My alter ego is that of Princess Fiona. I was enlisted to participate in the Doggie Costume Class at the Lake Placid Horse Show. Donkey was a real donkey, Shrek was the extraordinarily realistic looking Ramiro, who shaved his head and painted it green for the class, and I was Princess Fiona. My trainer Missy Clark’s adorable dachshunds sported fairy wings and were joined by three fairy children. It was great fun and we were the winning entry. All of this was the wonderful inspiration of Mrs. Wetherill, mother of Cortie Wetherill, a very talented junior rider who trains with Missy and her partner John Brennan.
My never-ending quest for Washington points and USET East points finally wound down.
The Washington International Equitation class is comprised of a jumper class and a hunter class, both ridden on the same horse. Each rider is judged on his or her position and effectiveness in riding two different styles of courses. The classes are judged individually but the final placings are based on a cumulative score from both classes. The number of points awarded is tabulated by points for the placing, multiplied by the number of riders who compete in the class. The points are accrued throughout the year and culminate in an invitation to the top 30 riders in the U.S., based on points, to compete in the Final. The Final is held at the Washington International Horse Show in Washington D.C. in the fall.
West Coast riders are at a serious disadvantage because there are fewer entries and the class does not fill at most of the local shows. However, as of this Aug. 28 writing, there are six Californians in the top 30: Tina Dilandri (7th), me (17th), Shelby Wakeman (18th), Michelle Morris (19th), Mallory Olson (23rd), and Veronica Tracy (27th). That is really not a bad showing from California, considering how difficult it is to accrue large numbers of points.
It is a trade-off, the majority of my points came from East Coast classes with larger quantities of riders, so I guess I actually went in fewer shows than my West Coast counterparts. It’s a great concept to judge a rider on how they ride both a hunter and a jumper course, but it is just daunting for someone on a limited budget to have to compete all year to qualify for this class. You even have two braiding bills because the class takes place over two days.
Even after you have qualified for the Talent Search, Maclay and the USEF Hunt Seat Medal, you still go on showing in the Washington just to stay on top of the rankings. I have tried to figure out if a portion of the entry fee goes to a charity, but to no avail. It lists the show as a 501(C)(3) charitable organization that benefits local and national charities, but that’s it. If anyone knows the answer please e-mail me.
The Washington is considered a very prestigious Final on the East Coast and the wonderful horse that I ride, Littlefoot, won the class last year with Hardin Towell.
USEF Talent Search
The USEF Talent Search is interesting because the qualifying criteria are different for the West Coast Final and the East Coast Final. Basically the West Coast is easier because it is based strictly on points earned by placing 1st = 30, 2nd = 15, 3rd = 10, 4th = 5 until you get the required 30 points. This is because the classes are smaller on the West Coast. For the East Final, you must win a class for which you get 10 points and you must place first or second in order to attain a total of 30 points. Only first or second place count. It is quite difficult to do this at the bigger shows on the East Coast as many of the top riders continue to compete in order to go for their USEF gold medal (based on 20 wins).
I won the class at a very tough show, Devon, but it took me forever to get the rest of the points. I kept getting third with very respectable rounds but third equals zero points towards the East Coast Final. The East Coast Final takes place at Gladstone, NJ, the home of the U.S. Equestrian Team. It is a significant location filled with photos and memorabilia of past Olympic teams. I believe a few very important horses are buried on the property. A mini-basilica leads the way to a breezeway of majestic stalls. It’s very impressive.
It is essential that I qualify for the East Coast Final because I am more likely to have a horse to ride there. A really good USEF Talent Search horse is hard to find. The jumps are big. The courses are challenging and the rider must be aware of the time allowed. There is an open water and it is crucial that the horse be adjustable.
The horse and rider must also demonstrate an advanced level of flat work that includes the counter-canter. It helps if the horse has a flat jump to show off the rider’s effectiveness. The qualifying criteria changed as of Sept. 1, 2007 for next year’s East Coast Final. The number of points will be upped to 90 points, but points will be assigned to more places: 1st = 30, 2nd = 15, 3rd = 10, 4th = 5 and one win is still required.
