EVENTING NATION: Rider Profiles Archives

HN Today: 30 Years After She Won Rolex

By Wylie on February 8, 2012 6:33 PM, Filed Under Rider Profiles

Photo courtesy of Kim Walnes

Most people remember Kim Walnes from her glory days in the '80s, when she piloted The Gray Goose to international eventing success. On the 30th anniversary of her 1982 Rolex win, Kim has agreed to write a column for HN about horses and life.

Rather than forcing the ever-humble Kim to sing her own praises, we've asked Helene Gallagher, the mother of one of Kim's students, to lead off:

From Helene:

Mention the name Mother Goose and most people fondly recall the childhood books full of nursery rhymes and fairy tales. The image is usually depicted as a maternal white goose with a comfy bonnet on her head. But if you were a follower of world-class eventing in the early '80s that name took on a whole new meaning. Kim Walnes was nicknamed "Mother Goose" by U.S. team coach Jack LeGoff because she was a mother of two at the height of her riding fame. She and her equestrian soulmate, The Gray Goose, took the eventing world by storm in that decade and built a legendary partnership. It's hard to believe that this year will be the 30th anniversary of their dynamic win at Rolex Kentucky event.

Kim & The Gray Goose, courtesy of KW

My daughter is lucky enough to board her horse at the same barn where Kim now stables her current mount, Gideon Goodheart, a descendant of Gray's TB sire. An amazing horse in his own right, Gideon not only competes in upper level dressage, but is also a gentle school master and patient teacher for many of Kim's current students. He is a stallion, yet the most well mannered boy in the barn-even among the geldings! He is so well behaved and obeys so many verbal commands of Kim's that my daughter and I swear he's human! Gideon is the third generation of Kim's breeding and she presided over his birth some 19 years ago. Kim and Gideon have formed a dynamic teaching team that helps riders of all levels and disciplines.

Kim teaching a lesson

In the several months that Kim has been there she has shared some of her amazing memories, photos and videos of those glory days in the '80s. What I find extraordinary about Kim is that she has transformed her talent, perseverance and commitment from her eventing career into becoming not only an excellent teacher, but a life mentor to many around the country. She is definitely not content to rest on past laurels. Kim uses all that she has experienced, the good and the bad, to help her clients move forward in their lives. Horses are therapeutic for her and Gideon is a great physician of the mind and soul, helping to heal many a rider than has been lucky enough to sit in his saddle. Kim logs in thousands of miles traveling around the United States giving clinics and is currently welcoming new students to attend lessons with her at her current location at Groveland Farm in Pipersville, PA.

If you can't get out to Pennsylvania for a one-on-one with Kim, you can still benefit from her expertise as she is poised to become a regular contributor to HORSE NATION! Make sure you look for Kim's inspiring advice on life in and out of the saddle in the future. You can contact Kim directly, as well as read more about her amazing career and equestrian partners at her website www.TheWayOfTheHorse.com.

Kim & Gideon

For more news, commentary and general hilariousness, visit Horse Nation.

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View: Til' the Cows Come Home, presented by World Equestrian Brands

By Annie Yeager on February 3, 2012 1:15 PM, Filed Under Rider Profiles

This week's view, submitted by Meghann Durbrow, is of some bovines and some beautiful Wyoming scenery. I have to say that I'm a little jealous of the miles and miles of wide open land she gets to ride on every day! Many thanks to Meghann for submitting, and as always, thank you for reading. If you'd like to submit an ears photo, please send it along with a caption describing it to: annieyeageren@gmail.com.

Hi Annie,
Here are some photos taken in Wyoming from the Head of the Colorado River in the Northern part of the Wind River Mountains. This of course was taken back in the fall :) The ears belong to my friend Bella, a free old quarter horse. She was my first horse in 12 years and inspired me to get back into Eventing! This day we helped a local rancher move his cows down from the mountains, which was quite the experience!

