Celebration at the Selection Trials

Riding in an Electric Atmosphere

Two Young Rider graduates—Nicole Perry and Michael Shondel—relished the opportunity to experience the Festival of Champions. In the barns, warmup, and show arena, they could accustom themselves to the electricity of big-time competition.

Perry showed Rubino Bellissimo to third place overall (68.855). About riding in her first Festival, she said, “I'm glad it's over, but I had a wonderful time meeting everybody and seeing all these fantastic horses.”

Compared to Young Riders, she said this event was “definitely different. Young Riders is like the minor leagues. This is the major league.”

She named the warmup as “tough,” because riders are onstage at every moment. Her trainer, Willy Arts of DG Bar Ranch, helped prepare her for the arena.

She's trained with Arts for a year. “He's been my eyes on the ground.”

Perry has owned her stallion since he was 4. Rubino is a licensed Hanoverian, imported from Germany.

The selection trials also showcased the depth of Grand Prix horses in the U.S. Anna Karenina demonstrated her lofty gaits, of which announcer Brian O'Connor said, “If there were a definition of ‘suspension,' it would be Anna Karenina.” Tina Konyot rode the 12-year-old Dutch mare to finish seventh overall (70.225), with a 73.2 in the Freestyle.

Californian Carol Plough rode Komo to ninth (66.881), earning 68.225 in the Freestyle. A student of Debbie McDonald's, Plough has competed her chestnut Dutch Warmblood in Grand Prix since 2002.

“I realize we have some awesome horses at the top,” she said. “I want to be able to get my horse the exposure and the experience. We have to have horses coming up."

Image by Charlene Strickland