Coastal Differences
I am often asked what the difference is between the East and West coasts when it comes to riding and showing. The riders, competitions, horses, and trainers are all symbiotically linked. There are just more of them on the East Coast. This relates to qualifying for the medal finals, and probably, by extension, to the North American Young Riders and Prix de States championships.
I had a lot of time to think about this question when I went back to Missy Clark’s farm, North Run, to regroup before I went back to California. It is in a beautiful but extremely remote part of Vermont. I actually befriended a baby moose named Margaret. She was a little camera shy. She watched warily as I took care of (mucking, feeding and grooming) 30 horses along with the help of some other students. I rode eight or nine horses a day.
Two of the “guys” who were supposed to be helping me vanished into thin air one night: they quit. I really am a working student, so I can’t complain, but I will say that by the end I could carry two completely full water buckets effortlessly.
So, back to the coastal differences: It all comes down to numbers. There are more horses, and I think it’s because of the ease of importing a horse from Europe to the Eastern seaboard. Next would be the lower cost of pastureland for lay-up and breeding. Also the proximity of the states lends itself to more shows. This may have something to do with the mileage rule.
All of this means that at any given time more horses are passing through the barn of a well-known trainer. Many of them are sale horses or horses that belong to a client who may not be showing for various reasons. It means there is more opportunity for someone like me to get experience riding a variety of horses. The same rides may exist on the West Coast, but there are just fewer of them.
Horses in the Hood & Hampton Classic
One of the most poignant experiences I had this summer had nothing to do with competitions. I was invited by three-time show jumping Olympian Kathy Kusner to attend the graduation of Horses in the Hood children from their camp session in Topanga Canyon.
Horses in the Hood is a non-profit program that Kathy created to give inner city kids who would not otherwise afford riding lessons an opportunity to ride and care for horses for five days. Each of the children loved and appreciated being around the horses and they wanted to stay forever. One of the girls said the horse had taught her to be kind and that kindness was important to get along in life. It was truly a remarkable experience. If you would like to know more about the program go to www.horsesinthehood.org.
My last adventure of the summer was a very special trip to the Hampton Classic in Long Island, NY. This was made possible through the generosity of some anonymous sponsors. I went to the Hampton Classic to ride in the Wolffer Estate Equitation Championship and $10,000 trainer’s award class (previously known as the Calvin Klein). I was pre-qualified for the class because I came in fifth in the USEF Equitation Finals at Harrisburg.
The class is a jumper format equitation class on the grass Grand Prix derby field. It included a ditch, bank, open water and brush, plus an assortment of combinations, all within a time allowed. It was definitely a challenge. There were about 40 or more entries. They included riders up to the age of 21 (per USEF rules). I rode San Remo, a very handsome and powerful grey horse that belongs to Missy Clark. I had never ridden him at a show. Well, to be more precise, I had flatted him once and jumped him over a couple of fences at North Run. I missed the cross-country schooling day at a local farm down the road from the show and there was not a class I could go in to get in the ring ahead of time. I had to make do with a couple of jumps in the warm-up area.
So it was with a fair amount of trepidation that I went into the ring for the class. It went very, very well. I had one unfortunate rail, but aside from that the round was pretty smooth and it was fun. I did not make it into the top 10 for round two, but I look forward to riding San Remo again.
Olympian Peter Wylde was stabled with us and rode some jumpers that belong to Missy. It was great fun to watch a top international talent close-up. His rounds in the Grand Prix ring were exceptionally smooth, even on the less experienced horses. I learned a lot at the Hampton Classic.
Zazou Hoffman is an accomplished junior hunter/jumper rider who lives in Santa Monica. California Riding Magazine is pleased to have this hard working young equestrian as a regular columnist. She can be reached via e-mail at barnum1126@adelphia.net.