Discovering El Campeon's Cirka Z

Simpson found El Campeon's Cirka Z three years earlier with the help of Theo Molenars from Belgium. Cirka was living in Holland at Jos Lansink's farm. He was eight years old at the time, just about to turn nine. His owners bought him as a prospect because there was something about him that Nicole knew was special. He had a classic style and even though he was only 15.3 hands, he jumped like a big horse.

"He's really easy. He goes around like a hunter," commented Nicole to me earlier in the day while she was relaxing outside Cirka's stall with her daughter Sophie and her husband, Will, also an accomplished grand prix rider.

"He's rideable and very scopey" she added as she gazed over to take a look at the stallion that had brought her to Jerez, Spain and these World Championships. Eventually the Gondas started a farm in Los Angeles, CA called El Campeon Farm and she has been running the farm ever since. She has worked for them exclusively since 1996. In 1997 she married and shortly after had Sophie (who is now 4) and most recently Ty, who is 10 months old. At the moment El Campeon Farm has 20 horses in training.

Cirka continues as one of the horses she trains and competes on and to Nicole he is special. He has been one of those unique horses that dreams are built on. Not only does he have the talent, but the personality to be a champion. "He's very mellow and he still breeds," she explained. "He is very well adjusted and travels well."

She did go on to explain that he likes being out of the stall. "He is not barn sour. He has this thing but it's more of a play thing. Sometimes he'll want to be out of the barn and he will rear up and carry on in a playful way."

When I asked Nicki if she would put her kids up on him. She thought for a moment and said, "yes."

So, what was it about Cirka?

"I have never ridden a horse that felt like him. It was just something when I tried him. He's a horse that I could stand at any ingate on and walk into the ring and feel comfortable."

Nicki estimates it took about a year for the two to get to know each other. "I know him well now. I was comfortable right away. That's why I wanted to buy him but I think it takes a year with any horse to connect and he was just coming along when I got him. He's always been very easy and pretty effortless."

Over the years Nicole has taken a few high placements. In 1998 she placed 9th in the World Cup Finals and in 2001 11th on Cirka Z. And then in the final selection trials for the World Equestrian Games she placed fourth. And here she was in Jerez, Spain ready to give it her best efforts to bring home a medal for her country.

When asked what she would say to someone who was aspiring to some day achieve what she had accomplished, she commented, "It takes a lot of work and a lot of dedication. It tests your patience, especially because you are dealing with a horse, so it lends itself to being a different approach in the sport world...but it's a very active lifestyle. So, if your dream and your passion is to do this, then you have to go for it."

Diana DeRosa for HorsesDaily.com