Every professional horseman and horsewoman will accumulate a career of ups and downs. As I have shared in some of my previous articles, I have certainly had my share of, let’s say, “learning experiences.” There was the time I was a bit too confident taking a corner with a team of five horses, and needed Andreas Nemitz to coach me out of the jam I had gotten myself into. There was the time I was competing in Dressage at the Burghley Young Event Horse show, and my horse suddenly decided this would be a good time to launch into a fit of bucking (needless to say, I finished last in that class).
For all the embarrassments and setbacks we suffer for our sport, there will be those magical moments that make it all worth it, those memories that we treasure for a lifetime. I’d like to now share one of those magical moments that was only made possible by all those “learning experiences” that went before.
It was 2013, at the prestigious Devon Horse Show. My wife Suzanne and I had accompanied our friends Bill and Liz Venditta to the event as part of their team, assisting with the preparations and driving in some of the classes. Bill had intended to drive in the timed obstacle event, but at the last moment, he gave me the opportunity instead – a decision for which I will be forever grateful! Suzanne and I are seated on the front of his beautiful antique Brewster Park Drag in the USEF’s video at the link below. Bill and Liz took the seats behind us, and we set off into the arena.
It was one of those times that everything came together beautifully. Our team went first. We entered the arena, and Bill’s gorgeous team of Dutch Gelderlanders went through the entire course at a steady pace like clockwork. Once, twice, three times we wheeled around the course, threading every obstacle perfectly, leaving every cone intact, and finishing in just 141.10. The spectators erupted in applause. We had established the time to beat, and no one beat it that day. You can bet that we all felt the glow of that success for some time afterward. I especially treasure this accomplishment because it was a contest not only of the antique coaching appointments, but of driving skill as well.
So, go compete! Competition, approached with an attitude of good sportsmanship, is always a learning opportunity and a chance to build camaraderie with others in your chosen discipline. Every competition, no matter whether it is a national-level show, or your local club event, is also an opportunity to experience that magical moment when it all comes together.
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