Pony Htr. - 1. Wish Me Luck; 2. Dust Bunny; 3. Touche. VChild. Pony Htr. U/S - 1.

Amarano, J. Schamblin; 2. Just A Star, R. Rosenblum; 3. Wish Me Luck. VMod. Htr. - 1. Small Affair, L. Pedersen; 2. Soldier, Meadow Farm; 3. Chrush, Q Of E Farms LLC. VMod. Htr. - 1. Sorbet; 2. Boss; 3.

Nonchalant. VMod. Htr. - 1. Sorbet; 2. Bell Hop; 3.

Lausbub, T. Foster. VMod. Htr. - 1. Bell Hop; 2.

Cadano, C. Loew; 3. Double Play. VMod. Htr. U/S - 1.

Sorbet; 2. Lyla, WJC Farms; 3. Jovial. VMod. Jr./A/O Htr. - 1. Social Hour, L. Strasburg; 2. Jovial; 3. Small Adventure. VMod. Jr./A/O Htr. - 1. Amazin Grace; 2.

Carlot 5, H. Schiefelbein; 3. Jovial. VMod. Jr./A/O Htr. - 1. Autumn Lane; 2. Oboras Groks, M. Morris; 3.

Zuskarlos, S. Frank. VMod. Jr./A/O Htr. - 1. Amazin Grace; 2. Autumn Lane; 3. Askarii. VMod. Jr./A/O Htr. U/S - 1. Oboras Groks; 2. Amazin Grace; 3.

May 2 & 9, 2016 chronofhorse.com 5 5

HORSE SHOWS Askarii. VLow Child./Adult Htr. - 1. Cedric Croft; 2.

Pocahontas, Noteworthy Horses; 3. Sgt Pepper, C. Goodman. VLow Child./Adult Htr. - 1. Crosstown; 2.

Sgt Pepper; 3. Imagination. VLow Child./Adult Htr. - 1. Cedric Croft; 2. Cornino, S. Williamson; 3.

Crosstown. VLow Child./Adult Htr. - 1. Labrinth, T. Beteta; 2. Imagination; 3. Quintero, K. Adamson.

VLow Child./Adult Htr. U/S - 1. Cornino; 2.

Imagination; 3. Hampton, M. Mosconi. VChild. Htr., 13 & Under - 1. Quinero; 2. Sgt Pepper; 3. Symphony.

VChild. Htr., 13 & Under - 1. Quinero; 2. Monaco; 3.

Symphony. VChild. Htr., 13 & Under - 1. Quinero; 2.

Bleu, H. Kane; 3. Don Juan, A. Rashid. VChild. Htr., 13 & Under - 1. Don Juan; 2. Symphony; 3. Sgt Pepper. VChild. Htr. U/S, 13 & Under - 1. Monaco; 2. Quinero; 3. Symphony. VChild. Htr., 14-17 - 1. Bell Hop; 2. Barolo W, Elvenstar Farm; 3. Cedric Croft.

VChild. Htr., 14-17 - 1. Bell Hop; 2. Santanita L.S., T. Chipko; 3. Quintero. VChild. Htr., 14-17 - 1. Bell Hop; 2. Cedric Croft; 3. Santanita L.S. VChild. Htr., 14-17 - 1. Cedric Croft; 2. Bell Hop; 3. Ontario, L. Ward.

VChild. Htr. U/S, 14-17 - 1. Bell Hop; 2. Charlie Brown; 3. Quintero. VChild. Htr. Classic - 1.

Santanita L.S.; 2. Cedric Croft; 3. Lionheart, DP Racing. VSm. Jr. Htr., 15 & Under - 1. Small Gesture, Iwasaki & Reilly; 2. Illusion, Dogwood Hill LLC; 3. Irasir, Teton Farms LLC. VSm. Jr. Htr., 15 & Under - 1.

Small Gesture; 2. Flirt, G. Cinquini; 3. Illusion. VSm. Jr. Htr., 15 & Under - 1. Autumn Lane; 2. Illusion; 3.

Small Gesture. VSm. Jr. Htr., 15 & Under - 1. Small Gesture; 2. Autumn Lane; 3. Coffeetalk, G. Cinquini.

VSm. Jr. Htr. U/S, 15 & Under - 1. Coffeetalk; 2.

Flirt; 3. Autumn Lane. VLg. Jr. Htr., 15 & Under - 1.

Seaside; 2. Social Hour; 3. Y Wonder Y, Teton Farms LLC. VLg. Jr. Htr., 15 & Under - 1. Seaside; 2. Small Adventure; 3. Small Affair. VLg. Jr. Htr., 15 & Under - 1. Small Adventure; 2. Seaside; 3. West Street, J. Bragg. VLg. Jr. Htr., 15 & Under - 1. Small Adventure; 2. Y Wonder Y; 3. Seaside. VLg. Jr. Htr. U/S, 15 & Under - 1. Seaside; 2. Social Hour; 3. Small Affair.

VSm. Jr. Htr., 16-17 - 1. Forbes; 2. Burrata, Nicodemus Farms; 3. Jovial. VSm. Jr. Htr., 16-17 - 1.

Sorbet; 2. Jovial; 3. Forbes. VSm. Jr. Htr., 16-17 - 1.

Boss; 2. Forbes; 3. Jovial. VSm. Jr. Htr., 16-17 - 1.

Boss; 2. Jovial; 3. Verbatim, L. Looker. VSm. Jr. Htr. U/S, 16-17 - 1. Boss; 2. Sorbet; 3. Casperia, M. Minervini. VLg. Jr. Htr., 16-17 - 1. Arizona, G. Storm; 2. Small Kiss, C. Claessens; 3. Tuscany. VLg. Jr. Htr., 16-17 - 1. Crown Prince; 2. Paddington; 3. Small Kiss.

VLg. Jr. Htr., 16-17 - 1. Small Kiss; 2. Captivate; 3.

Paddington. VLg. Jr. Htr., 16-17 - 1. Crown Prince; 2.

Captivate; 3. Paddington. VLg. Jr. Htr. U/S, 16-17 1. Paddington; 2. Tuscany; 3. Winfield, L. Looker.

VA/A Htr., 18-35 - 1. Shimmer; 2. Stylist; 3. Sundae.

VA/A Htr., 18-35 - 1. Sundae; 2. Alley Oop, T. Leibowitz; 3. Kilkenny Chancellor, Kilkenny Crest.

VA/A Htr., 18-35 - 1. Shimmer; 2. Sundae; 3. Stylist.

VA/A Htr., 18-35 - 1. Sundae; 2. Bleeker St.; 3.

Stylist. VA/A Htr. U/S, 18-35 - 1. Stylist; 2. Unfinished Business; 3. Pocahontas. VA/A Htr., 36-50 - 1.

Wallace; 2. Scotch On The Rocks; 3. Casiretto. VA/A Htr., 36-50 - 1. Casiretto; 2. Scotch On The Rocks; 3.

Wallace. VA/A Htr., 36-50 - 1. Wallace; 2. Scotch On The Rocks; 3. Imagine That, K. Novak. VA/A Htr., 36-50 - 1. Casiretto; 2. Wallace; 3. Scotch On The Rocks. VA/A Htr. U/S, 36-50 - 1. Casiretto; 2.

Wallace; 3. Scotch On The Rocks. VLow A/O Htr., 18-35 - 1. Now How Z; 2. Just Charlie, S. Petri; 3.

Adele, Woodvale Inc. VLow A/O Htr., 18-35 - 1. Now How Z; 2. Catalyst; 3. Adele. VLow A/O Htr., 18-35 - 1. Adele; 2. Now How Z; 3. Catalyst. VLow A/O Htr., 18-35 - 1. Catalyst; 2. Now How Z; 3. Castle Hill, S. Peters. VLow A/O Htr. U/S, 18-35 - 1. Just Charlie; 2. Castle Hill; 3. Fortune Cookie, Peach Tree Farm LLC. VA/A Htr., 51 & Over - 1. Bay Lane; 2. Double Play; 3. Sterling, N. Navarro. VA/A Htr., 51 & Over 1. Double Play; 2. Porcupine, K. Hall; 3. Pirouette.

VA/A Htr., 51 & Over - 1. Bertolucci, Lucky Jack Farm LLC; 2. Ante Up, J. Andrew; 3. Porcupine. VA/A Htr., 51 & Over - 1. Bay Lane; 2. Double Play; 3.

Porcupine. VA/A Htr. U/S, 51 & Over - 1. Bay Lane; 2. Pirouette; 3. Va Bene, Lucky Jack Farm LLC. VA/O Htr. - 1. Kingston & Wish List; 2. Comissario & Beckham, G. Ross; 3. Technicolor & Amazin Grace.

VA/O Htr. - 1. Beckham & Kingston; 2. Cristiano & Appeal, G. Ross; 3. Comissario & Celano R. Peters II.

56 The Chronicle of the Horse

VA/O Htr. - 1. Kingston & Cristiano; 2. As Ever, A. Block & Wish List; 3. Appeal & Beckham. VA/O Htr. - 1. Kingston & Comissario; 2. Cristiano & Wish List; 3.

Portrait, M. Burtech & Appeal. VA/O Htr. U/S - 1.

Academy Award & Technicolor; 2. Wish List & Kingston; 3. Appeal & Celano. VJr. Htr. Classic - 1.

Paddington; 2. Small Affair; 3. Crown Prince. VA/O Htr. Classic - 1. Kingston; 2. Cristiano; 3. Beckham.

VA/A Htr. Classic - 1. Sundae; 2. Ante Up; 3.

Casiretto. VLow A/O Htr. Classic - 1. Now How Z; 2.

Catalyst; 3. Adele. V3'3" Perf. Htr. - 1. Kingston; 2.

Canthano; 3. Elite. V3'3" Perf. Htr. - 1. Kingston; 2.

Canthano; 3. Floriano, M. Harris. V3'3" Perf. Htr. - 1.

Quinley, N. Medlock; 2. Canthano; 3. Kingston. V3'3" Perf. Htr. - 1. Quinley; 2. Kingston; 3. Canthano.

V3'3" Perf. Htr. U/S - 1. Floriano; 2. Kingston; 3.

Elite. VLow Jr. Htr. Classic - 1. Basic Instinct; 2.

Luisant, Q Of E Farms LLC; 3. Easy Time, E. Hansen.

VLow A/O Htr., 36 & Over - 1. Maximus, J. Hexberg; 2. Pebble Beach; 3. Carma, V. Fout. VLow A/O Htr., 36 & Over - 1. Zilver Star; 2. Carma; 3. Convaro, M. Kerivan. VLow A/O Htr., 36 & Over - 1. Zilver Star; 2. Convaro; 3. Pebble Beach. VLow A/O Htr., 36 & Over - 1. Chrush; 2. Pebble Beach; 3. Zilver Star.

VLow A/O Htr. U/S, 36 & Over - 1. Zilver Star; 2.

Pebble Beach; 3. Chrush. VChild. Jpr. - 1. Celio Cruise, H. Merrell; 2. Boss, Highpoint Farm LLC; 3.

Centium, E. Menezes. VChild. Jpr. - 1. Waldo, R. Freer; 2. Eastwood; 3. Centium. VChild. Jpr. - 1.

Eastwood; 2. Wakyra, P. Haunert; 3. Cecile, M. Grierson. VA/A Jpr. - 1. Regattino, Woodgrove Farm; 2. Aragon; 3. Miss Protocol, D. Chang. VA/A Jpr. - 1.

Zeppelien; 2. Acomulado, L. Thomas; 3. Quadrigo 4, M. Ellis. VA/A Jpr. - 1. Aragon; 2. Regattino; 3.

Concord, T. Jacobs. VMod. Jr. Jpr. - 1. Gamma Grifa, Gentry Hill Farm; 2. Terra Hornero, L. Gersoff; 3.

Cilantra. VMod. Jr. Jpr. - 1. Cascos Alubet; 2. Gamma Grifa; 3. Cilantra. VMod. Jr. Jpr. - 1. Cascos Alubet; 2.

Ronaldo, S. Phillips; 3. Fusager S Acordelia, G. Freeman. VMod. A/O Jpr. - 1. Chabot Z, M. Dick; 2.

Senator De Vautenaivre, R. Dowson; 3. Justice D’exaerde, Tomboy Farms. VMod. A/O Jpr. - 1. Arla B, C. Meadows; 2. Miss Protocol; 3. Chabot Z. VMod. A/O Jpr. - 1. Romeo Du Paradis, Brookelane Farms; 2. Chakira, K. Montinola; 3. Le Grand Star, S. Latiff.

V.90M Jpr. - 1. Archie Bunker, A. Jacoby; 2. Lucca, A. Elardi; 3. Cartolina, R. Lewis. V.90M Jpr. - 1. Whisper Walienna; 2. Ghost; 3. Pik Con, RT Diversified. V.90M Jpr. - 1. Zerdi, D. Hickey; 2. Ghost; 3. Whisper Walienna. V.90M Jpr. - 1. Ciquero, T. Stocks; 2.

Whisper Walienna; 3. Evanthe HS, Hyperion Stud LLC. V1.00M Jpr. - 1. Perrier, R. Bruce & Contendo; 2. Irco Dento, S. Roberts & Cassandra 13, K. Lowe; 3.

Eclipse, O. Schneider & Dexter, R. Bruce. V1.00M Jpr. - 1. Weopatra, N. Templeton; 2. Lilla My, S. Roberts; 3. Miss Cashcall, G. DeLong. V1.00M Jpr. 1. Irco Dento; 2. Evanthe HS; 3. Lara 368, T. Christiansen. V1.10M Jpr. - 1. Perrier; 2. Vancouver, H. Caraccoilo; 3. Caruso’s Barichello Z, N. Teague.

V1.10M Jpr. - 1. Vancouver; 2. Bellanova, J. Haener; 3. Warrick. V1.10M Jpr. - 1. Vancouver; 2. Anka, A. Faught; 3. Bellanova. V1.15M Jpr. - 1. LCC Samson, S. Phillips; 2. Omega, L. Kincaid; 3. Ronaldo. V1.15M Jpr. - 1. Boaz, W. Feng; 2. Carla, S. Nizri; 3. Havannah B, C. Boettcher. V1.15M Jpr. - 1. Waldo; 2. Ce La Nuova Bella, G. Cirelli; 3. Convaro. V1.00M Jpr. - 1.

Chicca Mo, Crooked Willow Farms; 2. Cassandra 13; 3. Morpheus 2, P. Crayne. V1.00M Jpr. - 1. Clay’s Edition, E. Siddons; 2. Lancome, S. Anderson; 3.

Eastwood. V1.00M Jpr. - 1. Qlipper Des Forets VDL, E. DeLong; 2. Quintessa, Rancho Sierra Vista; 3.

Lalonde, A. Graves. V1.20M Jpr. - 1. Little Annie, Rolling Oaks West LLC; 2. Klarisse M’aurea Z, J. Speranza; 3. FLuttershy, EMC International. V1.20M Jpr. - 1. Cordilay, Healy Farms; 2. Perrier; 3. Dexter.

V1.20M Jpr. - 1. Dame Sula, C. Rosha; 2. Al Capone, Crooked Willow Farms; 3. Omega. V1.25M Jpr. - 1.

Cavat, Blue Tree Farms LLC; 2. Easter HBC, P. Manze; 3. Chakira. V1.25M Jpr. - 1. Chalando, K. Piller; 2. HF Co-Star, Healy Farms; 3. Ucello Tarroy, A. Weese.

V1.25M Jpr. - 1. Quintello, South Shore Farm; 2.

GOLD Marie 33, Rolling Oaks West LLC; 3. Colt 45, C. Mahoney. V7-Yr.-Old Jpr. - 1. WT CA Pow; 2. Can’t Deny It, Ace Equestrian; 3. Enzo H, N. Geger. V7-Yr.Old Jpr. - 1. WT CA Pow; 2. Montefuego; 3. Hill Top Beach, B. Phillips. V6-Yr.-Old Jpr. - 1. Main Defender;

2. Bajads 2; 3. Fraulien ETC, Equine Trading Co. V6-Yr.-Old Jpr. - 1. Bajads 2; 2. Flashdance, Felyn Farms; 3. Christian, J. Pedigo. VLow Child. Jpr. - 1.

Sailor’s Delight, L. Looker; 2. Aron, U. O’Neill; 3. Silver Dream. VLow Child. Jpr. - 1. Silver Dream; 2.

Aireach, T. Dejong; 3. Archie Bunker. VLow Child.

Jpr. - 1. Osiris; 2. Waldo; 3. Lancelot, Harris Equestrian LLC. VLow A/A Jpr. - 1. Lara 368; 2. Whisper; 3.

Klarisse M’aurea Z. VLow A/A Jpr. - 1. Concord; 2.

Whisper; 3. Willow, C. Caruso. VLow A/A Jpr. - 1.

Shalimar, P. Waslewski; 2. Lara 368; 3. Whisper.

V.80M Jpr. - 1. Boccacio; 2. Morning Glory; 3.

Georgie, S. A. Corry. V.80M Jpr. - 1. Elshofs Marnix, S. Minion; 2. Whisper Walienna; 3. Prince Of Fire, N. Kennel. V.80M Jpr. - 1. Morning Glory; 2. Zerdi; 3.

Houston, O. Byrne. V.70M Jpr. - 1. Barahute; 2.

Galabea 3, L. Marks-Gailey; 3. Lausanne, A. Dutton.

V.70M Jpr. - 1. Barahute; 2. Appeal; 3. Princess Isabella, S. Crooks. V.70M Jpr. - 1. Ophelia De L’Estriverie; 2. Captain Jack Sparrow, S. Stevens; 3.

Georgie. V.70M Jpr. - 1. Barahute; 2. Captain Cruso, E. Tomoni; 3. Georgie. V1.30M Jpr. - 1. Doriena; 2.

Conriko, G. Maskrey-Segesman; 3. Milano. V1.30M Jpr. - 1. Milano; 2. Seven Seas, K. Coyne; 3. Cofino Fight W, Woodgrove Farm. V1.30M Jpr. - 1. Consider 5, P. Bilek; 2. Little Annie; 3. Seven Seas. V1.40M Jpr. - 1. For Fun; 2. Dynamo; 3. Summer, R. Morgan.

V1.40M Jpr. - 1. Will Do, Pacifica Riding Club; 2.

Treliga Mail, P. Thomas; 3. Zippo II, Mountain Home Stables. VUnder 25 Developing Rider Series - 1.

Billy Mexico, V. Khosla; 2. Hot Blooded, N. Hirt; 3.

Zorlando. V1.35M Jpr. - 1. Formax; 2. Taxo De La Nutria; 3. Rexar Du Houssoit, Woodacres Stables LLC. V1.35M Jpr. - 1. Asticott Des Templiers, R. Blanchette; 2. Zaultaire, DP Racing; 3. Seven Shades Of Grey, S. Anderson. V1.35M Jpr. - 1. Hananiah, Royal Gasket Inc.; 2. Deluxento, S. Matzinger; 3.

Ulysse, P. Thomas. V1.40M Jr./A/O Jpr. - 1.

Wiedoorn, E. Murphy; 2. Simba, S. Kist; 3. Benjamin, R. Walker. V1.40M Jr./A/O Jpr. - 1. Boomerang, Irish Rose Stables; 2. Famko S, G. Cirelli; 3. Veneto DH Z, J. Camberg. V1.40M Jr./A/O Jpr. - 1. Colin, M. Kerivan; 2. Castello, P. Waslewski; 3. Chapot Z, L. Hite.

