Photo by Una Schade Photography
Day One Journal:
Our first day in Wellington started off with a bang! We began at Betsy Juliano’s beautiful Havensafe Farm, watching Jen Baumert ride her horse, Opus, with the help of Scott Hassler. Scott’s teaching really spoke to me, as he is very big on honoring the horse and their own individual way of going. Since I ride more inexperienced horses that are coming up the levels, his tips about using the lateral work to break up inconsistencies and tension were especially valuable to me. Overall, my favorite thing he said to us was that “You shouldn’t underestimate the power of a good work ethic” in a horse. I think it is easy to get caught up in the “wow” factor of a horse, so hearing something like that was especially validating as a young rider.
Betsy had a discussion with us about sponsorships and how they operate in the professional world. It was really fascinating to hear about what she looks for in riders that makes her want to get to know them better and perhaps support them on their journey.
With Betsy Juliano at Havensafe Farm
Beth Baumert provided Jen with “ground assistance,” as she called it, while Jen rode a horse named Catalyst. It was very educational. We ended our time at Havensafe by talking to Canadian Olympian Jacquie Brooks, which was also a highlight of the day for me. She emphasized that she thinks the future of our sport is in us rediscovering balance and cleaning up international definitions.
We then spent some time learning from Charlotte Bredahl and meeting Christine Traurig and Michel Assouline while watching the jog at Global. I had never seen a jog before, so that was a super cool experience! We ended the night watching the Dressage Infusion Masterclass, which was nothing short of inspiring. I love watching the instructors’ different ways of working through difficult moments and improving the individual horse they have under them. This was the perfect opportunity for that. All in all, today I soaked in so much knowledge that I can’t wait to bring home!
Day Two:
My second day in Wellington was even better than the first in a lot of ways. I felt more comfortable with the atmosphere today, and less disoriented by the grandeur of it all. We started the morning at Roseview South Farm, watching Molly Maloney get a lesson from David Marcus. This was one of my favorite parts of the day, as David explained he started in the sport by riding a lot of Thoroughbreds! Obviously, this is one of my favorite topics, as my main horse is my “Baby Shamu,” who is an eight-year-old OTTB. David gave me some great insight about developing better quality in his trot, which is what we have been working on for this off-season back at home.
We then got to watch Jennifer Williams ride, and talk to her and Ava Dingley, which was very insightful. It was super interesting to see the “behind the scenes” of showing in Wellington. The idea that you can just pull in, show, and leave and go on with your day is so fascinating!
A chat with Jennifer Williams and Ava Dingley
We talked to Allison Brock and Sarah Tubman, and both were so incredibly kind. I loved getting to watch the Para Dressage in the afternoon. Para Equestrian will always have a special place in my heart, as my younger brother, Alex, has cerebral palsy and epilepsy, and loves to ride his horse at home.
Of course, the shining jewel of the day was watching both the CDI FEI 3* Grand Prix and the CDI FEI 5* Grand Prix! I am someone who really enjoys watching the riding in real time -- competition riding almost more than anything else. To see the way the riders really use their corners to their advantage in different circumstances and manage their horses through “challenge” moments right in front of you is so beyond educational. I got to watch Marcus Orlob ride Jane right in front of me, which was one of those dream moments!
Overall, today was another amazing day, and I am sitting in bed feeling so grateful that I get to have this experience.
The Dream Program with Robert Dover
Day Three:
This morning, we got up and went straight to the Adequan Global Dressage Festival and watched some wonderful rides. Ellie Brimmer came over and chatted with us this morning about Para-Dressage, which was so inspiring. She brought up a great point, that often able-bodied riders overlook the walk, but that the walk tests in Para-Dressage are quite challenging! Therefore, she challenged us to consider that the walk is trainable and that it is so important in our horses’ development.
We also got to talk to Lauren Chumley and Ali Potasky, which was such a fantastic learning experience. Since I have both my eight-year-old and my weanling, I got some great answers from them to some of my questions about riding and training young horses. I left that conversation feeling so much more hopeful about my horses’ futures and the journey I have ahead with them.
We then made our way over to High Meadow Farm, where we watched Olivia LaGoy-Weltz's clinic with Richard White. Richard brought some interesting thoughts to the table, most importantly to “create a back you can sit on” in your horse throughout the ride.
Afterward, we met Robert Dover, and it was a shining moment on the trip for me. Robert had many great quotes throughout our time together, but the one that meant the most to me was that when he was young, he was “assured of what I could do if given the chance”, and that he just kept on working hard every day. I often tend to wonder how things are going to work out in my life in the long run in this sport, and what Robert emphasized is that what matters is to believe in yourself and your ability, and trust in the process and your own hard work.
Lastly, we watched a fantastic evening of dressage at Friday Night Stars at Global! Freestyles are always so inspiring to me, and Susan Pape’s freestyle was especially so. Tonight was such a fantastic night with the other amazing young riders in the Dream Program, and we made some memories together that are sure to last a lifetime.
Wrap-Up:
I am now home in Colorado, and I am left with the utmost gratitude for this incredible experience I had in Wellington. Over the last few days, while I’ve recounted the many amazing places we saw and people we met, two things really stuck out to me.
First, listening to Scott Hassler’s teaching gave me some incredible takeaways, but the greatest one was that “you are your horse’s coach, and their champion.” So often, I think as riders we feel like we are making mistakes with our horses when they are struggling. To think of it instead as a moment to “coach” my horse through helps me gain a more optimistic view of the sometimes-difficult moments in training. Remembering too that I am my horse’s voice, and “cheerleader,” really resonates with my own personal “why” I do dressage in the first place: to grow with my horse, and enjoy every minute of the sport with them. I was even further reminded of this idea when talking to Jacqueline Brooks, who encouraged us to foster these partnerships with our horses and enjoy the journey.
Second, Robert Dover’s talk with us really stood out to me. He explained that the title of his book is “The Gates to Brilliance” because an influential mentor in his life once told him that the gates to brilliance are preceded by sweat and tears. This idea really fits with me at this time in my life and my riding career. For me, this is a time of growth, but also finding out who I really am and how I fit in this jigsaw of a sport.
This program and experience in Wellington were such a keystone part of my future career. I got a glimpse into the upper echelon of dressage, all while learning more about both riding and myself. There was so much to be inspired by, and so much to learn from, and I gained a wealth of knowledge that will serve me well into my future. There were so many highlights of the trip that it is hard to name the most influential, but I thoroughly enjoyed the Dressage Infusion Master Class, watching all the different parts of the CDIs, and, of course, Friday Night Stars. Another massive highlight of the trip for me was meeting each of the other dream program participants. Abby, Finn, Hailey, and Tayla are all some of the kindest, most genuine people I have ever met. I have no doubt that every single one of them will go on to accomplish every goal and realize every dream they have set for themselves. I feel incredibly lucky to have met them, and to consider them friends of mine---friends I hope to keep for a lifetime.
None of this trip would have been possible without the incredible donors who contributed to this program from The Dressage Foundation. Being on this trip was beyond special for me, as I discovered so much of myself---who I am, and who I want to be. I can never thank the donors enough for making this trip possible for me, but if there is anything I could say to them, it would be this:
Thank you for giving a rider like me the opportunity to step into the unknown and open my eyes to the incredible horizon that awaits me in my future career. I know that it will not be easy, and it will take plenty of hard work and patience. But being selected for this program shows me that dreams do come true if you believe in them---and yourself---enough.