Thanks for a great site! GO EVENTING!

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A View For Two presented by World Equestrian Brands

By Annie Yeager on January 26, 2012 11:06 AM, Filed Under Rider Profiles

This week's ears photo was submitted by Holly Breaux, taken on a hack with her two Appies. The one she's riding is her competition horse, Fleck, and the other is her baby horse that will hopefully be following in Fleck's footsteps one day! Holly also gets EN Karma points for wearing her helmet on her ride, which can be seen by the her shadow on the left. Thanks so much to Holly for submitting, and as always, thank you for reading. If you'd like to submit an ears photo, please send it along with a caption describing it to: annieyeageren@gmail.com.

Hey Eventing Nation,

I took Fleck, my competition horse, along with my upcoming eventer, a 7 month old Appy/ISH, on a trail ride the other day and we had a blast! Thought you might enjoy my view :)

It was super cold and windy, but they were both great!

Thanks!
Holly

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View from the Kentucky Horse Park, presented by World Equestrian Brands

By Visionaire on January 19, 2012 1:12 PM, Filed Under Rider Profiles

Andrew McConnon sent us this view from Midsouth Team Challenge. Nothing says "Kentucky" quite like rows of white four-board fence. If you'd like to submit an ears photo, please send it along with a caption describing it to: annieyeagerEN@gmail.com.

khp ears.JPG

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As always, be sure to check out World Equestrian Brands' online shop here to show for their selection of great products. We have mentioned this before, but we also want to give a quick shout out to World Equestrian Brands rider Buck Davidson for his tremendous year last year as well as Alexandra Slusher, who rides for WEB and received the $10,000 Endowment Trust Rebecca Broussard International Developing Rider Grant.

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View: Canadian Ears from World Equestrian Brands

By Annie Yeager on January 13, 2012 1:21 PM, Filed Under Rider Profiles

This weeks ears photo comes to us from, well, Canada! Kingston, Ontario in particular. Thanks to reader Kelsy for submitting, and as always, thank you for reading. If you'd like to submit an ears photo, please send it along with a caption describing it to: annieyeagerEN@gmail.com.

Kelsy from Kingston Ontario here, I somehow managed to squeeze in a hack this weekend between rain storms and got a shot overlooking the paddocks and XC field at the barn where I board, which is home to SJ Eventing. The small world that it is we're only a 20 minute hack away from Selena O'Hanlon's Canadian head quarters (great neighbours!). The star of this "ears" picture however is Charlie who is a little over a year off the track and settling in amazingly well to his new job, we had a great summer showing at Pre-Entry and are excited for our upgrade to Entry next summer.

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View From My Horse: Crane's Beach, presented by World Equestrian Brands

By Annie Yeager on January 6, 2012 1:03 PM, Filed Under Rider Profiles

This is definitely one of the coolest views in the history of this series, because it's the quality of photo you'd see in a magazine, and because of the neat history behind it. Kate Erickson sent us the photo, taken at Crane's beach in Massachusetts. Thanks to Kate for submitting, and as always, thank you for reading!

This is me and my horse Kiki at Cranes Beach in Ipswich, MA, for an end of the year celebration ride. Back in the 1970s when the US Equestrian Team trained out of Hamilton, MA, they often used Cranes Beach to do conditioning rides, especially in the winter months when the footing in Massachusetts is frozen pretty much everywhere else. Every time I come to Cranes Beach I feel like I'm participating in that tradition, even if it's just a little bit.

Kate

Denny, Beth Perkins, and Mary Ann Tauskey at Cranes Beach back in the day. Photo courtesy of Denny Emerson

As a quick note from our friends and sponsors at World Equestrian Brands: Does your horse love the decadently soft calfskin of his Vespucci bridle? He's in luck, then, because that same lovely leather is available in the form of our Vespucci girths. The short girths are available in black as well as brown and oakbark to accommodate monoflap jumping saddles as well as dressage. The long girths come in brown or oakbark with a subtle centered D-ring and dark elastic to match the leather for a seamless and finished look. SRP $155 for short and $175 for long.