V1.40M Jr./A/O Jpr. Classic - 1. Zorlando; 2. SIG Caravaggio; 3. Colin. V1.35M Jpr. Classic - 1.

Banba, S. Ostby; 2. The Flying Ham, S. Ostby; 3. Dee Jee, N. Nassar. VChild. Jpr. Classic - 1. Warrick; 2.

Aireach; 3. Dardam Q, I. Napper. VMod. Jr./A/O Jpr. Classic - 1. Cilantra; 2. Romeo Du Paradis; 3. Fusager S Acordelia. V1.30M Jr./A/O Jpr. Classic - 1.

Chablis; 2. Pariska 2; 3. Top Top, S. Jorgensen. V10 & Under Futurity - 1. Doriena; 2. Consider 5; 3.

Come Back Z, J. Hischer. VA/A Jpr. Classic - 1.

Zeppelien; 2. Quadrigo 4; 3. Zico, Wells Partners LLC. V6-Yr.-Old Jpr. Classic - 1. Christian; 2. Cava’s Boy, Ace Equestrian; 3. Bajads 2. V7-Yr.-Old Jpr. Classic - 1. Cyrano VD, S. Ostby; 2. Chicca Mo; 3. Hill Top Beach. V1.30M Jr./A/O Jpr. - 1. Pariska 2; 2. Lucio BK, Orpen Horses; 3. Tamara, S. Latiff. V1.30M Jr./ A/O Jpr. - 1. Dancer, A. Trubey; 2. Contago’s Girl, M. Huygens; 3. Top Top. V1.30M Jr./A/O Jpr. - 1. Ad Vangelys, Mountain Home Stables; 2. Tivoli Z, L. Hite; 3. Tamara. VLow Child./Adult Jumper Classic - 1.

Contendo; 2. Sailor’s Delight; 3. Evanthe HS. VEq. O/F, 11 & Under - 1. S. Buckingham; 2. A. Iwasaki; 3.

M. Anderson. VEq. O/F, 11 & Under - 1. A. Iwasaki; 2. S. Buckingham; 3. M. Anderson. VEq. O/F, 11 & Under - 1. A. Iwasaki; 2. M. Anderson. VEq., 11 & Under - 1. S. Buckingham; 2. A. Iwasaki; 3. M. Anderson. VEq. O/F, 12-14 - 1. E. Yeager; 2. J. Joseph; 3. A. Sinclair. VEq. O/F, 12-14 - 1. E. Yeager; 2. J. Joseph; 3. N. Templeton. VEq. O/F, 12-14 - 1. E. Yeager; 2. J. Joseph; 3. L. Klinsmann. VEq., 12-14 - 1.

S. Matzinger; 2. A. Calhoun; 3. E. Yeager. VEq. O/F, 15-17 - 1. G. Lyman; 2. P. Sommerfeld; 3. L. King.

VEq. O/F, 15-17 - 1. G. Lyman; 2. P. Sommerfeld; 3.

G. Tuton. VEq. O/F, 15-17 - 1. G. Lyman; 2. M. Chemerinsky; 3. E. MacLean. VEq., 15-17 - 1. N. Houillon; 2. G. Lyman; 3. M. McFadden. VLim. Eq. O/F - 1. H. Klinger; 2. L. O’Neill; 3. K. Adamson. VLim. Eq. O/F - 1. H. Klinger; 2. A. Jacoby; 3. E. Melville.

VLim. Eq. O/F - 1. L. Pleasance; 2. A. Marnell; 3. E. Melville. VLim. Eq. - 1. H. Klinger; 2. T. Beteta; 3. A. Jacoby. VAdult Eq. O/F - 1. S. Rowland; 2. S. Petri; 3.

L. Maxwell. VAdult Eq. O/F - 1. K. O’Leonard; 2. M. Mazess; 3. K. Austin. VAdult Eq. O/F - 1. K.

O’Leonard; 2. M. Mazess; 3. K. Austin. VAdult Eq. - 1.

A. Eynon; 2. M. Mazess; 3. S. Rowland. VS/L/S Eq. O/F - 1. C. Olson; 2. I. Tone; 3. A. Edington. VS/L/S Eq. O/F - 1. C. Olson; 2. K. Emershaw; 3. I. Tone.

VS/L/S Eq. O/F - 1. K. Emershaw; 2. B. Allison; 3. A. Edington. VS/L/S Eq. - 1. C. Olson; 2. A. Rodosky; 3.

E. Rodosky. VGrn. Eq. O/F - 1. C. Olson; 2. S. Langella; 3. A. Nathu. VGrn. Eq. O/F - 1. C. Olson; 2.

S. Langella; 3. A. Nathu. VGrn. Eq. O/F - 1. K. Russell; 2. S. Langella; 3. A. Nathu. VGrn. Rider Eq. - 1. A. Nathu; 2. S. Langella; 3. C. Olson. VCrossrails Htr. - 1. Elton; 2. Crown Royal. VCrossrails Htr. - 1.

Elton; 2. Crown Royal. VCrossrails Htr. - 1. Crown Royal; 2. Elton. VCrossrails Htr. - 1. Crown Royal; 2.

Elton. VCrossrails Htr. U/S - 1. Elton; 2. Crown Royal; 3. Yet Another Karacter. VCPHA Foundation - 1. C. Follmer; 2. N. Templeton; 3. P. Sommerfeld.

VASPCA Maclay - 1. E. MacLean; 2. M. Selleck; 3. M. Roe. VCPHA Medal - 1. M. Roe; 2. J. Joseph; 3. S. Gastelum. VUSEF Talent Search Medal - 1. H. Robinson; 2. M. Schulman; 3. T. Nowell. VPessoa/ USEF Medal - 1. E. MacLean; 2. E. Yeager; 3. T. Nowell. VUSEF Adult Medal - 1. M. Schulman; 2. L. Maxwell; 3. C. Follmer. VFoxfield Medal - 1. K. O’Leonard; 2. S. Rowland; 3. K. Bates. VPCHA Hmsp.

- 1. T. Beteta; 2. H. Klinger; 3. A. Calhoun. VPCHA Adult Medal - 1. K. O’Leonard; 2. K. Hall. VWCE Medal - 1. H. Scapa; 2. M. Schulman; 3. E. MacLean.

VOCHSA Hmsp. - 1. S. Rowland; 2. C. Pacheco; 3. C. Kimberlain. VOCHSA Eq. - 1. S. Matzinger; 2. S. Rowland; 3. L. Pleasance. VOCHSA Medal - 1. A. Marnell; 2. B. Buchanan; 3. T. Santori. VWIEC Overall - 1. E. MacLean; 2. E. Yeager; 3. T. Nowell.

VWIEC Htr. - 1. E. Marlowe; 2. E. MacLean; 3. E. Yeager. VWIEC Jpr. - 1. E. MacLean; 2. E. Yeager; 3.

T. Nowell. VTHIS Medal - 1. P. Sommerfeld; 2. H. Link; 3. L. Looker. VAriat Adult Medal - 1. K. O’Leonard; 2. L. Schiefelbein; 3. T. Looker. VWIEC Pony - 1. A. Iwasaki; 2. L. Looker; 3. B. Buchanan.

VUSEF Pony Medal - 1. A. Iwasaki; 2. P. Walker; 3.

A. Marnell. VGrn. Rider Htr. - 1. Paradisio; 2.

Leonetti, S. Goodson; 3. Blind Date, G. Grierson.

VGrn. Rider Htr. - 1. Chamaco; 2. Rumour; 3.

Paradisio. VGrn. Rider Htr. - 1. Paradisio; 2. Blind Date; 3. Wish Me Luck. VGrn. Rider Htr. - 1.

Chamaco; 2. Tache Rouge; 3. Blind Date. VGrn. Rider Htr. U/S - 1. Paradisio; 2. Rumour; 3. Tache Rouge. VS/S Htr. - 1. Manhattan; 2. Touche; 3. The Ladies Love Lamar. VS/S Htr. - 1. Manhattan; 2.

Touche; 3. The Ladies Love Lamar. VS/S Htr. - 1.

Touche; 2. Vin Hoof, Coxe Horses LLC; 3. The Ladies Love Lamar. VS/S Htr. - 1. Manhattan; 2. Springtime, A. Postel; 3. Vin Hoof. VS/S Htr. U/S - 1. Amarano; 2.

Manhattan; 3. The Ladies Love Lamar. VL/S Htr. - 1.

Vintage Pleasure; 2. Paradisio; 3. Handsome Winston.

VL/S Htr. - 1. Vintage Pleasure; 2. Unfinished Business; 3. Jersey Girl. VL/S Htr. - 1. Vintage Pleasure; 2. Paradisio; 3. Handsome Winston. VL/S Htr. - 1. Handsome Winston; 2. Paradisio; 3.

Unfinished Business. VL/S Htr. U/S - 1. Unfinished Business; 2. Handsome Winston; 3. Paradisio. VMod. Child./Adult Htr. - 1. Crosstown; 2. Furst Dance, K. Brennan; 3. Dubai. VMod. Child./Adult Htr. - 1.

Imagination; 2. Crosstown; 3. Blind Date. VMod. Child./Adult Htr. - 1. Crosstown; 2. Imagination; 3.

Kodiak, V. Veglia. VMod. Child./Adult Htr. - 1.

Crosstown; 2. Imagination; 3. Kodiak. VMod. Child./ Adult Htr. U/S - 1. Imagination; 2. Furst Dance; 3.

Black Diamond. VLow Jr. Htr. - 1. Askarii; 2. Easy Time; 3. Basic Instinct. VLow Jr. Htr. - 1. Luisant; 2.

Basic Instinct; 3. Easy Time. VLow Jr. Htr. - 1. Basic Instinct; 2. Nom De Guerre; 3. Easy Time. VLow Jr. Htr. - 1. Basic Instinct; 2. Nom De Guerre; 3. Askarii.

VLow Jr. Htr. U/S - 1. Luisant; 2. Askarii; 3. Easy Time. VGrn. Pony Htr. - 1. Goodness Gracious; 2.

Editor’s Note; 3. Whispering Mikado. VGrn. Pony Htr. - 1. Cavour, G. Russo; 2. Goodness Gracious; 3.

Editor’s Note. VGrn. Pony Htr. - 1. Whispering Mikado; 2. Cavour; 3. Goodness Gracious. VGrn. Pony Htr. - 1. Whispering Mikado. VGrn. Pony Htr. U/S - 1. Goodness Gracious; 2. Editor’s Note; 3.

Cavour. VW-T Eq. - 1. Z. Wolf; 2. O. Wright. VW-T Eq. Poles - 1. Z. Wolf; 2. O. Wright. VW-T Eq. - 1. Z. Wolf; 2. O. Wright. VW-T Eq. Poles - 1. Z. Wolf; 2. O. Wright.

VLeadline - 1. Tie, S. Arroyave, B. Baiker, P. Finch, B. Gould & K. Gould.

Teamwork

HHA ® Horse Hair Analysis

HorseHairAnalysis.com

A revolutionary approach to allow your horse to reach its maximum potential.

May 2 & 9, 2016 chronofhorse.com 57

HORSE SHOWS A few years ago, most people thought Little Manhatten would top out as a children’s hunter, but the 15.2-hand gelding proved them all wrong when he jumped to the top of the $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby with Megan Rosenthal.

Little Manhatten Pens His Fairytale In Camden Newly minted professional Megan Rosenthal pilots the small gelding to their first derby win.

BY KIMBERLY LOUSHIN PHOTO BY A & S PHOTOGRAPHY

58 The Chronicle of the Horse

W

hen Little Manhatten made his showing debut in the baby greens in 2013, he seemed to be on track to becoming a nice children’s hunter one day. But as Jaimee Rosenthal watched her daughter Megan school the 15.2-hand gelding she saw something special.

“I would watch them school and set up gymnastics, and I kept thinking, ‘You know what, there’s more in there.’ He doesn’t think he’s little,” said Jaimee.

“But I’m always the person that’s going to protect,” she added. “I don’t want to get someone’s hopes up and then see disappointment.

It wasn’t until [the Pennsylvania National] last year when I literally watched him walk into that ring, and he should have been starstruck and just out of his element, and he

just walked around that course like it barely affected him at all, and I thought, ‘I think he can do it. I think he can do it.’ ” When they walked the course for the $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby during the Camden Spring Classic, however, Megan questioned whether she should—or could—do the high options.

“She said to me, ‘Mom, these are too big for him,’ and I remember in that split second I thought to myself, ‘If I don’t believe, she won’t believe,’ ” Jaimee said. “And I just looked at her with a smile and said, ‘Oh no! He’s got this totally!’ And in the back of my head I’m going, ‘Oh please God, please God, let him have this.’

“But after he jumped that first big high option, it was like he had it, and she had it,” Jaimee said. “It was like, they’re going to be OK. Sometimes

I laugh, not to be corny, but it is a little bit of ‘faith, trust and pixie dust’ around here.”

“Nikko” jumped all the high options to top the handy round and boost them into the top spot on April 10 in Camden, S.C., above derby veteran Liza Boyd and two of her mounts.

“Oh my gosh, I was so excited,” said Megan, 19. “I’m still on cloud nine. It’s just unbelievable. I’ve always looked up to Liza as a rider and still do, and just being in the ring with her and showing with her is such an honor, and coming out on top is just unbelievable really.”

Finding Her Fairytale Jill Aureliano imported the chestnut gelding, now 8, in 2013. He got his show ring start at the Rosenthals’ Fairy Tale Farms but then bounced around for much of the following year. When Aureliano approached the Rosenthals about sending the German Sport Horse (Coeur de Caramel— Wanda) to their Charlotte, N.C., farm in late 2014, they jumped at the opportunity to purchase him.

“He gives 110 percent all the time,” said Megan. “He’s so kind. He’s such a team player; he’s not one to let you down. He’s only 15.2, and he saw those high options, and he’s like, ‘I’m going for it.’ He’ll help me out whenever he can, which is really nice to have in a partner.”

Nikko pulled double duty for Megan’s final junior year, showing in the small juniors and the first year greens with her.

“It was a lot of fun,” she said. “I got a lot of experience that I wouldn’t have had had I only stayed in the junior division. As a junior I did a lot of professional divisions for clients in our barn, and I had a lot of support from the owners in our barn, so it really taught me a lot.

“It gave me a great leg up to now being a professional in my first year,” she added. “It was tough; it was very tough, but I learned a lot.”

However, their 2015 season didn’t go as planned. Nikko tripped and suffered a knee injury, resulting in a five-month hiatus from the show ring as they slowly brought him back into work.

“It was a little heartbreaking my last [junior] year not having my own horse to campaign, but that’s where Jack [Towell] and Liza were so open with their graciousness and allowing me to ride a lot of horses for them,” Megan said. “There are many other trainers in the area that I was able to ride for and a lot of opportunities I probably wouldn’t have had, had I had my own horse. I guess everything happens for a reason, but I’m glad he’s back now and going strong.”

As the daughter of a trainer, Megan was used to swapping mounts frequently. In her pony days she primarily showed their green sale ponies, which meant she rarely went a whole year with the same horse.

“I definitely learned a lot,” she said.

“I was able to ride a lot of different styles of ponies and horses, and being exposed to all of those different ways of going taught me a lot, but I did miss seeing my friends go with their one pony or one horse to indoors each year. But I wouldn’t trade the experi-

ences that I had because I did have a lot of opportunities that I’m very grateful for.”

She did find her fairytale ending though, in the form of a last-minute surprise invitation to the Pennsylvania National. Her mother sent her a text as soon as she found out, and Megan admitted she might have “screamed a little bit in class, got some stares.

As soon as class got out I ran out and called her. I’m like, ‘What do you mean we’re going to Harrisburg?’

“He had been on the wait list, and we left the very next morning,” she continued. “It was like a dream come true because I didn’t think I was coming back to Harrisburg as a junior. I thought I was done with my indoors career as a junior. Being able to go back and put down some wonderful trips, it was really a highlight of the year.”

Business Partners When Megan’s parents divorced nine years ago, Jaimee turned

$10,000 USHJA INTERNATIONAL HUNTER DERBY Camden, S.C.—Apr. 9 Judges: Panel 1: Susan Pinckney, Susan Horn; Panel 2: Ken Okken, Stephanie von Bitter 1ST ROUND HORSE/RIDER

PANEL 1 SCORE/ HEIGHT OPTION

2ND ROUND

TOTAL

PANEL 2 PANEL 1 PANEL 2 SCORE/BONUS/ SCORE/BONUS/ SCORE/ HEIGHT OPTION HEIGHT OPTION HEIGHT OPTION

1. Little Manhatten/Megan Rosenthal

82/4

78/4

83/8/4

82/10/4

359

2. Shamrock/Liza Boyd

83/0

84/0

82/5/1

84/8/1

348

3. Coronado/Liza Boyd

85/0

86/0

79/7/3

75/8/3

346

4. Cosil/Annie Diehl

79/0

81/0

84/7/0

82/9/0

342

5. Boss’s Bentley/Megan Rosenthal

70/2

67/2

79/4/4

78/7/4

317

6. Like I Said/Liza Boyd

52/4

55/4

85/8/2

84/9/2

305

7. Calvin Klein/Ashley Parker

73/0

74/0

74/3/0

73/6/0

303

8. Cellino/Liza Boyd

48/4

51/4

83/8/2

84/5/2

291

9. Uncle Luc/Karen Kelley

71/0

69/0

68/6/0

69/3/0

286

10. Alezan/Mary Miller

57/0

67/0

67/1/0

65/0/0

257

11. Chosen/Karen Kelley

40/0

50/0

76/2/0

77/3/0

248

11 horses competed.

May 2 & 9, 2016 chronofhorse.com 59

HORSE SHOWS in her amateur card in order to keep riding, and Fairy Tale Farms was founded. Megan and her younger sister Rylee were responsible for the name, because “turning the farm into business seemed like a fairytale and basically a dream come true for us,” said Megan. “We just loved to ride all the time, and it’s stuck ever since.”

Megan’s been part of the business from Day 1, and as she got older, Jaimee started turning more and more of the riding responsibilities over to her.

“I’m a much better instructor than I am rider. I love the flatwork, and I love all of that, but I probably couldn’t find a distance out of a paper bag at this point,” Jaimee said with a laugh.

“I had spent a lot of time away from it, and I teach all the time, so it just sort of developed into that. We’ve been lucky with our clients. They’ve allowed it to happen.”

That being said, as Jaimee put it, “It’s not always puppies and rainbows.”

While many clients were happy to let Megan take the reins, some did elect to leave, preferring to have a professional showing their horses.

“Most of our clients have said, ‘You know what, let’s give her the shot.

Let’s see what she can do,’ ” Jaimee said. “She’s done a really good job.

That doesn’t mean she doesn’t make mistakes, but I’ve seen the best of the best make mistakes. And I think for her that’s been hard because when she does make a mistake she takes it so personally, and she feels like, ‘Well if they’d put Harold Chopping on, or if they’d put Liza on, or if they put…’ I’m like, ‘Those people started as young professionals too.’

