Team #521 Teri Toelcke and Kokopelli
Team #521: Teri Toelcke and Kokopelli
Ages: 76 & 26
Combined Age: 102
I was as most young girls, horse crazy. I remember playing horse with my friend and I was always a black stallion, most likely because I read all the Black Stallion books by Walter Farley. Funny, as an adult, I prefer grey horses.
As a teenager, I rode my friend’s horse, a big black Morgan, and started showing him in English flat shows. I wanted my own horse, but we had no place to keep one let alone a way to afford one.
I spent many years working at horse barns and trail riding outfits and looking for any other way I could get to ride. When I was 46, I met Sharon Rino who raised Arabian horses and she sold me my first two horses. One was my first grey horse, Hi Pazzazz.
I moved to Morgan, Utah, and became friends with a group of ladies who were dressage riders. I spent a summer as their groom and decided I would rather ride myself than clean up for them. So began my dressage career. I took lessons from a few different trainers, went to lots of clinics, and read books about dressage.
I had a variety of horses and enjoyed showing them. My one pony, Stormy Weather, and I made it to Second Level. I was hoping he would be my Century Club ride, but unfortunately he passed away from colic and went over the Rainbow Bridge. I put my dream into “maybe not,” but kept it on my bucket list.
So now my pony, Kokopelli, and I had the privilege of riding our Century Club ride. He is a Gotland pony, 26 years old. He came into my life as a rescue pony and he and I have had many years of fun trail riding, eventing, and riding dressage.
My last trainer, Jen Pagano, taught me so much and I am forever grateful to her. I want to give a special thanks to Carla Parish for all her help in getting Kokopelli and myself ready for our special day.
We completed our ride at the Pumpkin Event in Ogden, Utah, had an amazing ride, and received a score of 69.7% in the Intro B test.
Teri and Kokopelli rode Intro Level, Test B, on September 11, 2021, to complete their Century Club ride.
