A windy weekend set the tone for the 34th annual Winter Equestrian Festival, held at the Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club. Hunter competition was held in five different rings today, and two people can call themselves champions in the Amateur-Owner 18-35 Hunters.
In the A section, a familiar rider graced the winner’s circle. Although Avery Dimmig sold her outstanding horse, Due North, she has found a new mount that will keep her seeing blue. North Country, a five year old gelding out of the successful hunter stallion Nairobi, won the tricolor in his fifth show ever. “I bought him from Shane George just over a month ago,” Dimmig explained. “He’s learning very quickly, and he’s very smart.”
North Country won an over fences class yesterday and was first and second over fences today. While Dimmig of Rougemount, North Carolina did not expect a championship in the first week, she mentioned, “There were parts of me that thought this was possible because he has a good brain, and I knew the jumps wouldn’t be an issue.” She added, “It’s just learning to jump from the in of the line to the out of the line without going left or right. There were baby mistakes here and there, but it was very good.”
Dimmig is looking forward to what the future may hold for the talented young horse. “Learning his job is the most fun part about it,” she said with a smile. “It’ll be interesting to see how he evolves, to where he walks into the ring and knows exactly what his position in life will be.”
Keswick, Virginia resident Sheila Motley only travels to Wellington three times to compete, but she makes the most out of her time here. Motley and her typey bay gelding Social Secretary had outstanding results in the B section of the younger Amateur-Owner Hunters. The ten year old Thoroughbred was first and second over fences yesterday, and he improved on that today by winning both over fences classes. A sixth place on the flat secured them the championship.
About her win in the first week, Motley described, “It’s obviously a great start and builds a lot of confidence having done well this week. It is nice to have a horse that I have a lot of confidence in. I can just bring him to the ring, and he’s nice enough to go around and do a good job.”
In order to show successfully while only being in Florida for a few days, Motley relies on her team. “Debbie Buchanan takes care of him, and Kelley Farmer and Larry Glefke help me with him. I have a great team and they are people I’ve ridden with since I was little,” she described. “Everybody knows each other and knows what’s going on. It makes it a lot easier, so I’m lucky that way.”
Motley’s plan is to keep winning and improving throughout circuit. She clarified, “Last year I didn’t get to show a lot, so it was a little bit touch and go. I didn’t know him that well and he didn’t know me, so hopefully this year we’ll get more consistent and better each week. I didn’t get to show him at Devon last year, so that would be a goal to do really well there.”
As one of the few Thoroughbreds left in the hunter ring, Motley is proud of her horse. “When they’re good, they’re good!” she said with a laugh. “When he wants to be great, he’ll be super. The fancy thoroughbreds are pretty hard to beat when they have a good day.”
The first week of the Winter Equestrian Festival concludes tomorrow, with championships awarded in the Amateur-Owner 36 & Over Hunters, as well as the junior and pony hunters.
You must be logged in to post a comment.