“That’s been the hardest part, just keeping her confidence up and saying, ‘It’s OK if you made a mistake,’ because she tries really hard,” added Jaimee.

Megan’s emergence into the professional ranks also meant a hard reality check at times.

“She always wanted to know what was going on, so now we’re sharing a lot more with her,” said Jaimee. “Running a small business is tough. You’ve got your ups and your downs. When things were tight I tried not to let her know. Now I’m like, ‘OK, here’s what’s in the checkbook.’ [I have to remember] she wants 60 The Chronicle of the Horse

to be an adult and try Behind The Name to step out of the role of treating her like a kid and trying to protect her so ittle Manhatten was named after the movie much; that’s I think been of the same name (though the movie is the biggest challenge.” spelled correctly: Manhattan). It’s a favorite Megan’s emergence of Megan Rosenthal’s, and they found it fitting into the professional because when her stepfather drove to New York ranks coincided with to pick up the horse, he got lost in Manhattan. the beginning of her The spelling error was just that, a mistake when collegiate career.

Jaimee Rosenthal registered him with the U.S. She commutes to Equestrian Federation.

Queens University of “When we first found out, I used to joke Charlotte (N.C.), where around, ‘Well he’s a 10. It works,’ ” said Megan. she studies English.

At first she found balancing her studies RES: Island Grace, Eliza Fauntleroy. with horses difficult, but she’s built LARGE PONY HUNTER CH: Rumple Minze, her schedule around being able to Phoebe Topping.

RES: Marvel Comic, Patty Manigault. show late in the week.

JR. HUNTER CH: Joyful, Kara Jones.

“It’s been a little bit of a learning RES: Eljero, Sarah Williams. curve, but it’s working out well, and LOW JR. HUNTER CH: Ne-Yo, Sarah I’m glad I’m getting my degree,” said Livingston.

RES: Whiskey Blue, Amelia Zahn.

Megan. “But I can’t wait to get back AMATEUR-OWNER HUNTER CH: Cosil, Annie full time to the horses.”

L

Camden Spring Classic Camden, SC—Apr. 7-10.

PRE-CHILDREN’S EQUITATION CH: Charlotte Black.

RES: Courtney Acker.

PRE-ADULT EQUITATION CH: Kesler Bridgeforth.

RES: Erin Winter.

SHORT/LONG STIRRUP EQUITATION CH: Ava Loverso.

RES: Marissa Santaniello.

1ST YR. GREEN HUNTER CH: Coronado, Pony Lane Farm.

RES: Sigh, Leslie Wheat.

2ND YR. GREEN HUNTER CH: Shamrock, Finally Farm Inc. RES: Little Manhatten, Fairy Tale Farms.

3'3" & 3'6" PERFORMANCE HUNTER CH: Promise, Liza Thompson.

RES: Walk The Line, Nancy Merritt.

SMALL/MEDIUM GREEN PONY HUNTER CH: Foxmor Wigglesworth, GC Ponies.

RES: Greymeadows Ginger Snap, Morgan Cook.

CHILDREN’S/ADULT JUMPER CH: Cora, Christina Couper.

RES Tie: Contador, Wendy Arndt & Chacor, Stephen Macken.

LARGE GREEN PONY HUNTER CH: Gimme A Chance, Leslie Immel.

RES: Forget Me Not, Madelyn Van Tiem.

PRE-GREEN HUNTER CH: Balleryna, Pony Lane Farm.

RES: Czechmate, Charlotte Black.

SMALL/MEDIUM PONY HUNTER CH: Dipped In Chocolate, Catherine Cram.

Diehl.

RES: Sail On, Kimberley Quinn.

LOW AMATEUR-OWNER HUNTER CH: Sigh, Leslie Wheat.

RES: Lyon’s Creek Contador, Katherine Ballentine.

CHILDREN’S HUNTER CH: Plush, Emma Nichols.

RES: Alchemist, Leigh Sharpe.

ADULT AMATEUR HUNTER CH: Lucca, Pauline Lampshire.

RES: Road To Time, Grayson Schirmer.

PRE-CHILDREN’S HUNTER CH: Internet II, Catherine Cram.

RES: Czechmate, Charlotte Black.

PRE-ADULT AMATEUR HUNTER CH: Ricardo, Jana Phillips.

RES: Jimmy Choo, Katherine Dalberth.

KERSHAW COUNTY HUNTER CH: Galavant, Oriana Stables LLC. RES: Kia Ora, Voxton Farm.

3' PERFORMANCE HUNTER CH: Road To Time, Grayson Schirmer.

RES: First Klasse CR, Samantha Bohn.

SCHOOLING PONY HUNTER CH: Rumple Minze, Phoebe Topping.

RES Tie: Royal T, Clara Saad & Bedtime Story, Ava Loverso.

HOPEFUL HUNTER CH: Cypress, Sybil Carson.

RES: Fortune’s Turn, Carolyn Cheshire.

MODIFIED CHILDREN’S/ADULT HUNTER CH: Alchemist, Leigh Sharpe.

RES: Coconut Creek, Angela Pollex.

MODIFIED JR./AMATEUR-OWNER HUNTER CH: Saratoga, Zan Martin.

RES: Lyon’s Creek Contador, Katherine Ballentine.

SHORT/LONG STIRRUP HUNTER CH: Radjah’dat, Greer Freeman.

Dandy Products, Inc

RES: Bedtime Story, Ava Loverso.

OPPORTUNITY WALK-TROT-CANTER CH Tie: Otis Spunkmeyer, Finally Farm Inc. & Katydid Bessame, Macy Thompson.

V1st Yr. Grn. Htr. - 1. Coronado; 2. Sigh; 3.

Like I Said, Pony Lane Farm. V1st Yr. Grn. Htr. - 1. Like I Said; 2. Coronado; 3. Sigh.

V1st Yr. Grn. Htr. - 1. Coronado; 2. Sigh; 3.

Like I Said. V1st Yr. Grn. Handy Htr. - 1.

Coronado; 2. Like I Said; 3. Sigh. V1st Yr. Grn. Htr. U/S - 1. Sigh; 2. Coronado; 3. Like I Said. V2nd Yr. Grn. Htr. - 1. Shamrock; 2.

Little Manhatten; 3. Boss’s Bentley, A. Hurteau. V2nd Yr. Grn. Htr. - 1. Little Manhatten; 2. Shamrock; 3. Boss’s Bentley.

V2nd Yr. Grn. Htr. - 1. Shamrock; 2. Little Manhatten; 3. Boss’s Bentley. V2nd Yr. Grn. Handy Htr. - 1. Shamrock; 2. Boss’s Bentley; 3. Little Manhatten. V2nd Yr. Grn. Htr. U/S - 1. Shamrock; 2. Boss’s Bentley; 3. Little Manhatten. VSm./Med. Grn. Htr. Model - 1.

Foxmor Wigglesworth; 2. Lhuillier, L. Bryant; 3. Greymeadows Ginger Snap. VLg. Grn. Htr. Model - 1. Gimme A Chance; 2. Forget Me Not; 3. Taste The Rainbow, B. Starnes. VSm./ Med. Pony Htr. Model - 1. Elegance, Z. Thompson; 2. Island Grace; 3. Glenhaven Astoria, P. Peacock. VLg. Pony Htr. Model 1. Rumple Minze; 2. Topcall’s Sand Man, J. Evancic; 3. Marvel Comic. V3'3" & 3'6" Perf.

Htr. - 1. Promise; 2. Caspien, H. Conder; 3.

Chosen, Reflections Farm. V3'3" & 3'6" Perf. Htr. - 1. Promise; 2. Chosen; 3. Caspien.

V3'3" & 3'6" Perf. Htr. - 1. Walk The Line; 2.

Promise; 3. Santorini, C. Monroe. V3'3" & 3'6" Perf. Handy Htr. - 1. Walk The Line; 2.

Uncle Luc, Reflections Farm; 3. Chosen.

V3'3" & 3'6" Perf. Htr. U/S - 1. Promise; 2.

Walk The Line; 3. Caspien. VSm./Med. Grn. Conf. Pony Htr. - 1. Foxmor Wigglesworth; 2.

Greymeadows Ginger Snap; 3. Lhuillier.

VSm./Med. Grn. Pony Htr. - 1. Foxmor Wigglesworth; 2. Lhuillier; 3. Greymeadows Ginger Snap. VSm./Med. Grn. Pony Htr. - 1.

Greymeadows Ginger Snap; 2. Lhuillier; 3.

Foxmor Wigglesworth. VSm./Med. Grn. Pony Htr. - 1. Foxmor Wigglesworth; 2.

Greymeadows Ginger Snap; 3. Lhuillier.

VSm./Med. Grn. Pony Htr. U/S - 1. Foxmor Wigglesworth; 2. Lhuillier; 3. Greymeadows Ginger Snap. VLg. Grn. Conf. Pony Htr. - 1.

Gimme A Chance; 2. Terian’s What A Fox, I. Steinberg; 3. Forget Me Not. VLg. Grn. Pony Htr. - 1. Forget Me Not; 2. Terian’s What A Fox; 3. Gimme A Chance. VLg. Grn. Pony Htr. - 1. Terian’s What A Fox; 2. Forget Me Not; 3. Gimme A Chance. VLg. Grn. Pony Htr. - 1. Gimme A Chance; 2. Forget Me Not; 3. Terian’s What A Fox. VLg. Grn. Pony Htr. U/S - 1. Gimme A Chance; 2. Forget Me Not; 3. Terian’s What A Fox. VSm./Med. Conf.

Pony Htr. - 1. Dipped In Chocolate; 2.

Bazinga, C. Cram; 3. Champlain Serenade, B. Russell. VSm./Med. Pony Handy Htr. - 1.

Island Grace; 2. Bazinga; 3. Elegance. VSm./ Med. Pony Htr. - 1. Royal T; 2. Dipped In Chocolate; 3. Elegance. VSm./Med. Pony Htr. - 1. Royal T; 2. Dipped In Chocolate; 3.

Island Grace. VSm./Med. Pony Htr. U/S - 1.

Serving the Equine Industry for 25 years

.,&. 3$'6 $1' &86720 :$// 3$'',1* )25 67$//6 75$,/(56 We are America's largest manufacturer of Portable Waterjumps & Liverpools - Any size or color

&$// 72// )5(( 888-833-8386 :(%6,7( www.dandyproducts.net (0$,/ dandypro@aol.com

May 2 & 9, 2016 chronofhorse.com 61

HORSE SHOWS Island Grace; 2. Dipped In Chocolate; 3.

Glenhaven Astoria. VLg. Conf. Pony Htr. - 1.

Rumple Minze; 2. Marvel Comic; 3. Topcall’s Sand Man. VLg. Pony Handy Htr. - 1.

Rumple Minze; 2. Marvel Comic; 3. Topcall’s Sand Man. VLg. Pony Htr. - 1. Rumple Minze; 2. Marvel Comic; 3. Topcall’s Sand Man. VLg. Pony Htr. - 1. Rumple Minze; 2.

Marvel Comic; 3. Topcall’s Sand Man. VLg. Pony Htr. U/S - 1. Rumple Minze; 2. Topcall’s Sand Man; 3. Marvel Comic. VJr. Htr. - 1.

Joyful; 2. Eljero; 3. Camelino, S. Williams.

VJr. Htr. - 1. Joyful; 2. Eljero; 3. Vegas, T. Sutter. VJr. Htr. - 1. Joyful; 2. Eljero; 3.

Vegas. VJr. Htr. - 1. Joyful; 2. Vegas; 3.

Eljero. VJr. Htr. U/S - 1. Eljero; 2. Vegas; 3.

Joyful. VLow Jr. Htr. - 1. Whiskey Blue; 2.

Ne-Yo; 3. Star Street, G. Kaplin. VLow Jr. Handy Htr. - 1. Whiskey Blue; 2. Perfektionist, T. Topping; 3. Ne-Yo. VLow Jr. Htr. - 1.

Perfektionist; 2. Star Street; 3. Berkeley, E. Rose. VLow Jr. Htr. - 1. Ne-Yo; 2. Star Street; 3. Perfektionist. VLow Jr. Htr. U/S - 1. Ne-Yo; 2. Star Street; 3. Whiskey Blue. VA/O Htr. 1. Sail On; 2. Cosil; 3. Alezan, M. PodgorakMiller. VA/O Handy Htr. - 1. Cosil; 2. Sail On; 3. Alezan. VA/O Htr. - 1. Cosil; 2. Sail On; 3.

Alezan. VA/O Htr. - 1. Cosil; 2. Alezan; 3. Sail On. VA/O Htr. U/S - 1. Sail On; 2. Alezan; 3.

Cosil. VLow A/O Htr. - 1. Sigh; 2. Lyon’s Creek Contador; 3. Autonomous, S. Kay. VLow A/O Handy Htr. - 1. Sigh; 2.

Autonomous; 3. All Inclusive, A. Mack. VLow A/O Htr. - 1. Coconut Creek; 2. Sigh; 3. All Inclusive. VLow A/O Htr. - 1. Lyon’s Creek Contador; 2. Coconut Creek; 3. Autonomous.

VLow A/O Htr. U/S - 1. Lyon’s Creek Contador; 2. Coconut Creek; 3. Sigh. VPreGrn. Htr. - 1. Balleryna; 2. Sawyer, Thrasher Pool And Spa & Elizabeth Fogleman; 3. Plush.

VPre-Grn. Htr. - 1. Balleryna; 2. Sawyer; 3.

Czechmate. VPre-Grn. Htr. - 1. Balleryna; 2.

Czechmate; 3. Stratege, M. Jones. VPre-Grn. Htr. - 1. Czechmate; 2. Stratege; 3. Balleryna.

VPre-Grn. Htr. U/S - 1. Sawyer; 2.

Czechmate; 3. Stratege. VChild. Htr. - 1.

Plush; 2. Stratege; 3. The Last Waltz, J. Brinn.

VChild. Htr. - 1. Plush; 2. Alchemist; 3. Look Again, R. Sloan. VChild. Htr. - 1. Alchemist; 2. Plush; 3. Atom, K. Benson. VChild. Htr. 1. Plush; 2. Alchemist; 3. Rio Ultimo, M. Tuttle. VChild. Htr. U/S - 1. Look Again; 2.

Stratege; 3. Plush. VA/A Htr. - 1. Lucca; 2.

Road To Time; 3. Santorini. VA/A Htr. - 1.

Lucca; 2. Allegory, S. Nash; 3. Taruso, S. Randolph. VA/A Htr. - 1. Lucca; 2. Road To Time; 3. Allegory. VA/A Htr. - 1. Lucca; 2.

Briland, A. Ervin; 3. First Klasse CR. VA/A Htr. U/S - 1. Road To Time; 2. Allegory; 3.

Lucca. VPre-Child. Htr. - 1. Tune In For Details; 2. Internet II; 3. Spoon Full Of Sugar, L. Crouser. VPre-Child. Htr. - 1. Internet II; 2.

Czechmate; 3. Spoon Full Of Sugar. VPreChild. Htr. - 1. Czechmate; 2. Rainy Night In Georgia, C. Steffens; 3. The Grey Man, K. Grigg. VPre-Child. Htr. - 1. Czechmate; 2.

Internet II; 3. Spoon Full Of Sugar. VPreChild. Htr. U/S - 1. Internet II; 2. Czechmate; 3. Rainy Night In Georgia. VPre-A/A Htr. - 1.

62 The Chronicle of the Horse

Ricardo; 2. Fortune’s Turn; 3. Cypress. VPreA/A Htr. - 1. Ricardo; 2. Jimmy Choo; 3. Guilty Pleasures, M. Londahl-Smidt. VPre-A/A Htr. - 1. Jimmy Choo; 2. Ricardo; 3. Fortune’s Turn.

VPre-A/A Htr. U/S - 1. Renaissance Man, A. Siebert; 2. Cypress; 3. Fortune’s Turn. VKershaw County Htr. - 1. Galavant; 2. Kia Ora; 3.

Gallahad, B. Dieter. VKershaw County Htr. - 1. Galavant; 2. Gallahad; 3. Kia Ora. VKershaw County Htr. - 1. Kia Ora; 2. Epsom Bloom, Derbydown; 3. Gallahad. VKershaw County Htr. - 1. Kia Ora; 2. Gallahad; 3.

Galavant. VKershaw County Htr. U/S - 1.

Lady Of Quality HU, C. Wilberding; 2. Galavant; 3. Gallahad. VOpen Htr. - 1. Walk The Line; 2. Little Manhatten; 3. Sigh. VOpen Htr. - 1.

Fortune’s Turn; 2. Cypress; 3. Galavant.

VOpen Htr. - 1. Czechmate; 2. Look Again; 3.

Rrasmodias, S. Watkins. VOpen Htr. - 1.

Caspien; 2. Czechmate; 3. Road To Time. V3' Perf. Htr. - 1. Road To Time; 2. First Klasse CR; 3. Applewood, B. Burkhardt. V3' Perf.

Htr. - 1. Road To Time; 2. Applewood; 3. First Klasse CR. V3' Perf. Htr. - 1. Road To Time; 2. First Klasse CR; 3. Applewood. V3' Perf.

Htr. - 1. Road To Time; 2. First Klasse CR; 3.

Applewood. V3' Perf. Htr. U/S - 1. Road To Time; 2. First Klasse CR; 3. Applewood. VSch. Pony Htr. - 1. Rumple Minze; 2. Bedtime Story; 3. Forget Me Not. VSch. Pony Htr. - 1.

Royal T; 2. Rumple Minze; 3. Bedtime Story.

VSch. Pony Htr. U/S - 1. Woodlands Pixie, L. Loverso; 2. Overcast, L. Low; 3. Taste The Rainbow. VHopeful Htr. - 1. Cypress; 2.

Fortune’s Turn; 3. Guilty Pleasures. VHopeful Htr. - 1. Cypress; 2. Fortune’s Turn; 3.

Gallahad. VHopeful Htr. - 1. Fortune’s Turn; 2. Cypress; 3. Czech Please, L. Leon. VHopeful Htr. - 1. Fortune’s Turn; 2. Cypress; 3.

Czech Please. VHopeful Htr. U/S - 1.

Cypress; 2. Gallahad; 3. Fortune’s Turn.

VMod. Child./Adult Htr. - 1. Coconut Creek; 2. Alchemist; 3. Rio Ultimo. VMod. Child./ Adult Htr. - 1. Alchemist; 2. Caffe, A. Karpen; 3. Coconut Creek. VMod. Child./Adult Htr. U/S - 1. Allegory; 2. Renaissance Man; 3. Hop Scotch, J. Barley. VMod. Jr./A/O Htr. - 1.

Saratoga; 2. Perfektionist; 3. Cosil. VMod. Jr./A/O Htr. - 1. Lyon’s Creek Contador; 2.

Sail On; 3. Cosil. VMod. Jr./A/O Htr. U/S - 1.

Saratoga; 2. Lyon’s Creek Contador; 3. Cosil.

VS/L/S Htr. - 1. Radjah’dat; 2. Bed Head Ned; 3. Double Stuffed, P. Peacock. VS/L/S Htr. - 1. Bedtime Story; 2. Radjah’dat; 3.

Cloudy With A Chance, K. Jacobs. VS/L/S Htr. U/S - 1. Katydid Bessame; 2. Radjah’dat; 3. Bedtime Story. VNAL/WIHS A/A Htr. Classic - 1. Briland; 2. Freedom’s Clover, T. Martinez; 3. Lucca. VNAL/WIHS Child. Htr. Classic - 1. Alchemist; 2. Plush; 3. Atom.

