Page 114 - 2302_full

112 SIDELINES FEBRUARY 2011 FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE D R E S S A G E

The Future Looks Bright for Isabelle Leibler

By Jan Westmark

At 15, Isabelle Leibler is poised on the brink of being one of the best young dressage riders in the United States. “When I was fve, my mother used to take her hunter/ jumper stallion to WEF where he would compete, and I would always leave to go and watch the dressage,” Isabelle remembers. “I just fell in love with the sport as soon as I saw it. My mom didn’t really know what to say when I told her what I wanted to do but we looked into it and eventually found Lendon Gray, who really launched my career in dressage. Lendon taught me so much and kept me interested and intrigued in the sport.”

Dressage Ponies

Under the tutelage of Lendon, as well as Tuny Page and Lars Petersen, Isabelle made her mark on the FEI Pony division. Aboard her two German Riding Ponies, Isabelle qualifed for the 2010 International Youth Festival in Hagen, Germany, where she proudly represented the United States.

“My years with my ponies Depardieu and Going West were the most memorable years of my riding career. I really learned a lot from them in both dressage and life,” Isabelle adds. “They taught me patience, humility and tenacity. They were the best teachers, but they weren’t easy. I worked the ponies up the levels and eventually entered the FEI Pony division. In 2010, we had our most successful season and earned scores in the high 60s and low 70s range from I and O judges at CDI competitions. These scores qualifed me for the International Youth Festival in Hagen, Germany.”

A Summer in Germany

Isabelle’s frst international competition proved to be an educational and positive experience. Thanks to the Dressage Foundation and Dressage 4 Kids, some of her travel expenses and entry fees were covered and Isabelle was able to stay in Germany for the entire summer. “I arrived in Germany on May 31st at Cornelia Endres’ stable,” says Isabelle. “She is the chef d’equipe of the German Pony Team and my family and I agreed that she would be the best to prepare me for the Youth Festival, where the best youth riders gather for an event that is like a Junior Olympics.”

Isabelle said she will always remember driving onto the show grounds at Hof Kasselmann and seeing the sprawling grounds, the endless line of lorries and buses and rows of white tents where dressage and jumping youth riders kept their horses. “We arrived the day before the jog, so we got to walk around and take in the sights and I was blown away,” Isabelle says. “I couldn’t wait to get started. We ended up having a really great show. I was only allowed to enter one pony so I entered Depardieu as my main horse and Going West as my reserve. We made it all the way to the A fnal freestyle where we fnished 10th. Being able to show against the best in the world at this division, and having the opportunity to learn from them at the same time, was so infuential to my dressage education.”

Isabelle, who is far more advanced than the average 15 year old, said spending the summer in Germany turned out to be a once-in-a-life time experience. “I got to train and show in Germany for a whole summer, live on my own and manage my own horses and completely immerse myself in the language and culture,” she explains. “It was a dream come true and I feel so lucky to have been able to participate. The best part about competing at the International Youth Festival was becoming part of the international horse community. I made so many great friends that I still keep in touch with today. I was able to learn so much from them because of all of their amazing experiences. And of course, a very memorable part of the show was entering the ring for my freestyle. I was so nervous the frst two days but by the third day I felt like I belonged there and that I was there to represent the USA. It was the best feeling in the world!”

On to Horses

Following her summer in Germany, Isabelle said she knew it was time to say goodbye to the ponies, move on and start her Young Rider career with a horse. While in Europe, Isabelle met Watson 108, a 13-year-old Westphalian gelding.

“From the frst time I rode Watson I loved him, spots and all (he has spots like an Appaloosa!) I loved his personality and it was like we understood each other from the beginning,” she says. “I haven’t had him for very long, and we are still getting to know each other, but I think that our relationship will only get stronger.” Isabelle, who lives in Greenwich, Connecticut during the year but spends the winters in Wellington at Stillpoint Farm, is now training with Susie Dutta and said she is looking forward to a

Isabelle competes with her new horse, Watson 108

Photo by Joanna Jodko for Horse Sports Photo.com