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Rider Profile: Donna Miller

By Annie Yeager on January 3, 2012 4:00 PM, Filed Under Rider Profiles

If you'd like to submit an Eventing profile, follow this link for more information, fill out the form, and send it to annieyeagerEN@gmail.com.I

Photo credit: Mark Walter Lehner/ Hoof Clix Photography

Name: Donna Miller

Age: 54

Location: Alpharetta, GA

Relationship to Eventing : Master Adult Amateur Intermediate 2* rider, eventing parent, breeder, and volunteer when time permits (pretty much zero right now)

Favorite Eventing moment/story?: Most recently I completed a CIC2* on my 15 hand Connemara pony stallion that i started as a rising 3yo and who is now eight. When I purchased him in 2005, I had hopes of Preliminary, but at that time, never considered Intermediate. Well, the jumps no longer look huge as my pony's huge heart makes them smaller. Running around the 2* was absolutely the ride of my life. I was on a high for at least a week after. One other moment was at the AECs in 2008 at Lamplight, when, this same pony and I won the AEC Training Amateur division and the Optimum time award. It was one of the most ironic horse moments of my life, bc I actually got lost on XC and had to circle to find one of the jumps. The timers for the Optimum Time Award were at a spot on XC just after the place where I made the circle which put me at almost the optimum time they were looking for at that point on XC, HOWEVER, that circle caused me to have time faults. Fortunately the time faults were not enough to drop my placing and we ended up winning the division and the Optimum Time Award. So tell me, how do you win the Optimum Time Award AND have time faults on XC? The stars must have been aligned for us that weekend.

If you had to pick one reason why you love Eventing, what would it be? I absolutely love the fact that eventing is all about how you and your do on that weekend compared to your goals, and not necessarily how you end up on the score board. This attribute of eventing brings with it fantastic people that i enjoy spending my time with. I tell people that ask whey I do this and why i go to so many events, and my response it bc each event is like a mini vacation. I get to spend it with the people and horses that I love in beautiful surroundings!

Overall Goals in the sport: I am living my dream and I just want to be able to continue and improve along with my horses.

Biggest Role model: Mary King; she is amazing.

Link to blog or website, if applicable: http://www.hiddencreekhorses.com/

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A View From My Horse: In Remembrance

By Annie Yeager on December 30, 2011 1:34 PM, Filed Under Rider Profiles

Very sadly, this week's view is one that will never be able to be repeated. One of our readers, Haley, sent us this photo taken from her horse, Dan. Tragically, Dan had to be put down last month after coming in from the field with mild colic, which progressed to colic surgery, and ultimately it became in the horse's best interest to put him down. Thanks to Haley for submitting, I know I am not alone in saying that we are all very sorry for her loss.

One month ago today I had to put Dan, my 11 year old TB down. He came down with all the usual signs of a mild, normal colic. Before I knew it he was in surgery have one foot of his small intestine resceted. He never fully recovered and by the next evening I had to make the hardest decision of my life, I had to say good bye to my best friend. This picture was taken a few weeks ago. I had started taking him on solo trail rides to increase his confidence of being "out on his own." He was the most incredible horse I have ever ridden and I feel so thankful that I got to share a part of my life with him. Life does go on but I know I will never forget his face, not even for a second. Thank you for letting me share my story. While this whole ordeal is still like a dream, it does help for me to talk about it.

Thanks,

Haley

As a quick note from our friends and sponsors at World Equestrian Brands: Does your horse love the decadently soft calfskin of his Vespucci bridle? He's in luck, then, because that same lovely leather is available in the form of our Vespucci girths. The short girths are available in black as well as brown and oakbark to accommodate monoflap jumping saddles as well as dressage. The long girths come in brown or oakbark with a subtle centered D-ring and dark elastic to match the leather for a seamless and finished look. SRP $155 for short and $175 for long.