VPony Htr. Classic - 1. Rumple Minze; 2.

Royal T; 3. Dipped In Chocolate. VJr./A/O Htr. Classic - 1. Cosil; 2. Ne-Yo; 3. Joyful.

VPre-Grn. Htr. Incentive - 1. Balleryna; 2.

Sawyer; 3. Czechmate. VPessoa/USEF Medal - 1. B. Davis; 2. K. Fritz; 3. L. Landfried.

VM&S USEF Pony Medal - 1. C. Saad; 2. G. Manigault; 3. M. Cook. VASPCA Maclay - 1.

A. Parker; 2. B. Davis; 3. R. Harris. VTHIS

Child. Medal - 1. R. Harris; 2. E. Nichols; 3. A. Zahn. VAriat Adult Medal - 1. B. Terry.

VWIEC Pony - 1. C. Saad; 2. G. Manigault; 3.

E. Cram. VWIEC Htr. - 1. K. Jones; 2. D. Pease; 3. R. Harris. VWIEC Jpr. - 1. K. Fritz; 2.

L. Landfried; 3. B. Imbus. VWIEC Overall - 1.

L. Landfried; 2. R. Harris; 3. D. Pease. VNCHJA Pony Medal - 1. E. Hicks; 2. A. Sydnor.

VE.J. Haun Medal - 1. R. Harris; 2. K. Fritz; 3.

L. Landfried. VNCHJA Child. Medal - 1. E. Nichols; 2. T. Ellis; 3. B. Burkhardt. VSCHJA Governors Cup Medal - 1. K. Jacobs; 2. A. Zahn; 3. T. Ellis. VOpp. W-T U/S - 1. Otis Spunkmeyer. VOpp. W-T-C U/S - 1. Otis Spunkmeyer; 2. Katydid Bessame. VOpp. W-T-C Pleasure - 1. Katydid Bessame; 2. Otis Spunkmeyer. VOpp. W-T-C Eq. - 1. Tie, B. Thompson & E. Boyd. VPre-Child. Eq. O/F 1. C. Acker; 2. C. Black; 3. S. May. VPreChild. Eq. O/F - 1. C. Black; 2. C. Cram; 3. L. Crouser. VPre-Child. Eq. - 1. C. Cram; 2. C. Black; 3. C. Acker. VPre-Adult Eq. O/F - 1. E. Winter; 2. K. Bridgeforth; 3. B. Dieter. VPreAdult Eq. O/F - 1. K. Bridgeforth; 2. E. Winter; 3. L. Leon. VPre-Adult Eq. - 1. K. Bridgeforth; 2. S. Watkins; 3. E. Winter. VS/L/S Eq. O/F - 1. A. Loverso; 2. M. Santaniello; 3. G. Freeman. VS/L/S Eq. O/F - 1. A. Loverso; 2.

M. Thompson; 3. G. Freeman. VS/L/S Eq. - 1.

M. Santaniello; 2. E. Deonanan; 3. G. Freeman.

VPony Jpr. - 1. Blue Me Away, Carolina Country Acres. VPony Jpr. - 1. Blue Me Away.

VPony Jpr. - 1. Blue Me Away. V.80M Jpr. 1. Tie, SRF Miles, M. Ashe & Junior Mint, A. Stepnoski. V.80M Jpr. - 1. SRF Miles; 2.

Junior Mint; 3. Iron Talisman, S. Dockery.

V.90M Jpr. - 1. Wow, C. Wilberding; 2. Junior Mint; 3. SRF Miles. V.90M Jpr. - 1. C. Louis Z; 2. SRF Miles; 3. Iron Talisman. V1.00M Jpr. - 1. Caprio; 2. Contador; 3. Killarney, S. Isgett.

V1.00M Jpr. - 1. Canadian Club; 2. Urian; 3.

Beaugino, M. Ashe. VLow Child./Adult Jpr. - 1. Cloud Nine, C. Gianascoli; 2. Wow. VLow Child./Adult Jpr. - 1. Wow; 2. Cloud Nine.

VLow Child./Adult Jpr. - 1. Wow; 2. Cloud Nine. V1.10M Jpr. - 1. Chacor; 2. Justified, K. Maloney; 3. Canadian Club. V1.10M Jpr. - 1.

Justified. V1.10M Jpr. - 1. Beaugino. V1.10M Jpr. - 1. Vinney Boy, A. Reising. V1.15M Jpr. - 1. Contador. V1.20M Jpr. - 1. Tuya, B. Smith. VChild./Adult Jpr. - 1. Justified; 2.

Chacor; 3. Contador. VChild./Adult Jpr. - 1.

Cora; 2. Contador; 3. Elbo VDL, A. Pollex.

VChild./Adult Jpr. - 1. Cora; 2. Chacor; 3.

Elbo VDL. VLow Jr./A/O Jpr. - 1. Vinney Boy. VNAL/WIHS Child./Adult Jpr. Classic - 1.

Contador; 2. Chacor; 3. Justified. VPre-A/A Htr. - 1. Cypress; 2. Fortune’s Turn; 3. Ricardo.

VOpen Htr. - 1. Cypress; 2. Galavant; 3.

Gallahad. VOpen Htr. - 1. Walk The Line; 2.

Promise; 3. Cellino, S. Styslinger. VOpen Htr. - 1. Caffe; 2. Renaissance Man; 3. Lady Of Quality HU. VOpen Htr. - 1. Rumple Minze; 2.

Forget Me Not; 3. Overcast. VOpen Htr. - 1.

Cosil; 2. Perfektionist; 3. Lyon’s Creek Contador. VOpen Htr. - 1. Cosil; 2.

Perfektionist; 3. Star Street. VOpen Htr. - 1.

Foxmor Wigglesworth; 2. Gimme A Chance.

1.866.643.1010 ClearSpan.com/ADTCH

WE MANUFACTURE t WE INSTALL WE SAVE YOU MONEY BUILDINGS OF 1,000 USES

Fabric Structures Natural Light & Low Cost Per Sq Ft

Hybrid Buildings Benefits of Metal & Fabric Buildings

Foundation Solutions Build Anywhere & Quick Construction

ZERO PERCENT FINANCING AVAILABLE

RESTRICTIONS MAY APPLY

EVENTING

O’Neal’s On Top At Ocala The young professional wins the CCI* with a special young horse.

BY LINDSAY BERRETH PHOTOS BY XPRESS FOTO

64 The Chronicle of the Horse

T

o win a CCI is a huge accomplishment in any rider’s career, and Alexander O’Neal could hardly believe he was sitting atop the leaderboard with DJ at the end of the weekend ahead of 88 other pairs in the CCI* at the Ocala Horse Properties International Three-Day Event, April 13-17 in Ocala, Fla. The win was a nice résumé booster for the young professional and showed he’s on the right track with the 8-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Warrant—Vivian, Voltaire).

“I thought we could have a competitive weekend, and he really showed up at the first jog and was ready to win,” said O’Neal. “I was really lucky to be the one sitting on him. I think anyone would be lucky to ride a horse that nice.”

When O’Neal was searching for his next potential star last year, he was drawn to “Ralph,” who’d been imported by Matt Flynn and had started his career as a show jumper in the Netherlands.

“He has a great heart,” said O’Neal.

“Any time he understands what you’re

He went down centerline, and he was not going to let me steer him out of the top placings.”

– ALEXANDER O’NEAL

OCALA HORSE PROPERTIES INTERNATIONAL THREE-DAY EVENT Ocala, Fla.—Apr. 13-17 CCI** HORSE/RIDER 1. FE Money Made/Clayton Fredericks 2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Under Suspection/Hannah Burnett Sandhills Brillaire/Julie Richards Avoca Druid/Jonathan Holling Jitter Bug/Hannah Burnett Fernhill Wishes/Karl Slezak

DRESSAGE 34.2

CROSS-COUNTRY JUMP/TIME 0/2

SHOW JUMPING JUMP/TIME 0/0

TOTAL 36.2

40.5 45.0 47.7 44.7 50.0

0/0 0/0 0/0 0/0 0/.4

0/0 0/0 0/0 4/0 0/0

40.5 45.0 47.7 48.7 50.4

Also competed: 7. Enough Already/K. Bond, 52.2; 8. Approved Power/B. Davidson, 54.6; 9. Vasiliev/Z. Brandt, 56.9; 10. Impressively Done/A. Simmonds, 58.1; 11. Paddington/E. Thompson, 58.4; 12. South Paw/J. Meyer, 60.3; 13. Fernhill Tiger Con/C. Rollins, 60.4; 14. Devil Munchkin/S. Giesler, 60.7; 15. Hap/T. Loudon-Metze, 63.4; 16.

Flanigan/M. Knott, 64.4; 17. Head For More/J. Clarke, 67.4; 18. Lupistar/J. Holling, 70.1; 19. K.E.C. Zara/Z. Crawford, 71.7; 20. Diablo Tejano/S. Hagaman,74.1; 21. Takine de la Barbais/L. Kieffer, 77.2; 22. Danger Mouse/C. Martin, 83.2; 23. Jak My Style/J. Dutton, 83.6; 24. MMC Paddy Patterson/M. McMaster, 88.8; 25. FE Bowman/C. Fredericks, 94.0; 26. Spectacular Tap/M. Thomas, 95.8; 27. Danehill Sunset/H. Irwin, 148.9.

Withdrawn before show jumping: Dauntless Courage/C. Kolman; Kingsman/B. King. Eliminated on cross-country: Nicos/M. Perry; Ballingowan Zeal/S. Baker. Retired on cross-country: Boris O’Hara/M. Pollard. Technical elimination on cross-country: Ladybug Traveler/E. Rzucidlo. Withdrawn before cross-country: Banbury Sky/S. Elsenaar.

CCI* HORSE/RIDER 1. DJ/Alexander O’Neal 2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Alexander O’Neal picked up the win with DJ in the highly competitive Ocala Horse Properties CCI*.

asking he goes above and beyond. He’s been a real delight. He’s never been a horse that doesn’t want to please.

He’s well behaved and has the talent to back it up. We’ve just been quietly trying to make sure we don’t move him too quickly and rush everything that he’s got going. I think it really paid off this weekend.”

The pair won their last three preliminary starts before coming to Ocala for the gelding’s first one-star.

Gliding Class/Leslie Law FE Crosby/Alexandra Knowles Grando/William Ward Alonzo III/Hannah Burnett Caharron V.E./Lee Camiolo

DRESSAGE 33.4

CROSS-COUNTRY JUMP/TIME 0/0

SHOW JUMPING JUMP/TIME 0/0

TOTAL 33.4

37.8 38.2 40.6 41.1 37.7

0/0 0/0 0/0 0/0 0/0

0/0 0/0 0/0 0/0 4/0

37.8 38.2 40.6 41.1 41.7

Also competed: 7. Ballingowan Pizazz/A. Baugh, 43.5; 8. Chico’s Dream Boy/W. Ward, 43.8; 9. Cool Connection/K. Bellamy, 43.9; 10. Fernhill Mystery/J. Richards, 44.3; 11. Caribbean Soul/M. Foster, 44.9; 12. Dutch Harbor/B. Davidson, 45.6; 13. Johnny Royale/J. Meyer, 45.8; 14. Just Talk’n/A. O’Neal, 46.5; 15. Call It Courage/A. Hays, 46.9; 16. Fernhill Rising/A. Green, 47.3; 17. FE Coconut Kiss/E. Johnston, 47.4; 18. Princeton/L. Jahnke, 47.8; 19. Reginald McDougal/H. Coon, 49.7; 20. Voltaire de Tre/L. Law, 50.6; 21. SBT Good Guy/M. Nolan, 51.0; 22. FE Subiaco/C. Fredericks, 51.6; 23. Miriam/M. Tulley, 52.2; 24. Ultra T/A. Stephens, 52.6; 25. Prince Renan/A. Loschiavo, 52.7; 26. Dassett Choice/R. Brown, 52.9; 27. Fernhill Mr. Cool/C. Richards, 53.2; 28. Could’ve Ben And Jerrys/N. Buckingham, 53.3; 29. Prince Of Kiltealy/M. Mercier, 54.5; 30. Indie/S. Pierpont, 55.4; 31. Severance Pay/L. Lanier, 55.7; 32. Dr. Sheldon Cooper/J. Phoenix, 55.9; 33. Cooley Castle/C. Wallskog, 55.9; 34. Sir Patico MH/C. Dorr, 56.3; 35. Resolute Protector/H. Curry, 57.8; 36. Fashion Forward/J. Meyer, 58.0; 37. Flagmounts Celtic Rose/C. Snyder, 58.5; 38. Exquisite/H. Bundy, 58.9; 39. Fernhill Hustler/L. Lanier, 60.4; 40. Lisseycasey Couger/J. Dutton, 61.2; 41. Brave New World/S. Fulton, 61.3; 42.

Flash Of Brilliance/H. Jacks, 61.4; 43. FE Party Munchkin/S. Giesler, 61.6; 44. Harthill Diamond/L. Grant-Law, 61.9; 45. Jos UFO de Quidam/H. Morris, 63.4; 46. Fernhill Spring Lightly/E. Rold, 63.4; 47. Town Victory/I. Holden, 63.6; 48. B L’s Metropolitan/L. Elwell, 64.9; 49. Take It To The Max/E. Keller, 65.1; 50. Evening Melody/B. Aickelin, 65.5; 51. Aces Baby/R. Walker, 66.6; 52. Grey Prince/M. Johansen, 66.7; 53. Harbour The Truth/N. Knight, 67.9; 54. Baron B/M. Clark, 68.0; 55. J’espere/A. Maruyama, 68.6; 56. Free And Easy/S. Ayres, 69.0; 57. Peddler’s Dream/B. MacLeod, 70.9; 58.

Maserati One/J. Phoenix, 75.0; 59. Dignitarian/A. Pierce, 78.5; 60. Esquire/M. Lundberg, 80.0; 61. Uderzo/A. Grimard, 80.4; 52. Calysta MWF/J. Shull, 80.5; 63. England Calling/E. Strote, 80.8; 64. Fernhill Lochain Guy/A. Lyle, 80.9; 65. Princess Sophia/A. Morrison, 81.8; 66. Bounce Pass/S. Fulton, 82.5; 67. Ollie Olly Oksen-freh/J. Burk, 86.2; 68. Versailles/M. Lundberg, 88.1; 69. Picture Perfect/C. Martin, 88.7; 70. Bay Breeze/H. Corlett, 91.4; 71. Mina/N. Cole, 104.8; 72.

Weepecket/F. Lee, 127.00; 73. Courtly Miss/K. Hagerty, 146.8.

Eliminated in show jumping: Uncle Ralph/R. Walker. Withdrawn before show jumping: Escariz du Rona/B. Davidson; Mr. Popps/R. Barber. Eliminated on cross-country: No More Rocks/A. Stephens; Riviera/B. Davidson; Don’t Be Alarmed/H. Ross; Simply Divine/C. Paulhac. Retired on cross-country: Signature Moves/L. Hawley. Rider fall on crosscountry: Roza CMF/K. Burgess; Yoscha Bosche/A. Green; Pierre/L. Camiolo; Reba’s Song/A. Conley. Withdrawn before cross-country: Future Empire/A. Walsh; FE Caison/C. Fredericks; Oscar The Grouch/C. Payne. Eliminated in dressage: Balmoral Mighty Legend/C. Green.

May 2 & 9, 2016 chronofhorse.com 65

EVENTING FE Money Made Cashes In

C

Clayton Fredericks and FE Money Made layton Fredericks’ goal for the led the Ocala Horse Properties CCI** season with FE Money Made from start to finish. was the CCI** at the Ocala Horse Properties International Three-Day, so he was happy to take home the win, leading the division from start to finish.

“Connor,” a 7-year-old Westphalian gelding (Conteur—Arcadia, Ars Vivendi) owned by Fredericks, Amanda Bernhard and Diana Crawford, is new to the level this year, but he jumped around easily.

“It was a tough enough track, but he was great. He jumped everything fantastic,” said Fredericks, Ocala, Fla. “He’s quite a deceptive horse. He’s got a massive stride on him, and he actually covers the ground on crosscountry. Because he was a bit greener, I set out a bit steadier to get in a good rhythm before I started opening him up, and he just missed out on the time, but he was great.”

Fredericks, 48, keeps busy coaching the Canadian team, so he’ll ease off competing between now and the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in August.

“It was nice to finish on a high note,” he said.

While he imports and sells a lot of horses, he’d like to keep Connor and his other two-star ride, FE Bowman, until they get to the three-star level to see if they might become his next top horses.

“As a producer of sale horses and event horses, it’s nice to have some quality horses that can be a little bit your shop window,” Fredericks said. “It’s nice to be able to get a few up the grades and compete at the higher levels.”

66 The Chronicle of the Horse

An impressive 33.4 in dressage put them in the lead, and they never relinquished it. “He went down centerline, and he was not going to let me steer him out of the top placings. He was a really good boy,” said O’Neal.

O’Neal put his foot down over Jay Hambly’s cross-country course and easily cruised home inside the time.

“I went out of the box quickly, probably a little too quickly, but I wanted to make sure he understood what the game plan was,” O’Neal said.

“He responded beautifully. Halfway around he settled down, and I had a canter home. He almost needed [the bigger jumps] to pay attention.”

The gelding has been a bit difficult to ride on cross-country because he’s sensitive. “If you try to whip around the turns and go fast, he doesn’t always listen,” said O’Neal. “He thinks he knows better, and he’s quite brave. I’ve always had to manage him since I’ve been riding him. For the first time, I could go out and ride fast and turn, and he was really listening.”

O’Neal hopes Ralph will be his next advanced horse and wants to move him up to intermediate this summer.

“I think he’s got all the potential,” he said. “He’s the best horse I’ve ever had.

Not only in athletic ability, but also in his mind. He’s a champion. He wants to go in there and win.

“He’s my buddy,” he added. “I have a really good relationship with him. I’ve probably never had quite as much of a friendship as I do with this horse. I think it makes a huge difference when you put that little bit of pressure on in those moments, because he tries so hard.”

Building A Brand O’Neal, 24, grew up in Wayne, Ill., just down the road from the Lamplight Equestrian Center. His parents, Dan and Stephanie, competed in polo and hunter/jumper, respectively, so he was bound to have a love of horses.

Alex earned his colors with the Wayne-DuPage Hunt and did a little bit of everything until he was inspired to try eventing after attending the Maui Jim Horse Trials (Ill.).

He competed to the CIC* level on his first event horse, Mongoose

hardworking leather deserves

a little therapy.

Keep your tack, boots, and other leather her looking new for years to come with Leather Therapy®, an innovative system em of premium leather care products.

leather to condition and protect from the inside out, without leaving a residue. Softens and maintains leather, ideal for restoring older, dry leather.

D E E P D OWN CL E AN

The system includes Leather Therapyy® Wash, which cleans from the inside out, lifting dirt and grime from leather’s r’s inner fibers to prevent deterioration and cracking.

I N H I B I TS M O L D A N D M I L D E W

Before

R E STOR E S L E AT H E R ’ S B E AU T Y

Leather Therapy® Restorer & Conditioner’s oner’s pH-neutral formula absorbs deeply into nto

After

Regular maintenance with Restorer will inhibit mold and mildew from returning.