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Welcome to Eventing: No such thing as a late start

By Annie Yeager on December 29, 2011 9:45 AM, Filed Under Rider Profiles

This week's Welcome to Eventing Profile just goes to show that one is never too old or too busy to learn something completely new and foreign, if it is what they truly feel called or compelled to do. Thanks to Cathy for submitting her inspiring story about her journey into the Event world, and as always, thank you for reading. If you'd like to submit the story of your first event, or first introduction to eventing, please send it to annieyeagerEN@gmail.com

Hello Eventing Nation,

My name is Cathy and I was infected earlier this year with the Eventing Virus. As a full time nursing student, part time worker, full time single mom, what else was I to do with all of my spare time and energy but decide to take up eventing in the middle of it all. Really, I blame my dear friend Deb with her innocuous, "You should come out to the barn and visit my horses. You can hack on my mare if you want." I had given up horses ten years earlier when faced with the choice to be a stay at home mom or keep my horse. As my stress level had built with juggling all of my responsibilities, I began to long for those days when I felt the wind in my hair and that warm sense of comfort that being covered in mud and horse smell brings.

The first time I met the mare, she turned an indifferent eye away at my lack of offering. I persisted in trying to foster a relationship with her and wisely showed up with carrots in hand the next time. She graciously allowed me to tack her up and ride her. And by ride, I mean, perch in an unstable and "oh my god its been ten years since I have been on a horse" manner on her back. When she decided to trot off, I managed to land on her neck. It was the first of many times I would land on her neck, or at her feet over the next few months. Each time she would give me a look and a sigh that said, "Again? Are you on or are you off?"

About three months after those first precarious rides, I attended Aspen Farms with Deb as her cheerleader, squire and unofficial psychologist. I walked the course with her, and calmly told her that those solid obstacles were absolutely no big deal while all the while I was screaming inside, "Oh my god she is going to die and I don't know how to pull a trailer!". After watching her compete that weekend, being sucked into the shared camaraderie and insanity that eventers share, and deciding that life was too short, I proposed to my dear friend that she should let me event on her mare. A little background on miss Cady- she is an eight year old paint mare who is as green as I am, more opinionated than a two year old in a candy store, and oh yes, she has never done this before either. After attending almost every event in Area VII last year though, I could not imagine what could possibly make more sense than for a green rider to take a green horse and gallop towards solid obstacles. After all, the mantra of the eventer seems to be "It's not a big deal... just grab mane and get over it."

Fast forward to a couple of months later... we are now schooling solidly at beginner novice level on cross country. I land less and less on her neck, and less and less on the ground! All of the "SIT UP SIT UP FOR THE LOVE OF GOD SIT UP" is better than Pilates... The hard work and barely concealed amusement my trainers have poured into me has begun to pay off. I credit eventing for saving my sanity by putting the rest of my stress into perspective. The mare and I have forged a partnership and much to her mom's chagrin, she now answers to Princess when I call to her across the field. I love every hair on her sassy little hide and I cannot wait until spring. I have two goals next year... the first is to hear "5, 4, 3, 2,1 have a good ride!" and the second is to survive long enough to get my water bottle at the end. The rest is gravy! After all, its no big deal...