Plus, look for our patented Leather Laundry products and our Saddle Pad & Blanket products for waterproof and technical fabrics.

absorbine.com

The Horse World’s Most Trusted Name®

May 2 & 9, 2016 chronofhorse.com 67

EVENTING

From Day 1, he was always mature beyond his years and had a very special way with the horses.”

Tavi, under the tutelage of Cathy Jones Forsberg.

Then he decided to take a gap year after high school to immerse himself in eventing.

He soon learned there was more to the industry than teaching lessons.

“I saw you could do the sales and maybe be one of the top riders someday that could have a string of horses,” he said.

“When I learned about that, that kind of became the dream. After I figured out that was something that was doable—not easy, but certainly doable with hard work—then I was totally turned on to it and never thought about doing anything else.”

Alex took a job working for Jonathan Holling in Ocala for 18 months and learned the ins and outs of the business, as well as how to bring up young horses.

“He’s an amazing horseman and rider,” Alex said. “I learned a ton in that short period of time. He’s one of my best friends and will be the best man in my wedding. He was hugely influential. It was a huge opportunity. I didn’t know it at the time, but looking back, it was kind of what I owe the whole start of everything to. He was a great mentor to me and a great horseman.”

Holling first met Alex when he was coaching the Area IV Young Riders team and was impressed enough to offer him a job.

“I can’t remember Alex ever being late; I can’t remember Alex ever complaining or not wanting to do something,” Holling said. “He’s one of those guys, if it’s 5 in the afternoon, and we’re done feeding, and I say, ‘Oh man, we have to put in an extra hour and a half today because we’ve got to get this or that done,’ there wasn’t ever a question of, ‘Gosh, will Alex do this?’ He was always the guy to get that done and probably the guy to remind me if we had extra stuff to do.

“From Day 1, he was always mature beyond his years and had a very special way with the horses,” Holling continued. “They all just responded to him really well. He was a great asset to have on the farm. We became very good 68 The Chronicle of the Horse

—JONATHAN HOLLING

friends when he worked here, and I couldn’t be happier for him that he had such a good weekend.”

After working for Holling, Alex rode and competed horses for Denise Rath in Florida. There he got more experience at the upper levels and more time in the show ring.

“That was another big step,” he said.

“I’d ridden a lot of horses, but I hadn’t been in the ring a ton. It was a ton of show experience. Denise was a huge contributor to me being able to get on horses and get [attuned] really quickly.

It was a lot of different horses, some really nice horses that we brought up and sold, and some horses that were tricky that we had to work through, so it was just a great experience. She gave me a ton of opportunities and allowed me to ride around some intermediate and advanced.”

After two years with Rath, Alex went to work for Clayton Fredericks in Ocala riding his imported purposebred sales horses.

“He’s definitely got a ton of experience at the international level, so that kind of polished up some of the experience I had,” Alex said. “I wasn’t always going to the shows and riding really top horses and riding at the top level, but with him, I was riding horses that were very, very quality, and you can’t really sell them unless you look the part yourself, so that was a really interesting experience, especially after working with some other people. He’s got a little bit of a different take, especially coming from Europe, on how the horses should be produced. That was very different for me, and it kind of opened my eyes to some new things, and now I do kind of a hybrid for all my horses between all the people I’ve worked for, and it works really well.”

“I needed someone who was able to not just ride, but also compete the young horses because I was busy training the Canadians,” said Fredericks, who won the CCI** at Ocala with FE Money Made (see sidebar). “Alex has always been a very kind rider, and I hope he feels like I’ve maybe just added a little bit of polish to his riding to really make him competitive. He always had a great feel for a horse.”

What’s In A Name?

A

lexander O’Neal’s CCI* winner received the name DJ at birth, but after Matt Flynn imported the gelding, he changed his name to Get Real.

O’Neal campaigned him through preliminary with that name, but due to new Fédération Equestre Internationale naming guidelines, he reverted to DJ when he registered the horse for his FEI passport. O’Neal would’ve had to pay $1,000 to change it and decided it was easier to keep the name DJ. “I think it surprised a lot of people that he did so well because not everybody knew who he was,” said O’Neal. “The Get Real name had done really well, and then that horse dropped off the face of the planet. That was a little confusing!”

At home, DJ’s barn name is “Ralph.”

“When we got him, he was a real wild horse, and he was funny in the stall,” said O’Neal. “He was really sensitive about people petting him and new people, and he’d rip apart his stall and pull stuff in from the barn aisle. For a while, I’d call him Wreck It Ralph, but he couldn’t help it. He’s such a funny, playful horse. He always needs something to entertain him, and if you don’t give it to him, he’ll find it.”

Ocala Horse Properties International Three-Day Event Ocala, FL—Apr. 13-17.

V Adv. C.T. - 1. Doesn’t Play Fair, M. Black, 39.8; 2.

Copper Beech, B. Davidson Jr., 40.2; 3. Harbour Pilot, H. Burnett, 41.5. V Open Int. - 1. RF Eloquence, E. MacPhail, 27.5; 2. Celtic Rhythm, W. Hoos, 30.1; 3.

RF Demeter, M. Little, 31.3. V Open Prel. – 1. RF Overdressed, M. Little, 18.9; 2. Master King II, L. Breakey, 26.1; 3. Direct Puissance, J. Holling, 28.5.

V Prel. Horse – 1. Cash Performer, S. Thomas, 35.3; 2. Disco Traveler, E. Rzucidlo, 62.2; 3. Jay Of Diamonds, J. Meyer, 62.3. V Prel. Rider – 1. What Law, P. Miller, 32.0; 2. Big Time, J. Bobel, 34.0; 3.

Lady Hannah B, C. Ardakani, 34.6. V Open Trg. – 1. Fernhill Swatch, A. Loschiavo, 26.8; 2. Rheanna Royale, S. Thomas, 29.3; 3. Grand Optimist, G. Lehari, 31.6. V Trg. Horse, Div. 1 – 1. Victor B Z, B. Davidson Jr., 24.6; 2. Luna, J. Brannigan, 26.1; 3.

Robinstown Ballivor, L. Lund, 28.6. V Trg. Horse, Div. 2 – 1. Cougar Bay, H. Burnett, 26.2; 2. Mr. Darby Jones, K. Slezak, 28.0; 3. Cashmere Z, G. Ruane, 30.2. V Trg. Horse, Div. 3 – 1. Grand Scale, E. MacPhail, 24.6; 2. Holy Moses, B. Davidson Sr., 24.6; 3. Mossport, E. MacDonald, 24.6. V Trg. Rider, Div. 1 – 1. Fernhill Disco, B. Murray, 23.6; 2. Mr. Bojangles, L. Saxe, 24.6; 3. Lusitana, K. Paysinger, 25.7. V Trg. Rider, Div. 2 – 1. Byrnwyck West, T. Corey, 30.4; 2. Company Spending, C. Schaff, 36.1; 3. The Chief, S. Tomas, 36.9. V Nov. Horse, Div. 1 – 1. SBT Clover Road, R. Walker, 26.3; 2.

Remington, M. Miller-Slusser, 28.3; 3. Moon On The River, C. Barbour, 31.0. V Nov. Horse, Div. 2 – 1.

Rock Ambassador, M. Nolan, 26.5; 2. Brightside, M. Kulak, 26.8; 3. Fernhill Catalina, J. Richards, 29.3. V Nov. Rider, Div. 1 – 1. Lancaster, C. Miller, 27.5; 2. Northwind’s Breeze, A. Rosen, 34.5; 3. Kahlua’s High Command, A. Faison, 35.8. V Nov. Rider, Div. 2 – 1. Fernhill Kilkenny, A. Cooper, 21.8; 2. Sir Earl Grey, A. Kerr, 26.3; 3. M&M McFlurry, G. Smith, 27.0.

V Open Nov. – 1. Vanya GS, J. Phoenix, 20.8; 2.

Watson GS, J. Phoenix, 23.0; 3. Wine With Everything, K. Lehari, 26.5. V 4-Yr.-Old YEH – 1. Moonshine, J. Brannigan, 83.5; 2. Harvest Moon, M. Nolan, 78.4; 3. Northern Trust, K. Ruppel, 77.4. V 5-Yr.-Old YEH – 1. Geluk HVF, B. & M. Hutchins, 78.9; 2. D.A Got Game, D. Adams, 78.1; 3. Carlingford Wells, S. Baker, 78.1. V 1-Yr.-Old FEH – 1. Top-Notch Golden Charm, N. Pacheco, 75.2; 2. DBE Flight Risk, S. McCord, 73.4; 3. Brooks Bourbon Wizard, S. Brooks, 71.2. V 2-Yr.-Old FEH – 1. Lucena’s Grace On Ice, N. Pacheco, 76.0. V 3-Yr.-Old FEH – 1. Fabled Cross, W. Hoos, 78.1; 2. HSH Qredible, A. Hays, 74.1; 3. Silver Screen, C. Sawtell, 72.9.

7U

1 RZ $ YD

LOD

EO H DW

*U DF se WR Li co U 6 m u XS it po S 3 n O\ pe co r c de &R us S P to TA SD m N Q er D \ . O LE ffe E 6P r E on D x p Sm U W ire a 3D s r tP N 5/ a F 31 k.c RP /1 om 6. .

Last fall, Alex struck out on his own with his fiancée Elinor MacPhail.

They’re based in Ocala for most of the year, but they also spend time at her family farm, Redtail Ridge, in Ohio.

Alex teaches, rides sales horses, and is currently looking for another up-andcoming horse to add to his barn.

“I’ve always bought and sold a lot of horses, and now I’m kind of thinking that I’d like to get a couple more to back this one up,” he said.

“Especially the way he’s turned out.

It’s been a lot of fun producing him from a really green, quirky horse into something that can go to an event and do all three phases.”

TREAT YOUR HORSE RIGHT ¶/RZ 6XJDU /RZ 6WDUFK· $OO 1DWXUDO )RUDJH %DVHG 7UHDWV 5HVHDODEOH %DJV IRU )UHVKQHVV +RUVHV /RYH WKH 7DVWH

DISCOVER THE DIFFERENCE FOR YOUR

Proud sponsor of:

HORSE OR FIND A STANDLEE DEALER AT

WWW.STANDLEEFORAGE.COM CCA1

SAVE $1.0O

off ANY Size Apple Berry Cookie Cubes

CONSUMER: Offer valid until 5-31-16. Present this coupon at an authorized Standlee® Retailer. Good for $1 OFF ANY (1) bag of Apple/Berry Cookie Cubes® from Standlee Premium Western Forage®. Coupon must be accompanied by required purchase. Consumer must pay sales tax. One coupon per transaction, per household. Coupon may not be copied or transferred. Reproduction of this coupon is expressly prohibited and constitutes fraud. Limited time offer. Good while supplies last. Offer valid only at participating retailers. Printed coupon not redeemable on SmartPak.com. Use coupon code STANDLEE on SmartPak.com.

Limit 3 per customer.

MANUFACTURER’S COUPON | EXPIRES 5/31/16

RETAILER: Standlee Hay Company, Inc. will reimburse you $1.00 plus 8 cents handling if submitted in compliance with our coupon redemption policy.

Redemption policy available upon request. Send coupon to: Standlee Hay Company, Inc. P.O. Box 880149, El Paso, TX 88588-0149

May 2 & 9, 2016 chronofhorse.com 69

EVENTING

Jordán Linstedt and Revitavet Capato overcame colic surgery in 2015 to return to form and win the Twin Rivers CIC***.

Twin Rivers CIC*** Win Keeps Linstedt On The Road To Rolex She aims for three solid phases with Revitavet Capato, and he delivers.

BY LISA SLADE PHOTOS BY CAPTURED MOMENT PHOTOGRAPHY

J

ordán Linstedt might have sent in her entry to the Rolex Kentucky CCI**** with Revitavet Capato. But until she won the Twin Rivers CIC***, April 14-17 in Paso Robles, Calif., she wasn’t sure she’d make the trip.

At the Galway Downs CIC*** (Calif.) in early April, the pair picked up a stop on cross-country and had five rails in show jumping.

“I felt like at Galway we never got in 70 The Chronicle of the Horse

sync, and my head was a little foggy,” Linstedt said. “We needed the run we had at Twin Rivers to solidify the fact that he’s ready to go. I’m glad I decided to run him there, even though it’s a little scary being two weeks before Rolex.

I went in like, ‘If he doesn’t feel 110 percent, that’s fine. We’ll just go home.’ ” But after their win, with a score of 56.3 over Amber Levine on Carry On, Linstedt solidified her travel plans to Kentucky. This was the second

Rolex start for the pair—they placed 35th last year with one stop on crosscountry—and the third for Linstedt.

“Last year it felt better because I’d been there once before, and being that I wasn’t completely committed to going this year, it’s kind of had this feeling of just another horse show,” she said. “Usually there’s this big hype around it, but because I wasn’t really even sure I’d be going, that part didn’t hit me.”

A Rebuilding Season As of last August, Linstedt didn’t even have Rolex on her radar. She fell off “Capato” on cross-country in the Rebecca Farm CCI*** (Mont.) in July after winning the dressage, just four fences from home. Then, a little more than a week after they returned home to Redmond, Wash., the gelding colicked and required surgery.

“I’d never had one go through that,” she said. “I had a couple of vets say, ‘There’s no reason not to aim for Rolex next spring,’ but that seemed like a long shot. I feel like he came back so fast though. They said after 90 days the incision is healed, and then you’re just building the strength and fitness back. He was so fit when he went into surgery that it helped tremendously.”

Capato, a 13-year-old Hanoverian (Contendro—Annabelle, Amoroso), was doing flatwork by December, and he won his first event back, at intermediate at Copper Meadows (Calif.) in February.

“You never want to have something like that to cause it, but it was also kind of nice to start back over with him,” said Linstedt, 28. “You start back at the walk. It helped me with him now, and I maybe filled in some of the holes that were there.”

For their dressage test at Twin Rivers, Linstedt kept her foot on the brake pedal, partially as a preparation in case they did contest Rolex.

“At Galway I realized I needed to change some things about the way he was going to produce what I needed in the test,” she said. “He felt great at Twin; from Wednesday and Thursday on we got in a great groove, and he felt like he wanted to go in the ring and give it all he had. What I really struggle with is the spook and keeping that under control, and that was great there. I know there’s so much more in there, but I was still happy.”

Since Linstedt admitted show jumping has often been Capato’s weakest spot, she was thrilled to leave all the rails in the cups.

“When I started to hear rails come down at Galway, I started changing things instead of sticking to my plan,”

TWIN RIVERS SPRING THREE-DAY EVENT & HORSE TRIALS Paso Robles, Calif.—Apr. 14-17 CIC*** HORSE/RIDER 1. Revitavet Capato/Jordán Linstedt

DRESSAGE 51.1

CROSS-COUNTRY JUMP/TIME 0/5.2

SHOW JUMPING JUMP/TIME 0/0

TOTAL 56.3 63.4

2. Carry On/Amber Levine

50.2

0/5.2

8/0

3. Gleaming Road/Anna Collier

62.4

0/11.2

4/0

77.6

4. Athlone Travel On/Erin Murphy

71.5

0/17.2

4/0

92.7

5. TF Kreisler/Sara Sellmer

66.6

20/13.6

4/0

104.2

Eliminated on cross-country: C.S.I./C. Smyth.

Show jumping was held before cross-country.

CCI** HORSE/RIDER 1. Corazon/Kelly Pugh 2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Gin & Juice/Sara Mittleider True Distraction/Jamie Lawrence Contalli Di Revel/Gina Miles Aid And Abet/Sabrina Glaser Eye Of The Storm/Kim Liddell

DRESSAGE 57.0

CROSS-COUNTRY JUMP/TIME 0/0

SHOW JUMPING JUMP/TIME 0/0

TOTAL 57.0

52.2 65.8 59.5 65.0 64.2

0/3.2 0/0 0/0 0/7.2 0/0

4/2 0/0 8/0 12/3 24/0

61.4 65.8 67.5 87.2 88.2

Technical elimination on cross-country: Hot Wheels/S. Click. Withdrawn before cross-country: Chatwin/F. Stutes.

CCI* HORSE/RIDER 1. Ping Pong/Julie Flettner 2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

RevitaVet Elijah/James Alliston Diego/Lauren LoPiccolo Rodrigue Du Granit/Ruth Bley NZB The Chosen One/Kelsey Holmes J Figo/Attila Rajnai

DRESSAGE 44.1

CROSS-COUNTRY JUMP/TIME 0/0

SHOW JUMPING JUMP/TIME 0/2

TOTAL 46.1

49.9 51.0 58.3 50.5 62.7

0/0 0/0 0/0 0/0 0/0

0/0 4/1 0/0 4/7 0/0

49.9 56.0 58.3 61.5 62.7

Also competed: 7. Vinetta M/M. Nielsen, 63.5; 8. Dassett Theme BCF/C. Marinovich, 64.6; 9. Carrot Cake/C. Poch, 67.4; 10. Light In The Dark/C. Cejka, 68.2; 11. Mojo/S. Tice, 70.4; 12. Elfenwind/M. Moore, 71.2; 13. Next Dance/S. Clark, 73.3; 14. High Decorum/J. Boyer, 74.8; 15. S.V.R. Ron/C. Poch, 75.6; 16. Grace O’Malley/T. Holmes-Smith, 76.4; 17. De La Renta/H. Click, 86.4; 18. MoonLight Crush/R. Leavitt, 88.3; 19. Cassiopeia/K. Hall, 97.4; 20.

Lazydaznmiracleways/V. Klein, 103.9; 21. Maxwell Smart/C. Payne, 104.5; 22. Sammy Equus/A. Brady, 123.3; 23. No Malarky/K. Frankenberger, 124.3.

Eliminated in show jumping: Heart Of Gold SE/K. Holmes. Withdrawn before show jumping: MMS Amadeus/D. Todd.

ADVANCED HORSE/RIDER 1. Parker/James Alliston 2. Charlie Tango/Heather Morris 3. Airlington/Emily Pestl-Dimmitt 4. Calidore/Gina Economou

DRESSAGE 39.0 25.0 29.6 44.1

CROSS-COUNTRY JUMP/TIME 0/4 0/23.2 0/26.4 20/25.6

SHOW JUMPING JUMP/TIME 4/0 0/0 8/0 4/0

TOTAL 47.0 48.2 64.0 93.7

Eliminated on cross-country: Loughnatousa Caislean/B. Moran. Mandatory retirement on cross-country: Morning Star/A. Meuchel.

Show jumping was held before cross-country.

she said. “He’s so big and has such a huge stride that it can interfere with his carefulness. He’s not the most careful horse anyway; the athleticism is so easy for him that sometimes he forgets to give me as much as he can. I was feeling a little discouraged after Galway, so for him to go in the ring and really jump well was exactly what I needed. He tried to be careful, and I feel like I was riding better too.

I managed his stride and set him up better.”

Then Capato cruised around the cross-country to add 5.2 time penalties.

“I felt like he was attacking the fences and quite bold and forward and listening and balanced,” she said. “He feels so adjustable to me now, especially with how big his stride is.”

May 2 & 9, 2016 chronofhorse.com 71

EVENTING

I didn’t have a single person come and try him.”

All three phases combined punched Capato’s ticket to Kentucky, and Linstedt met up with Mackenna Shea to drive east for the event.

“I really needed a confident run on all three phases, and I got that,” she said. “He felt so good. I feel like he’s ready.”

Everything Happens For A Reason At the end of 2014, James Alliston offered his veteran four-star partner Parker for sale.

“There were no takers,” he said with a laugh. “I didn’t have a single person come and try him.”

But Alliston, who competes for Great Britain but is based in Castro Valley, Calif., admitted he’s grateful for the way things worked out.

James Alliston and his veteran four-star partner Parker cruised around the Twin Rivers advanced to win their last outing before the Rolex Kentucky CCI****.

72 The Chronicle of the Horse

—JAMES ALLISTON

When he put Parker on the market, he had advanced horse Tivoli in the barn. But last year he realized Tivoli didn’t want to be his fourstar horse, and the gelding is now running intermediate with Alliston’s girlfriend, Helen Bouscaren.

“Things happen for a reason,” said Alliston, 31. “Ideally, I’d have some horses more capable of winning at the top level, but Parker’s been awesome over the years. He’s not going anywhere now. He’ll retire with me.”

At Twin Rivers, Parker topped the advanced (47.0) as his last run before the Rolex Kentucky CCI****. He picked up just 4 time faults on cross-

country over a track that caused upwards of 20 for the other pairs entered.

“His record is phenomenal over the years,” said Alliston.

This year’s Rolex Kentucky marks the gelding’s sixth start in the four-star.

“He’s my only advanced horse now, so it’s just me doing him more justice and getting up to speed with the advanced height and speed. It’s me really just getting myself ready.”

While the jumping phases are Parker’s favorite—he had one rail in show jumping at Twin Rivers—his dressage is a continued work in progress. It’s been on an upward swing lately, with the 14-year-old Thoroughbred gelding (Marquetry— Hello Mom, Caveat) scoring a career best Fédération Equestre Internationale score of 50.9 at the

Rebecca Farm CCI*** last summer and then a 30.9 in the intermediate horse trials at Galway in early April.

“At home the dressage has been pretty good,” he said. “It’s a little unpredictable on the flat with him.

I think he has sort of done a lot, and he raced a lot, and he has some back issues, and that makes it harder. If you really drill him on the flat, that sort of makes him sore and doesn’t help anything. He knows how to do the movements now. He’s not a big mover, and he’s built a little downhill, but when he’s relaxed I can show him in a way where he looks more uphill.

“He’s a really good boy,” Alliston continued. “When he goes well, he’s really obedient and trainable. If he’s relaxed on the day, I can ride him forward and show what he can do.”

let’s get to know each other more,’ and now we’re back at it.”

Pugh and Toddy, a 9-year-old Dutch Warmblood (Valliant—Ohio, L.A.), were back to winning at the Twin Rivers CCI**, finishing on their dressage score of 57.0. Pugh was especially pleased with their clear and quick trip around Derek di Grazia’s cross-country track.

“I wasn’t expecting him to make time that easily,” she said. “It was great. The footing was fantastic, the course was fantastic, and it was just lovely. I was able to ask him to go for time, and there were no questions I felt like he didn’t answer.”

Pugh said Toddy enjoys an audience.

“He goes in, and he lights

Extraordinary Supplements.

Extraordinary Results.

Support Found Nowhere Else.

A Match Made In England When Kelly Pugh went to England to try horses last year, she wasn’t sure how she would know when she found the right one. She was looking for a horse to bring up the levels with the help of owners David and Candace Garrett.

“Being a trainer’s daughter, you’re always just handed horses to ride. I’m always told, ‘You will like him,’ ” joked Pugh, who’s the daughter of Dayna Lynd-Pugh and is based out of her family’s Flying Tail Farms in Gilroy, Calif.

But when Pugh first sat on Corazon, he erased all questions from her mind.

“That feeling people talk about, I got that,” she said. “I didn’t want to get off of him.”

Corazon—nicknamed “Toddy” after top New Zealand eventer Mark Todd—had competed through intermediate with Lucy Jackson. Once imported, he and Pugh made fast friends. They won the Rebecca Farm CCI* last July, and then they won the intermediate at Copper Meadows in September and the Woodside CIC** (Calif.) in October. But then they retired on course at the Galway CCI** in November after a few stops.

“There was a bit of a learning curve,” said Pugh. “We hit the ground running, and then we were like, ‘OK,

Effective Targeted Supplements Promote a healthy inflammatory response while improving health and soundness.

Research and Clinical Experience 20 years of veterinary equine experience, combined with published clinical studies and continued research.

It’s what helps us to help you better.

Superior Support Personalized consultations available and free articles online including the secondvet.com equine veterinary forum.

1-800-476-4702 www.curost.com

May 2 & 9, 2016 chronofhorse.com 73

European Styled

EVENTING

HORSE STALLS

The highest quality stall at an affordable cost allowing horse owners to enjoy the finest equipment available.

Call for INVENTORY REDUCTION SALE PRICING

OVER 200 FRONTS 6 STYLES Discounts up to 55% off!

saratogastalls.com 612-270-6380 74 The Chronicle of the Horse

up,” said Pugh, 26. “In warm-up he’s always a little mediocre, and you get nervous, but once he hears the people clapping he thinks it’s for him, and he likes that. I always try to trot in while there’s still some clapping. He tries his heart out.”

Pugh will aim Toddy for the Rebecca Farm CCI** this summer, and she anticipates she’ll keep the gelding at the two-star level for the rest of the year.

“We’ll see how that goes.” she said.

“I wouldn’t mind maybe going back and doing the [Dutta Corp.] Fair Hill CCI** [Md.]. If all the stars align, you never know, it might be time to move him up. I’m in no hurry with him

Kelly Pugh and Corazon have become a formidable team, most recently winning the Twin Rivers CCI**.

though. He’s still young, and he has loads of talent.”

When he’s not competing, Toddy spends most of his time in his stall spread flat out.

“He’s such a character,” said Pugh. “He sleeps all day. You have to literally wake him up to work.

“I pinch myself every time I get to ride him,” she added. “Every day I get to the barn, I’m so excited to ride him. He’s ruined me for other horses now, and I’m trying to find ones with really good minds—ones that love to do it.”

Twin Rivers Spring ThreeDay Event & Horse Trials Paso Robles, CA—Apr. 14-17.

VOpen Int. - 1. Great Bourton, R. Braitling, 29.1; 2. The Green Machine, A. Collier, 29.8; 3. Code Of Conduct, D. Acord, 30.6. VJr./Y.R. Prel. - 1.

RedRox Jazzman, D. Vaden, 27.1; 2. Cooley On The Rocks, M. Mazzola, 35.9; 3. Henry, S. Johnson, 37.2. VOpen Prel. - 1. Regenmann, J. Hargrave, 22.6; 2. Sunsprite Madeira, J. Alliston, 27.0; 3. Darkside, B. Carpenter, 27.6. VPrel.

Rider - 1. Learning To Fly, T. Hooks, 29.1; 2.

CTR Stony Creek, L. Henry, 37.0; 3. Chet The Jet, A. Witherspoon, 37.4. VJr. Trg. Rider - 1. King George, M. Floyd, 31.7; 2. Sunsprite’s Cali, A. Cricelli, 32.2; 3. Under Wraps, C. Babbitt, 34.3.

VOpen Trg. - 1. Zathalida SE, A. Helffrich, 24.5; 2. Glad Tidings AF, A. Helffrich, 25.2; 3. Callisto, A. Levine, 28.1. VSr. Trg. Am. - 1. Thorin Son Of Thrane, S. Bundgard, 40.2; 2. Fire And Rain, M. Miller, 40.4; 3. Kir Royale, S. Phillips, 41.9. VSr. Trg. Rider, Div. 1 - 1. Simply SM, J. Melmon, 31.2; 2. Castlefarm Snooze Cruise, H. Read, 31.6; 3. Ben Cruise, E. Holland, 36.0. VSr. Trg. Rider, Div. 2 - 1. Edenderry, H. Hoffmann, 29.7; 2. Desert Pearl, T. Alves, 33.6; 3. Isengart, M. Walley, 37.3. VTrg. Horse - 1. Tomlong Rubia, S. Click, 26.4; 2. Coolattin, J. Wentworth, 27.1; 3. KF Escuda, J. Wentworth, 31.0. VJr. Nov. Rider, Div. 1 - 1. Marley, H. Paolucci, 33.7; 2.

Cherry Cherry, E. Holberton, 35.4; 3. Rocket Fizz, S. Brown, 36.7 VJr. Nov. Rider, Div. 2 - 1.

Leroy, M. Floyd, 26.5; 2. Utah B, S. Ertl, 28.5; 2. Ivy & Roses, E. Furtado, 31.2. VNov. Horse - 1. Wesley, D. Adamo, 24.8; 2. RHF Tango, A. Rajnai, 25.2; 3. Seattle Freckles, R. Mortensen, 25.2; 3. Seattle Freckles, R. Mortensen, 25.9.

VOpen Nov. - 1. Clementine, A. Levine, 24.4; 2. Woodford Reserve, E. Kellerhouse, 27.2; 3.

Staccato, J. Linstedt, 31.5. VSr. Nov. Am. - 1.

Magical Instinct, S. Stocks, 29.8; 2. Valdess Des Loges, V. Klein, 32.0; 3. Gaelic Gold, C. Treseler, 32.8. VSr. Nov. Rider - 1. Half Moon Bay, K. Lyman, 31.9; 2. In The Know, P. Martorana, 34.4; 3. Tully Mac’s Happy Cinders, N. Holownia, 35.4. VJr. Beg. Nov. Rider - 1. Concer, O. Harmon, 24.2; 2. Fun Fun Fun, A. Yeater, 30.0; 3. Maradona, K. Papahadjopoulos, 35.1. VOpen Beg. Nov. - 1. Good Day Gali, E. Mehner, 30.8; 2. Hypnotik, M. Grandia, 32.4; 3. Limitless, H. Abbett, 32.6. VSr. Beg. Nov. Rider - 1. Apple Jax, J. Monson, 36.8; 2. Optimist II, S. Wilcox, 37.6; 3. Beau Soleil, M. Beachler, 37.8. VYEH 4-Yr.-Old - 1. Envy Me Rr, G. Miles, 78.8; 2. Ahead Of The Game, G. Miles, 77.46; 3. Tropic Delight, C. Dein, 77.2. VYEH 5-Yr.-Old - 1. Woodford Reserve, E. Kellerhouse, 81.6; 2. Stoneman DF, J. McFall, 81.2; 3. Le’s Go DF, E. McFall, 80.2.

VCCI* Team - 1. #Couldntpickaname (Ping Pong, J. Flettner, Diego, L. LoPiccolo, Dassett Theme BCF, C. Marinovich, MMS Amadeus, D. Todd), 166.7; 2. High Four (Rodrigue Du Granit, R. Bley, Vinetta M, M. Nielsen, High Decorum, J. Boyer, Lazydaznmiracleways, V. Klein), 196.6; 3. Blingiton (Carrot Cake, C. Poch, Mojo, S. Tice, Elfenwind, M. Moore, Next Dance, S. Clark), 209.0 VPrel. Team - 1. ATC Fly First Class (Learning To Fly, Lady Zeyva, J. Boyer, Leap Of Faith XI, N. Lloyd, Kleary’s Foolish Heart, D. Robbins), 124.1; 2. ATC Area VII (Chet The Jet, Dominic Q, A. Loucks, Semper Fidelis, G. Mittleider, Santarae, L. Leslie), 133.9; 3. ATC The Fantastic Four (Valier, A. Hillas, Syntax, L. Rath, Moonlights Ranger, K. Bristing, Comet’s Flight, K. Schalck), 184.4. VTrg. Team - 1. ATC Key To Eden (Edenderry, Solo Key,

R. Bley, Clintwald, S. Buxton, Charm Offensive, J. Tussing), 116.6; 2. ATC Pepperwood (Simply SM, First Field, K. Terris, Atlantic Roar, M. Meghrouni, He’s All That, M. McIver), 119.6; 3. ATC Adamo & Area VII (Let It Be Lee, M. Decher, Living Right, S. March, Silence In Seattle, C. Barnett, Finnegan’s Wake, D. Tarpinian), 124.3. VNov. Team - 1. ATC Nuts On Bolts (Valdess Des Loges, Ixtapa OHF, T. Clark, Lincoln, P. Moore, Wait For It, B. Slaughter), 101.1; 2. ATC Nov Team 6 (Urbino Du Breuil, N. Mushkin, Fix It Felix, R. Harnish, Rio’s Rock

Star, J. Sechrist, King Con, M. Smith), 116.9; 3.

ATC No Bucking Way (Half Moon Bay, Lissette, D. McCoy, Olano, R. Thielmann, Solomon, S. Talan), 119.1. VBeg. Nov. Team - 1. ATC Fearless Foursome (Optimist II, Sterling, A. Parra, Magoo, L. Anders), 122.4; 2. ATC Unamed (Good Day Gali, E. Mehner, Apple Jax, J. Monson, Winchexter, E. Smith, Apollo’s Charm, A. Palmer,), 123.1; 3.

ATC BN Team 1 (Have A Drink On Me, H. Petrek, My Sweet Boy, S. Oliver, Mystic Millenium, M. Thomas, Subway, A. Chase), 134.7.

May 2 & 9, 2016 chronofhorse.com 75

HORSE CARE

A Broken Leg And Back Again A PMU rescue defies the odds by returning to the show ring after fracturing a pastern into five pieces.

BY ABBY GIBBON

76 The Chronicle of the Horse

I

n February 2014, Liz Hill was exercising her gelding Cairo in a round pen on a normal day in Orange, Calif., with a mild breeze, no clouds in the cerulean sky.

A tarp covering some hay beside the pen flapped, something that Hill, 27, said was “nothing [Cairo] hadn’t seen before.” But the 7-year-old PMU horse took advantage of the opportunity for a light-hearted spook, spinning on his right hind leg.

“He didn’t even make that big of a move,” said Hill. “He just kind of scooted. But there was this sound, this sharp sound I’ll never forget.”

Cairo couldn’t bear weight on that right hind leg. Time seemed to drag interminably as Hill waited for the veterinarian to arrive. When the truck finally pulled up the driveway, Cairo allowed a limb flexion, leading the veterinarian to say it probably wasn’t broken.

Liz Hill nursed Cairo back from a broken leg, defying the odds to not only ride him again, but also jump and show. SARAH CHAVEZ PHOTO

But the veterinarian didn’t have an X-ray machine, and Hill was growing more skeptical by the minute. “[Cairo] is super stoic,” she said. “He’s built like a tank, and he still wouldn’t walk.”

A second veterinarian came with an X-ray machine and confirmed Hill’s fears. “The vet said, ‘The bad news is it’s broken. He fractured his right hind short pastern into five pieces that I can see. But the good news is I think it’s fixable, and given the age of the horse, if you can afford it, I think you should do it.’ ” Broken leg—good news? Hill felt powerless as she watched the veterinarian wrap Cairo’s leg in a soft cast, and somewhere along the slow 300-yard walk from the round pen to his stall,

time caught up with her. “That’s when I started crying. He was in so much pain, and I didn’t know what to do for him,” she said.

But amidst the turmoil of emotions, veterinary information, and life-changing decisions Hill was struggling to come to terms with, there was this one hopeful fact: The veterinarian had used the word fixable.

at the Peacock Hill Equestrian Center, Hill was excited to learn that hunter/jumper trainer Edgar Pagan had moved in as a resident instructor.

“When I first met [Hill], she came up to me and said, ‘I heard you can make anything jump!’ ” Pagan, 60, said with a laugh. “I looked at her horse and said, ‘Well, yeah, but I don’t know if I can make an aardvark jump!’ ” For all his geniality, Cairo had grown into what Hill admits was an awkward shape, standing only 15.2 hands, leading her to suspect he’s actually a draft-Quarter Horse cross. “He’s built so weird. He has the shortest legs; they’re the same length as a Connemara pony’s in our barn, but he wears a 52-inch girth, which is the biggest girth in the barn,” she said.

“He’s an oddball creature,” Pagan agreed, “but it turned out that he could really jump. I helped her teach him with cavaletti and crossrails, and he was jumping beautifully. Then one day I came to the barn and found out he’d been in the round pen, just playing, and broke his leg. And I’m like, what?”

There is no replacing this horse after everything we’ve been through.”

Taking A Gamble Hill had to consider history. Back in 2006, as a freshman at the University of California, Davis, she was assigned to a double-capacity room with two other women thanks to over-enrollment. Her first semester grew uncomfortably tense in a room “about the size of a closet,” and she came back from class one day to discover that the laptop she used for work and to record music in her exploits as a singer-songwriter had been irreparably damaged.

“That was kind of the last straw,” she said.

In other words, Hill needed an outlet. She’d grown up taking lessons at Peacock Hill Equestrian Center in Orange, and before college she’d been helping retrain a PMU rescue mare.

A family friend, Suzie Harrer, owned a farm not far from campus, and Hill mentioned to her that she might like to rescue her own PMU foal someday. PMU is an acronym for pregnant mare urine, a common ingredient in human-grade hormone replacement pharmaceuticals used to treat a range of conditions from menopause to cancer. The demand for pregnant mare urine has spawned a breeding industry resulting in an abundance of unwanted foals, the luckiest of whom end up in rescues, most without paperwork or clues as to their lineage.

At the time, Harrer, a mounted member of the El Dorado County Search and Rescue, had more horses to keep in shape than she had time for, so she struck a deal with Hill: Pay for hay and help keep the rescue horses exercised, and Harrer would help Hill house and train a PMU foal.

Before Harrer could reconsider, Hill was online, googling PMU foals available for adoption. “I saw one photo and a brief description with a best guess of his

—LIZ HILL

breed. He was trotting, and it looked like he moved decently, and it said he was a Shire-Thoroughbred. Of course, I didn’t know anything at 18 [years old], and the price was right,” she said. “He was $700, which included shipping from North Dakota.”

So Hill took a deep breath and spent the entire balance of her college bank account on an unbroken 5-month-old from an online classified, sight unseen.

Auspicious Beginnings Following her freshman year, Hill ended up completing her Spanish degree across three different University of California campuses: Berkley, Los Angeles and Irvine. And her career as a singer-songwriter was starting to gain steam after signing with an independent pop label.

Through it all, Cairo was her solace, her pastoral break from an otherwise fast-paced life. Though he wasn’t even halter trained when he arrived in California, Hill found him a tolerant, easy student.

“When you grow up riding at a riding school, all of the horses are push-button,” she said. “You don’t even realize what they’ve already been taught. But [Cairo] taught me things that I didn’t even realize I didn’t know.”

Moving barns over the years to follow Hill’s busy school and work schedules helped them develop an unconventional, well-rounded skillset. “We moved to a dressage barn, so we tried that. And then I had some other friends who wanted to go cattle sorting, so I thought, ‘OK, why not?’ ” she said.

Cairo was always game. “I always wanted to jump,” Hill said, “and whenever Cairo was turned out, if there was something he could jump, he’d jump it on his own.”

When they found themselves back

Aligning The Fragments When it came down to it, standing in the stall with Cairo on the night of his ordeal, listening to his heart-wrenching low-pitched whinny, there was only one choice for Hill. He’d been her comrade through several hectic years, teaching her about gratitude and patience.