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Rider Profile: Ryann Quigley

By Annie Yeager on December 28, 2011 2:00 PM, Filed Under Rider Profiles

If you'd like to submit an Eventing profile, follow this link for more information, fill out the form, and send it to annieyeagerEN@gmail.com.I

Name: Ryann Quigley

Age: 19

Location: High Point, NC

Relationship to Eventing: Prelim Rider

Favorite Eventing moment/story?: The 2011 Bromont CCI*. I left my first Bromont experience with a smile on my face. A little back-story, after recovering from a suspensory injury, both my horse and I's confidence was a little shaken. Our first preliminary resulted in elimination at fence 8. I started working for/with Mara DePuy who slowly but surely pumped us with confidence, transforming our performance dramatically. We progressed from this elimination in February to being the Top Placed YR and 5th of 40 in the CCI 1* and winners of the XC style award. I can't even pinpoint my favorite part of the weekend, but if I were to guess, I would say the D Box. Unusual for some, but I got to sit there for a moment, in the chilled air, watching Mara, my mother and super groom Katie take care of Moose. I suddenly got filled with emotion, I realized I had just jumped clean on the hardest track I've ever encountered, and only added 4.4 time penalties. It was incredible.

If you had to pick one reason why you love Eventing, what would it be? I love the community, and the people that are in it. At college, I keep my horse at a local Hunter/Jumper barn. Everyone there is very nice and easy to get a long with. They had invited me to participate in a jumper show near by, and being that Show Jumping is my worst phase, I agreed it would be great practice. I was greeted by a grumpy middle age woman, irritated that I had no idea how to fill out an entry form, and shooed me away when I asked what the strings were for. No one asked how your rounds are, and if you had a great one, people glare at you thinking "how dare you leave all those rails in the cups." Eventing could not be more different, and it is fantastic. People warn you about tricky parts of courses, congratulate you on a job well done, and they actually mean it.

Overall Goals in the sport: I've had this long-term goal to get to Rolex as a Young Rider. I am now coming to terms with the fact that it will not happen. Not because I'm not a good rider, not because I don't have a great horse, but because fate just isn't on my side. The horse I have now couldn't take me to a four star. Hands down. I'll be lucky if I can get him to a two star. As I reevaluate my goals, I'm looking at completing the Fair Hill 2* in 2012, making it to YR in 2013, my last year, and doing well. I hear all these kids who just want to make it to championships, but I always think to myself, why would you go just to go? Waste all that money to have a run out and 3 rails? Take your time. Go to be a contender, not just a competitor. I want to win.

Biggest Role model: I always pondered this question, and never really had an answer. As I said before, I worked for Mara DePuy this past summer and as a result, my outlook on role models changed. Mara is the nicest, friendliest, most approachable person I have ever encountered. She cares about your goals, she cares about your horse, and she cares about you. She does everything in her power to help you succeed. She will put absolutely everything into helping you. She is truly an amazing person. She showed me that the ups and downs of eventing aren't everything, and I certainly had a fair share of ups and downs this summer. She can handle anything that her horses throw at her, and she is always optimistic. She is a true horseman, and I can only hope that I can be just as amazing as her one day.

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Welcome to Eventing: Amanda and Gump

By Annie Yeager on December 20, 2011 12:00 PM, Filed Under Rider Profiles

In one of our best 'Welcome to Eventing' stories to date, reader Amanda tells the story of getting her OTTB, Gump, for free, and a few months later competing in their first event, (as in first event ever for both rider and horse.) Thanks for sharing your cool story, Amanda, and as always, thank you for reading.

I "bought" Gump a.k.a. Jewel of the Cat in January 2011. Actually I picked him up for free. His seller due to lots of life circumstances could no longer keep him and admitted that his bad behaviors had made riding less than enjoyable. The first month I owned him he bolted, he bucked, and boy could he spook! He spooked at leaves, he spooked at cats, he spooked at dogs, he spooked at my husband (but who wouldn't..the man was riding that horrific horse-eating beast known as a bicycle), and I won't even mention the toddler daughter cruising in

her toy car incident. I learned to lower my stirrups and hang on! Never have my thighs been so toned.

Slowly but surely Gump learned to trust me and I learned to trust him, so we packed our trailer and headed out to our first schooling trial in July to compete at the Beginner Novice level. Did I mention this was my first horse trial too?