“The more conventional horse owner would weigh the pragmatic: Will I ever be able to show this horse? How much time will he need off? But all I could think was, ‘This is my little dude!’ There is no replacing this horse after everything we’ve been through,” she said.

The next morning, Cairo shipped to the Chino Valley Equine Hospital in Chino Hills, Calif., where he came under the care of Dr. A. T. Fischer, DVM, who explained that although most horse owners hear “broken leg” and immediately assume the worst, broken doesn’t always mean irreparable.

Cairo’s injury was a comminuted P2 fracture, which in layman’s terms means he’d fractured his right hind short pastern into several pieces, an May 2 & 9, 2016 chronofhorse.com 77

Some schooling shows helped Liz Hill prepare to compete at the HITS Thermal Desert Circuit finale. TIMOTHY HUYNH PHOTO

injury commonly seen in reining horses that spin hard on their hind legs.

Osteoarthritis was a strong possibility after the surgery and repair. The fracture disrupted the joint cartilage, and there were no guarantees that surgery would restore perfect alignment. Still, bone, unlike tendons or ligaments, heals back just as strong as before the injury. So, if the horse survives the surgery and post-op care, the bone itself will be fine.

In terms of catastrophic injuries, Cairo had a couple of things going for him. “Hind limbs do better than front limbs generally, with any fractures, maybe because front ends are more heavily loaded,” Fischer, 58, explained.

Also, although Cairo’s pastern was in five pieces, those pieces were big enough to be held in place using a system of plates and screws. “We’re trying to maintain the length of bone,” Fischer explained. “If we can hold the fragment of the shattered pastern and stabilize it to [the long pastern, located directly above 78 The Chronicle of the Horse

it], that’s how we get everything to stay together.”

Often, short pastern fractures are so splintered that there’s little to hold together, and in some cases hard fiberglass transfixation casts are used, with screws drilled through the cannon bone and then into the wall of the cast. But Fischer explained that the concern is that, without much anatomical support from below, the long pastern “tends to go down through into the [short pastern], and that’s never good. Then they founder and don’t do well.”

So Cairo and his five promisingly sized fragments were prepped for surgery, attended by a team of anesthetists and technicians, and since Chino Valley Equine is a teaching hospital, Hill was able to watch the almost-three-hour procedure from a viewing room above.

Fischer and his team got to work stabilizing the fragments, screwing them to plates straddling the sides of Cairo’s pastern bones. For Hill, time had started to drag again, but every few minutes one of the technicians gave her a reassuring thumbs-up.

“Before his surgery, one of the other

surgeons came up to me and said, ‘Man, I’m bummed I won’t be the one to fix your horse!’ ” she said. “And I was so distraught. I just said, ‘What?’ He said, ‘We train for this, and it’s so rare that a horse with this type of injury can be saved, and I’m mad I won’t get to be the one to do it.’ So that was actually comforting, to have a team that was excited about the prospects.”

The Winding Road Back Surgery was just the beginning of a long road to recovery. Following his operation, Cairo stayed at the hospital for roughly two weeks to minimize his risk of infection and aid initial healing.

When he was ready to go home, the swelling in his leg had gone down enough that his first plaster cast could be removed and a new, smaller plaster cast applied. Cast removal and reapplication was a procedure in itself, requiring anesthesia to make sure he didn’t bear weight on his leg while vulnerable.

Over the course of the next six months, Cairo was on strict stall rest, and Hill got a first-hand crash course in veteri-

nary care. Cairo would need his cast removed and reapplied under anesthesia five times in several-week intervals depending on his level of swelling. He even had to endure an extra cast when a reaction to a routine inoculation caused him to swell up and break the plaster.

Hill also had to apply sheet cotton and Elastikon wraps over each new cast, at first daily, and then every other day, in order to “keep bedding out and keep [the casts] clean, because if the injury got infected, his leg could be deformed,” she said. “And I was massaging him once or twice a day, and linimenting his other hind leg to help with the added stress. Plus I also just visited with him.

He was so bored.”

In addition to the stress of caring for Cairo, Hill also had to deal with the drama of moving barns again in order to be closer to recording work in Los Angeles. Since Cairo wasn’t insured, she was responsible for a veterinary bill in the range of $15,000.

And though Hill was no stranger to moving, this time she entered her new barn as an anomaly: the girl with the broken horse. “People would say things like, ‘What did you do to your horse?’

Or, ‘Why didn’t you put him down and get a nicer horse?’ ” she recalled. “And then, of course, the rumor mill started up. They’d say, ‘She turned him out and chased him, and he broke his leg.’ Or, ‘She was riding, and he broke his leg when he flipped on her.’ ” But her biggest concern was something Hill had known about since Cairo went in for surgery: Even if everything went exactly according to plan, there was still only a two-thirds chance he’d ever be rideable again.

Very Bad And Better When at long last Cairo’s stall rest and two months of hand walking were complete, Hill was cautiously optimistic to get back in the saddle again. And initially, things got off to a solid start.

“That first week back in the tack was heavenly,” she said. “And then after a week, he was like, ‘Oh, I feel better!’ And then he was just very, very bad.

“I was getting dragged around the arena, terrifying everyone,” Hill admitted. “I was that kid with the crazy horse. When they start rolling their eyes

at you, that’s when you know it’s bad.”

Hill sought the help of eventer Susan Friend LeTourneur, who helped get Cairo back on track with a few months of slow conditioning. Paired with the horse care know-how Hill had gained while rehabbing him, Cairo’s rideability quickly improved.

“I now know his legs like the back of my hand,” Hill said. “I can tell even if he’s the littlest bit puffy. Before, I didn’t even know how to put a standing wrap on, but now I’m the one showing people how to do it.”

Before long, Cairo was back to feeling strong under saddle; the pair regained their confidence, and according to X-rays, Cairo’s leg was holding up just fine. Hill was ecstatic, aware that her horse had defied the odds.

“I knew I was probably pushing my luck, but I asked [Fischer], ‘Do you think it’d be OK for me to try jumping again?’ ” To Hill’s surprise and delight, Fisher gave her the go-ahead. “Of course, this was a best-results scenario, and it’s what we hope for every time, although we don’t get it every time,” Fischer explained.

Cairo, like all horses who’ve injured a joint, will be at increased risk of arthritis as he ages, but otherwise Fischer professed “no real worries about him moving forward. Obviously anything can happen with horses. He could break another leg, but that’s nothing outside the normal risk of getting on a horse. That wouldn’t enter my thought process.”

At around the same time that Cairo was reaching top form again, Hill’s record deal fell through. But as ever, Cairo was there for her, the silver lining being that they were able to move back to Peacock Hills Equestrian Center and reconnect with Pagan.

“That girl, God bless her, she nurtured him,” said Pagan, who helped get the pair going over fences again. They started slowly, over crossrails, which Cairo cleared by a foot, and then moved on to 2'3", which he gave equally as much air.

“We don’t over-do it with him,” said Pagan. “She gets on him, warms him up very slowly, lots of walking and long, low jogging, very carefully. But it’s a real shame he broke that bone because he can really jump. We won’t know his limits.”

As far as what’s in store for Cairo’s

future, Hill is taking it day by day and keeping the jumps small. They competed the final week of the HITS Thermal Desert Circuit (Calif.) in March in the .65 jumpers, which, for Hill, seems almost too good to be true.

“Right before our round [at a recent schooling show], an acquaintance called out to me, ‘Hey, I hear that’s the horse with the broken leg!’ And I said, ‘Yeah, but you’d never know it!’ And he said, ‘Good, just keep your chin up and don’t ever let him know it either.’ It was a really pretty moment,” Hill said.

ANOTHER PASSION Outside of horses, Liz Anne Hill is a singer-songwriter who has had two songs (“We Are Infinite” and “Caution Tape”) make the Billboard Charts Dance Club list. She’s currently working on a country album.

S T. T I M O T H Y ’ S S C H O O L SUMMER RIDING CLINICS J U N E 1 3 – J U LY 2 9 , 2 0 1 6 D E TA I L S A N D R E G I S T R AT I O N 410 · 486 ·5483 R I D I N G @ S T T. O R G W W W. S T T. O R G / R I D I N G C L I N I C

May 2 & 9, 2016 chronofhorse.com 77

X BETWEEN ROUNDS WITH:

CHRISTIANA OBER

Pinpointing The Reasons Behind Poor Performance This veterinarian explains why a “whole horse” approach to veterinary management works best.

I

’m often asked, “Why isn’t my horse performing like he used to?”

Maybe your horse has suddenly started to kick out behind when you ask for a lead change. Maybe he’s acquired a new right-to-left drift over a fence, or maybe he just seems irritable and less eager to go forward under saddle.

Whatever the complaint, it could be that you’re seeing veterinary causes of poor performance. Poor performance or a deterioration in performance is a common, and very appropriate, reason to call your veterinarian for an appointment. Identifying the cause or causes of your horse’s poor performance will most likely require a thorough and sometimes time-consuming examination by your veterinarian that might not necessarily resolve the situation in one visit.

It’s incredibly important that the veterinarian evaluating the horse has extensive knowledge of the discipline and level in which that horse is competing.

There are more prevalent causes of poor performance within each discipline.

For example, respiratory lower airway disease may be a much more limiting factor in an endurance or three-day event horse than in a cutting or western performance horse. A sports medicine veterinarian who’s used to working with upper-level dressage horses may be more able to see and block the subtle gait asymmetry that may be limiting the horse in his left canter pirouettes.

Each discipline places unique demands on our equine athletes, so therefore the most limiting causes of poor performance can vary with these demands. In addition, the discipline and level of the horse has to be taken into consideration after the diagnosis is made and when coming up with a

80 The Chronicle of the Horse

therapy and rehabilitation plan. For example, you might be able to follow and maintain a low grade suspensory branch desmitis during an upper-level dressage horse’s season, but the same condition may be a season-ender due to the gallops and conditioning required and the risk of career ending injury in a four-star event horse.

When attempting to come up with a diagnosis, it can be helpful to break the causes of poor performance down into three main categories: 1) musculoskeletal causes; 2) internal medicine causes; and 3) extrinsic causes. Also, we need to bear in mind that a horse can often have more than one cause of the poor performance at a particular time.

Musculoskeletal Issues Musculoskeletal causes would include orthopedic and soft tissue issues that may or may not result in lameness.

For example, neck and back pain can commonly cause poor performance, however the horse may not display signs of overt lameness. This is why both a thorough clinical examination, including palpation of the neck and back and detection of areas of underdeveloped muscles, and a moving examination are necessary.

Many musculoskeletal causes are only detectable or are exacerbated under tack or in work. An under tack or “in work” examination is a critical part of the poor performance musculoskeletal examination. It can be necessary to block, or perform diagnostic analgesia, on the horse under tack so a subtle or inconsistent lameness can be further localized.

Other common musculoskeletal causes may include things like subchon-

When a client asks, “Why isn’t my horse performing like he used to?”, a veterinarian has almost endless possible causes to sort through to determine the root of the problem. AMY DRAGOO PHOTO

dral bone pain, tendonitis and bilateral hind proximal suspensory desmitis.

Sometimes musculoskeletal issues can be subclinical or very difficult to diagnose without the addition of advanced imaging such as nuclear scintigraphy (bone scan) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

To make things more challenging, lameness and good performance are not necessarily exclusive. Many experienced upper-level sport horses perform well and at top levels with low grade manageable musculoskeletal issues. For example a Grand Prix dressage horse may be able to perform with some low level fetlock discomfort, however it only starts to affect his performance when he develops additional back pain from a poor fitting saddle. This is where a complete examination and a “whole horse” approach is critical to getting to the real source of the performance problem.

Internal And Extrinsic Issues Internal causes would include issues with the neurologic system, the gastrointestinal system, cardiovascular system, respiratory system or systemic illness.

Equine gastric ulcer syndrome and inflammatory lower airway disease are two common causes of equine poor performance in this group. Additionally, the early onset of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis can make a horse have low grade weakness or ataxia that may make him only feel less forward or less eager to do his job to the rider.

Oftentimes the diagnosis of these causes can require additional laboratory testing or a consultation from an expert in a particular field. Veterinarians can’t be experts in all fields, and it’s important to work with one who is eager and willing to consult with additional experts when necessary. In a case of getting to the bottom of poor performance in a sport horse, everyone must be on the same team!

Extrinsic causes of poor performance can include things like inadequate nutrition, inadequate fitness of the horse for the task, poorly fitting or inappropriate tack, or lack of capacity or talent of the horse or rider.

These things may only be able to be diagnosed after a thorough veterinary examination to exclude other causes.

It may even take additional input or a consultation with an expert specialized in another realm of veterinary medicine such as a cardiologist or a nutritionist.

The Exam: What To Expect A veterinary examination for poor performance in a sport horse could vary depending on the presenting complaint.

However, almost all of these exams would include 1) a thorough history from the client or rider; 2) a detailed clinical examination including observation and palpation, listening to the heart and lungs, possibly an ophthalmic examination; and 3) an extensive musculoskeletal exam including flexions, exam on a longe line, and probably most importantly examination under tack.

The under tack examination is one of the most critical parts of the poor performance examination. This allows the veterinarian to see the sport horse doing its job, hopefully on appropriate

footing, at an appropriate level, under the normal rider and in the horse’s normal tack. This sometimes requires prior communication to make sure there is a suitable surface to ride on and that the rider is available.

One can see that the cause of a forelimb lameness on the longe line on asphalt might not be the same cause of poor performance in arena footing under tack. Both issues probably warrant investigation, however the rider won’t be pleased until after the second cause is addressed.

After the completion of those three things, then the veterinarian will determine which additional tests or diagnostics need to be performed to gain the greatest amount of information and insight. For example, if the horse shows a subtle gait asymmetry only in lateral work under tack then maybe the veterinarian will elect to do diagnostic nerve or joint blocks while the horse is being ridden to localize the pain. Additionally, if there are some low grade abnormal lung sounds picked up at rest, and the horse makes an increased respiratory noise at the gallop then maybe the veterinarian will elect to do additional respiratory testing such as a dynamic endoscopy examination.

The poor performance evaluation can be a fantastic way to detect injuries early on. It encourages us as riders, horsemen and veterinarians to pay attention to more subtle clinical findings and potentially detect a low grade injury before it becomes a more serious season or career ending injury.

For example, maybe a horse that is always clean and tight legged all of a sudden begins to show fill and slight heat in a front fetlock. The horse may not be lame yet. He may just show a positive response to fetlock flexion, increased fill, low grade heat, and may not work as well under tack. If an investigation is performed early, an ultrasound is performed, and then potentially a very mild suspensory branch injury is detected. The horse is put in an appropriate treatment and rehabilitation program, and the problem is resolved in 90 days. This is in contrast to waiting until the horse is grade 2/5 lame and has a central core lesion in the suspensory

branch that will take injection of regenerative therapies and 12-18 months of rehabilitation. Early detection of things like this takes a team of people who know their horses well and pay attention to more subtle changes.

The poor performance examination also allows for more proactive management of the equine athlete to prevent potential reoccurrence of the same issues. If a horse is extraordinarily predisposed to back pain relative to saddle fit, then several appointments can be made proactively throughout the course of the season to address the saddle fit as the topline changes with conditioning and fitness. If an event horse is predisposed to inflammatory lower airway disease then certain critical management changes can be instituted both in the day-to-day barn activities and during shipment, such as steaming or soaking the hay, making sure the horse is out of the barn during mucking, and choosing appropriate low dust bedding and forage.

Poor performance examination of the sport horse can be time consuming but incredibly rewarding for the client and the veterinarian. It can allow for detection of early injury and can give insight into more proactive management of the horse for better health.

There are a multitude of causes of poor performance, and sometimes the cause is multifactorial. A knowledgeable veterinarian who is willing to perform a thorough methodical examination can many times come up with the cause and the proposed solution to make for a much happier horse and a much better performance.

CHRISTIANA OBER, DVM After 15 years of equine practice in Virginia and Florida, Dr. Christiana Ober relocated to Wiltshire, England, in 2015.

She and her husband, Dr. Andre Buthe, who is the team veterinarian for British Dressage, jointly have an equine sports medicine practice there. She specializes in sports medicine, diagnostic imaging, lameness and the pre-purchase exam. After 10 years of assisting the Canadian eventing team, Dr. Ober is now the team veterinarian for the New Zealand eventing team.

She graduated from the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine in 2000.

May 2 & 9, 2016 chronofhorse.com 81

GONE AWAY Coleen KeenanHersson

OBIT

trials from Culpeper to its new location in Berryville, Va. She was the CDCTA vice president of eventing Event rider and organizer Coleen from 1993 to 2013 and received the Keenan-Hersson of Rixeyville, CDCTA Volunteer of the Year Va., died on March 3 at the award in 1995.

University of Virginia Medical RIES A Emmett Turner, a longU Center in Charlottesville, Va. time CDCTA volunteer, She was 63. nominated her for a Mrs. Keenan-Hersson U.S. Combined Training was born on Oct. 24, 1952, to Association (now U.S. Patricia and Lt. Col. Daniel Eventing Association) Richard Keenan. Because Governor’s Cup in 1999. her father was in the military, Mrs. “I nominated her for recognition Keenan-Hersson’s family traveled a for bringing eventing back to Great lot, and she fell in love with horses as Meadow,” he said. a child while living in Libya. Her first “Coleen was always dreaming horse was an Arabian. up new equestrian pursuits,” said Her family returned to the United her friend Elaina Evans. “With her States in the late ’60s and hunted with dogged toughness and headstrong the Bull Run Hunt (Va.). attitude, Coleen always got the job Mrs. Keenan-Hersson and her done.” husband Noel Hersson shared a love “She’s deeply missed, especially of horses. The couple was married by me and the family and the horse after attending the 1990 World world here in Virginia, but also the Equestrian Games in Stockholm. horse world all over,” said Noel.

They enjoyed eventing, foxhunting Mrs. Keenan-Hersson is survived and pleasure riding. by her husband, Noel Hersson; “She was meticulous,” said Noel. mother Patricia Mary Keenan; brother “She did all the preparation for Daniel Michael Keenan; and her sister me when I was eventing. It was Theresa Ann Keenan Wilson. teamwork.”

In lieu of flowers, memorial donaMrs. Keenan-Hersson was a tions may be made to the Equine member of the Commonwealth Rescue League at P.O. Box 4366, Dressage and Combined Training Leesburg, VA 20177 or your favorite Association, and she organized animal rescue charity.

CDCTA Horse Trials from 1994 to 2015. She was instrumental in moving the event from Commonwealth Park (Va.) to Great Meadow (Va.) in 1995 in order to upgrade it from a novice Junior rider Kimberley Grayce Roach and training competition to an upperof Amherst, Ohio, was found unrelevel event, even running a CCI* and sponsive in a pasture and pronounced CCI** at Great Meadow in 2001 before dead due to blunt force trauma to the scaling it back to a smaller show in head on March 31 at Paradise Farm in Culpeper (Va.) in 2005.

Aiken, S.C. She was 12.

“It meant everything to her [to orgaMs. Roach was born on August nize the horse trials],” Noel said. “She 9, 2003, in Houston to Mark and loved it. She was always behind the Mary Roach. She attended seventh scenes and always had a hand everygrade at Lake Ridge Academy in where if she could help.”