Our dressage round started out shaky, the letter 'A' it turns out is quite terrifying to Gump, but we finished solid middle of the pack with a score of 38.1 The stadium round went extremely well. Gump jumped like he'd been doing it his whole life. Now only one thing

stood between us and a clean "middle of the pack" victory!

...the cross country round.

My first mistake was trying to walk the course in my NEW riding boots. They were biting in to my ankles something fierce after about 100 yards. My second mistake was not taking my husband as I am very geographically challenged...meaning I can NOT read a map. I got lost!

So at some point...after 30 minutes of silent cursing...I just turned around and walked back the way I came. Which means not only would my horse be doing his first cross country course, not only would I be doing my first cross country course, but we would be doing it blind! How hard can it be? You just follow the numbers in sequence...right?

We get in the starting box and we're off! ...at a blazing trot! Hey, we broke in to a canter after the first jump, give us a break.

Everything was going smoothly until we reached Jump 5...the water! It came to me in that moment that I'd never taken this horse through a puddle, much less a whole pond! We were in a record drought. He hadn't even seen rain since I'd owned him! With a little clucking and

smooching we were finally able to creep across the water and exit at a trot. Here we go!!

Somewhere between jump 7 and 8 it all fell apart. Of course I didn't know that at the time. We were just having fun! We galloped up a hill. We galloped down a hill. And we hit a massive clump of trees. Wait, this can't be right? We trotted back up the hill and back down

the hill. I see a blur of a grey horse go by. I know that horse? It was the number behind me! Follow her!

We trot cautiously around a bit until we finally see (drum roll) Jump #8! Yeah! Here we go!

Holy COW! Jumps 9 and 10 were huge! The song from that Disney movie, Finding Nemo, came to mind. "Just keep galloping...just keep galloping!" We clear them!

At this point adrenaline has completely taken over and we are cruising! Jumps 11, 12, 13, 14, 15...I see the finish line! And we cross! Wahoooo!

I don't think you could wipe the grin off of my face with an atomic bomb.

We finished with a score of 58.1 after our little mishap at the water and I couldn't have been prouder of my little Gump.

At our most recent event we lowered that score to 42.1. We can't wait for our next outing February 5th!

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View: Memories of Summer from World Equestrian Brands

By Annie Yeager on December 18, 2011 7:06 PM, Filed Under Rider Profiles

This week's "ears" photo definitely conjures up visions of summer time. One of our readers (although they didn't include their name!) sent us this photo of a quiet summer day's ride. Only about four more months and the days will be longer, the air will smell sweeter, and all will be right as summer will have returned.

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This is my amazing off-the-track-thoroughbred Harpur on an early morning, end of summer ride at Green Acres Stables in Madbury, NH. This was one of the very first mornings where fall was "in the air", and the mist covering the fields was beautiful! Hiding in the mist is my dog Fairen who likes to lead the way on our rides.

As a quick note from our friends and sponsors at World Equestrian Brands just in time for Christmas: Does your horse love the decadently soft calfskin of his Vespucci bridle? He's in luck, then, because that same lovely leather is available in the form of our Vespucci girths. The short girths are available in black as well as brown and oakbark to accommodate monoflap jumping saddles as well as dressage. The long girths come in brown or oakbark with a subtle centered D-ring and dark elastic to match the leather for a seamless and finished look. SRP $155 for short and $175 for long.

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Recently in Rider Profiles Category

HN Today: 30 Years After She Won Rolex

View: Til' the Cows Come Home, presented by World Equestrian Brands

A View For Two presented by World Equestrian Brands

View from the Kentucky Horse Park, presented by World Equestrian Brands

View: Canadian Ears from World Equestrian Brands

View From My Horse: Crane's Beach, presented by World Equestrian Brands

Rider Profile: Donna Miller

A View From My Horse: In Remembrance

Welcome to Eventing: No such thing as a late start

Rider Profile: Ryann Quigley

Welcome to Eventing: Amanda and Gump

View: Memories of Summer from World Equestrian Brands

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