North Ridgeville, Ohio, where she Though she retired from organizing participated in the choir and played last year, Mrs. Keenan-Hersson was basketball and volleyball. also influential in moving the horse “She was an absolute animal

Kimberley Grayce Roach

82 The Chronicle of the Horse

fanatic. She loved them to pieces and never saw anything wrong with any animal,” said her trainer, Holly Taylor of Blue Ridge Farm in North Ridgeville. Ms. Roach dreamed of becoming a veterinarian and volunteered at her local Friendship Animal Protective League.

Ms. Roach had been riding at Blue Ridge Farm for more than a year and competed in unrecognized hunter/ jumper shows aboard school horses.

Her parents had just purchased the 14-year-old Dutch WarmbloodThoroughbred gelding Just Floor It, or “Deuce,” as their daughter’s first horse. Ms. Roach had traveled with her family and fellow riders to Paradise Farm in order to work with her new horse. There were no witnesses to the accident.

“She was one of those kids who was happy about life,” said Danielle Parrish, director of the middle school at Lake Ridge Academy. “Horses were her great love. She was so excited about her trip down south to get her new horse.”

“You never saw this child without an enormous smile on her face,” said Taylor. “She’s the type of kid who wasn’t shy—she would talk to anybody.”

The Roaches released this statement after their daughter’s death: “She was the light of our lives and will be deeply missed. Her smile was contagious, and her true loves in life were her family and friends, her dog Tank, and her horse Deuce.”

Ms. Roach is survived by her parents, Mary and Mark of Amherst, Ohio; her siblings, Jake, Chase, Austin and Kenzie Roach of Amherst; and her grandparents, John and Jean Kasper, and Jim and Gloria Roach.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Friendship Animal Protective League of Lorain County, 8303 Murray Ridge Road, Elyria, OH 44035. Her family has also requested friends share photos of Ms. Roach over social media using the hashtag #rideforgrayce.

MARKETPLACE BOARDING Sallyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ark ~ Rowland, NC Welcomes Retirees/Rehabs/ Layovers for all creatures big and small. Personalized and loving care for retirees and rehabs from a seasoned horsewoman. Layovers for animals & humans. At Sallyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ark, we believe we have a unique business that offers a place for all. For more information contact: Sally 910.734.9400 or Caroline 908.328.4503 or SallysArk@aol.com Visit: SallysArk.com Horse Retirement Farm Located in Deansboro, NY. The facility contains a large spacious barn, 70 acres of grass pastures, indoor arena, and provides customized care.

Pasture board $225/mth.

Stall board $350/mth. Both packages include trimming, vaccinations, worming, and more. Visit www. greenacresretirementfarm. com or call 914.414.7872

CLASSIFIEDS Print and Web Text

FKURQRIKRUVH FRP FODVVLĂ&#x20AC;HGV KRPH

EMPLOYMENT 2 NEW POSITIONS OPEN FOR HORSE PEOPLE Finish Line needs 1 outside & 1 inside sales person. Must have horse knowledge, sales & computer skills a plus. Outside sales will travel throughout the US, possibly internationally to horse shows & trade shows.

Inside sales must have good phone skills & be able to travel when needed to horse & trade shows & should live within reasonable driving distance to the company, which is near Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Hare airport. A background check is run on all new employees. We are looking for honest, ambitious people to represent Finish Line & project the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s image & reputation. Positions offer salary, bonus, insurance, paid vacations & tax deferred retirement plan.

Call Steve at 800.762.4242

ATTORNEY

Krysia Carmel Nelson, Esq. Legal services for the horse industry. For 20 years, attorney Krysia Nelson has been representing leading owners, trainers, riders, breeders, equestrian facilities, major farms, clubs and associations across all disciplines.

434.979.0053 kcnelson@kcnelsonlaw.com Visit www.kcnelsonlaw.com.

BOARDING Horse Heaven Farm

Retirees-NCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Piedmont, mild winter, run in sheds, hay, winter grain, if nec. Lush pasture year round. Lots of TLC. Please call for details. Lifetime experience.

Nancy Peter, eves, or leave a message. 919.663.3953

Email: hhf88@yahoo.com

This space could be yours!

Display ad in print with a color photo and online for 30 days for as little as $50!

DOGS

RENTAL Barn Lease in Camden, SC 8 miles off I-20 with direct access to hunt country, 24 stalls, 12x12 matted, tack room, wash racks, laundry, RIĂ&#x20AC;FH ODUJH JUDVV SDGGRFNV run in sheds, 300x175 sand riding ring w/jumps, 6 horse walker w/half roof. 15 acre property fully irrigated.

Option for 2BR apt for lease on site. Beautiful facility, fully operational, lease all or partial (12 stall min) Serious inquiries only 636.634.5209

EMPLOYMENT

PLACE YOUR AD HERE! CHRONICLE CLASSIFIEDS DISPLAY AD IN PRINT WITH A COLOR PHOTO AND ONLINE

FOR 30 DAYS. STARTING FOR AS LITTLE AS $50!

CHRONOFHORSE.COM/CLASSIFIEDS May 2 & 9, 2016 Â&#x203A; chronofhorse.com 83

MARKETPLACE EMPLOYMENT

INSURANCE

Equine Staffing Solutions

“Like a Needle In a Haystack” 352-622-2040 ext.204 FAST—FOCUSED— WORLDWIDE Serving the Equine Industry since 1982

Exceptional Employees Are Hard To Find Job Seekers-Post resume and apply directly!

Employers-Post positions and search for candidates Direct Hire Recruiting Available

Providing Equine Insurance Protection For Your Horse– Mortality, Major Medical, Surgical

GIFTS

For your Farm/Stable– Your Equine Liability, Instructors, Trainers, Clubs, Horse Shows

SHOWOFF RIBBON RACKS

Available A vail ilabl ble iin bl n over 30+ 30 models! mod dells!! www.merbeth.net 262-246-3500

Call on our experience to work for you!

800-526-1711 or 908-735-6362 www.bluebridle.com MEMORIALS

HORSES & PONIES David Hopper Inc. Amenia, New York 12501. Outstanding selection of sport horses–from unbroken to competition ready. Hunters, Jumpers, Dressage, Equitation. All price ranges.

David Hopper Cell: 914.474.7175 Barn: 845.373.8897 www.davidhopperinc.com

REAL ESTATE

Do you have a horse for sale?

Why not let us sell him for you.

We have the facilities indoors & outdoors and a competent & experienced staff to help present your horse to its new owners. We also have many horses for sale both green & made. For info. call or write: Vincent J. Dugan PO Box 245 Unionville, PA 19375 610.268.2761

This space could be yours!

Display ad in print with a color photo and online for 30 days for as little as $50!

INSURANCE

www.dietrich-insurance.com

FOR INFORMATION CALL

800-942-4258 84 The Chronicle of the Horse

This space could be yours!

Display ad in print with a color photo and online for 30 days for as little as $50!

SERVICES

TRANSPORTATION

Alex Nichols Agency

We are the International horse transportation specialists With over er 40 years of service, we found most horse enthusiasts experience frustration in communication, vagueness in cost and mishandling of their shipments.

That’s why we are committed to, and have taken the lead in superior service through clear communication of our rates, regular updates on your animal’s progress and the most personalized service in the industry. Dedicated stable to stable.

Family Pet Aftercare

kmg8nik8fkjf555R555 . ,0# -8 )' In Memoriam Pet Services respectfully honors pet parents and veterinary practices in Virginia, Metro DC areas and beyond.

Tel: (NY) 516.678.9100 Fax: 516.678.1344 E-mail: info@anaht.com

As the Carrier for the 2010 World Equestrian Games and the 1984 Olympics we have 40 plus years of experience to assist you with your individual equine transportation needs. Stall and a half, Box Stalls and Charters are available throughout the U.S. CA 800.472.7786; WA 800.317.6768; KY/FL 800.888.5914 www.bobhubbardhorsetrans.com

TACK

JimmysSaddlery.com

Equine Express N.A. Inc. Providing weekly coast-to-coast service with air ride vans. Serving the industry since 1986. Member of the NHCA. Professional, friendly quotes.

800.545.9098 (US & Canada) E-mail: ee@equineexpress.com www.equineexpress.com

TRANSPORTATION

Beacon Hill Transportation Over 30 years experience. Offering Northeast regional and Nationwide service.

One hour to USDA Newburgh, NY. Member: American Horse Carriers Association.

Major credit cards accepted.

845.832.9475 www.horsetransportation.net

Expect The Best Nyconn Horse Transport. Providing direct service throughout the east VLQFH 7UDYHO ÀUVW FODVV LQ extra wide double stalls on all H[FOXVLYH DLU ULGH ÁHHW You get what you pay for! www.nyconnhorsetransport.com (CT) 203.762.0611

HORSEFLIGHT.COM

International Horse Air Transportation Europe and the rest of the world. us today! 908.307.2610

The most respected name in International Shipments call us at (NY) 718.978.8200 or visit us at www.mersant.com

May 2 & 9, 2016 chronofhorse.com 85

MARKETPLACE TRANSPORTATION

Find out more about IRT by calling 1-888 I FLY IRT or go to www.irt.com.

MJR Horse Transportation, Inc. driven by exp. horsemen. Licensed and insured.

Member National Horse Carrier’s Assoc.

Credit cards accepted.

800.871.8949 or 434.589.2113

Ship with Confidence!

Custom air-ride vans. ICC and DOT Licensed Dependable Transportation Coast-to-Coast service since 1959 *Now Offering FULL-SERVICE International Export!* Nation-Wide Horse Transportation 719.392.1888

VANS & TRAILERS

PLACE YOUR AD HERE! CHRONICLE CLASSIFIEDS DISPLAY AD IN PRINT WITH A COLOR PHOTO AND ONLINE

FOR 30 DAYS. STARTING FOR AS LITTLE AS $50!

CHRONOFHORSE.COM/CLASSIFIEDS 86 The Chronicle of the Horse

Advertisers Index » Ambruoso, Andrew C. ...............................................67 Ariat International, Inc. .............................................39 Back On Track.............................................................53 Bloom Business Jet........................................................8 Buncombe County .................................................30, 31 Capital Challenge Horse Show .................................. 16 Cargill Animal Nutrition-Nutrena ..............................7 CeeCoach (Peiker) .......................................................53 Champion Equine Insurance ....................................29 ClearSpan Fabric Structures-Farmtek/ESAPCO ...63 Coldwell Banker King ................................................63 Colorado Horse Park ..................................................37 Dandy Products .......................................................... 61 Dechra .......................................................................... 14 DePaolo Equine Concepts..........................................57 Essex Classics Inc. ......................................Back Cover Farmtek........................................................................55 Fashion Farm ............................................................ 2, 3 Johnson Horse Transportation.................................. 17 King Construction Company ..................................... 61 Luitpold........................................................................ 21 Masters of Foxhounds Association........................... 15 Memorial Park Hunters .............................................27 New Bolton Center........................................................9 Nouvelle Veterinary ....................................................73 Perfect Products..........................................................22 Ritchie Industries ....................................................... 41 Roberts Arena ........................................................18, 19 Rolex Watch, USA ...................... Inside Front Cover, 1 Saratoga Stalls .............................................................74 Shalanno Farms ......................................................... 49 Showcase Properties .................................................. 75 St. Timothy's School ...................................................79 Standlee Premium Western Forage ..........................69 Swanky Saddles ..........................................................57 Taylor Harris Insurance Services Ltd ......................28 The Classic Company ................................................. 12 Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation ....................10 Town & Country Realtors .......................................... 13 Tryon International Equestrian Center..................4, 5 Visit Florida ...................................................................6 Warburg Realty ...........................................................25 WF Young..........................................................11, 23, 67

ART GALLERY

The Reach

TERESA ANN DUKE

T

eresa Ann Duke was born in Washington, D.C., where she developed her passion for art while painting alongside her mother.

She received her bachelor’s degree from Boston College, then moved to Warrenton, Va., while pursuing her master’s degree at George Washington University (D.C.) under the tutelage of William Woodward.

While there, she received the Robert N. Alfandre award for drawing.

Afterward, she spent several years in scenic Rappahannock County, Va., developing a love of

plein air painting. For two years, she lived in New Mexico, interpreting the brilliant light and saturated colors of the high desert. She studied with Wolf Kahn at the Santa Fe Institute of Fine Arts and also worked with noted portrait master Daniel Greene during the summer of 2009.

She now lives and works in The Plains, Va., teaching art at Wakefield School. Her work continues to focus on local landscape, still life and equine subjects.

The Reach is a 16" x 20" oil on linen

depicting a moment from the 2015 Middleburg Spring Races (Va.).

Artist Teresa Ann Duke

May 2 & 9, 2016 chronofhorse.com 87

FINISH LINE

The Mini-Palooza

BY ANN GLAVAN

W

hat’s with the trend of top sport horses and their miniature buddies? Some minis are rescues, while others are companion animals, first ponies, barn mascots— or maybe they’re around just because they’re so darn cute.

Napoleon and Fairy Sometimes it’s just fun to have a cute couple of minis around the barn. That’s what Louisburg Farm owner Beth Johnson thought when she picked up Napoleon and Fairy from the Northeast Miniature Horse Club, a rescue based in New Hampshire.

But the duo have not been idle in their time at Louisburg Farm—along with starring in a photo shoot Napoleon (left) and Fairy featured in with Louisburg trainer an adorable photo shoot Louisburg Molly Ashe Cawley; her Farm trainer Molly Ashe Cawley did with her two children, Taylor and two children, Taylor and Connor; and Molly’s Connor, and her mother, Sue Ashe.

ISABEL KUREK PHOTO mother, Sue Ashe, the two also learned a new skill.

“We actually used to have a groom who had some driving experience, and she taught them to drive,” said Paul Butterworth, also a trainer with Louisburg.

Cooper Candice King couldn’t resist snapping a selfie with the Bellissimo family’s Miniature Horse, Starsky, when he rolled over for a belly rub in her lap. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE BELLISSIMO FAMILY

Starsky and Hutch Paige Bellissimo and her family’s Far Niente Farm in Wellington, Fla., have welcomed two Miniature Horses into their herd—dubbed Starsky and Hutch. Both are rescues Bellissimo got through The Peeps Foundation, a Miniature Horse rescue group founded by show jumper Alex Granato.

“Hutch was really badly abused. His spine and hips were just sticking out of his little body, and his teeth were so long he could hardly eat,” Bellissimo said.

His partner in crime, the shorter Starsky, was born at The Peeps Foundation and has been the life of the party from Day 1.

“He’s like a little king; he’s just Mr. Personality and has such a little attitude and is so cute,” Bellissimo said.

Starsky and Hutch share a stall at the Bellissimos’ farm, complete with a half stall door so they can poke their heads out and look up the aisle like their bigger barnmates.

Starsky even met the world famous Budweiser Clydesdales and was not at all intimidated by their size or star power.

“He just walked up to the huge Clydesdales and bit their noses,” Bellissimo said with a laugh.

88 The Chronicle of the Horse

“I’m actually his cool aunt.

I don’t own him,” Kama Godek said of Cooper.

“Haley Schaufeld is the owner, and I acquired him when I started renting their barn. She was on the road, and he stayed home with us.”

Don’t tell Godek’s grand prix horse, Air Force One, or “President,” that the mini isn’t theirs to keep. He’s grown quite attached to the little fellow.

Kama Godek’s grand prix horse “President saw him Air Force One is absolutely [while we were schooling], smitten with Cooper the mini.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KAMA GODEK and he freaked out like it was a mare and a foal that had just been weaned. He was so excited to see him he could hardly contain himself,” Godek said with a laugh.

Cooper is a little stud, but stallion or not, Godek said he’s on his best behavior when it counts.

“He’s actually really good with the kids and stuff; he has just enough character that he’s not dangerous or annoying,” Godek said.

Moon Pie

Moon Pie was a long time coming for Alise Oken, as she’s always wanted a Miniature Horse friend to hang around HiHopes Farm with her jumpers. PHOTO COURTESY OF ALISE OKEN

Alise Oken has been biding her time for the perfect opportunity to add a Miniature Horse to her string of show jumpers at HiHopes Farm in Wellington and Matthews, N.C., and it’s finally arrived.

“Now that I have a couple of retired jumpers I thought it would be a good idea to get a companion for them,” Oken said.

While Oken, 25, was in Wellington for the winter, she adopted her rescued mini, a recently gelded horse named Moon Pie, through The Peeps Foundation.

“I went over to the farm to meet him, and I knew right away,” Oken said. “I mean all of their minis are adorable, so I actually wanted to take more than one home with me, but I know my parents would kill me, so we brought him home, and he’s been great.

“He doesn’t act like a stallion at all,” Oken continued.

“When we first got him, he was a bit head shy, but we’ve spoiled him to bits. Honestly, he’s our new mascot.”

Daisy It’s hardly a surprise McLain and Lauren Ward’s 1-year-old daughter, Lilly, has already found her way into a saddle a few times. The tot has her own Miniature Horse, Daisy.

“I thought I was crazy getting a pony for my 8-month-old,” Lauren said with a laugh. “But we actually get a lot of use out of her.”

Lauren found Daisy through Kate Kocher-Bechtel, a Lilly Ward is getting an early start at Pennsylvania-based following in her parents’ footsteps— horsewoman who she’s pictured here with her mother, Lauren, and her Miniature Horse, sells minis specifically Daisy. DEBRA JAMROZ PHOTO for small children.

Daisy has a slew of gear—fly sheet, fly mask, stable sheet and blanket—all in miniature, provided by McLain’s sponsors, Triple Crown Custom and Horseware Ireland. Lauren also got a set of tiny brushes.

“She likes to brush the pony and pick her feet out, and the normal-sized brushes are too big,” said Lauren, of Wellington and Brewster, N.Y. “She can’t quite hold them with one hand, so we got kids’ brushes. And she walks out, and if I say, ‘Where’s Daisy?’ she knows, and she goes walking out to the field to look for her pony. It’s fun. It’s really fun.”

Elvis

Easy Street HU and Elvis are inseparable. They get turned out together, share a stall and even ship together. ANN GLAVAN PHOTO

Trainer Kim Barone, of Raven Ridge Farm in Watertown, Minn., and Wellington, was on the hunt for a companion pony for her young hunter, Easy Street HU, when she found Miniature Horse Elvis. “ ‘Easy’ was afraid of other horses, and a great horseman named Don Coulter told me if Easy had a pony that he could be in charge of, that might help his confidence,” Barone said.

“So the first pony I put him with was a medium pony, and the medium beat him up, and that did not help his confidence,” Barone continued with a laugh. “So we opted to go smaller, and that’s how we got Elvis.”

Elvis was listed on Craigslist in Minnesota. He has a very shy personality that proved perfect for buddying up with Easy, and the two share a stall and paddock at Barone’s farms.

“The [former] owner had contacted me about three weeks ago. They wanted to come visit him, and I said, ‘Oh, I’m sorry he’s in Florida right now with me,’ and she was like, ‘What?! He’s in Florida for the winter, and I’m in Minnesota?’ ” Barone said.

May 2 & 9, 2016 chronofhorse.com 89

ESSEX CLASSICS

ESSEXCLASSICS.COM Â&#x2021; THE NEW GENERATION OF EQUESTRIAN STYLE