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FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE SIDELINES MAY 2011 25

Jan rides with Katie Prudent for show jumping, gets lessons from Phillip Dutton, who has been competing several of her horses, and David O’Connor stepped in to start Surefre’s young horses, working with them in hand. In February this year, Jan started competing again. She worked her way through some issues going novice aboard Surefre’s Twice A Star. She returned to Pine Top Winter II Horse Trials, less than one year after her life-altering fall, to complete open preliminary with Why Not. The duo added only one rail in show jumping and 17.2 time penalties to their clear cross country to fnish 11th in a very competitive feld of 26.

One Day At A Time

“You can’t ever take anything for granted and a lot of times we do,” says Jan. “Life is hard – you have to take the choice that’s wise, but also you have to enjoy the process. Everything about life is a process. They say half the fun is getting there: sometimes I don’t think so, but it’s true.”

Jan will be coaching one of her protégées at Rolex, no doubt champing at the bit to get out there herself. Why Not will aim for Fair Hill in the fall. She continues to work on her hands and speech: she’ll tell you fat out that communicating with a speech defcit is simply not good enough. The same spirit and drive that characterizes her as a top-ranked international competitor help her to kick on. Jan refected on some of the personal lessons harvested during this challenging year: “I found out who my friends really are. Katie and Phillip have had a hard job. If they think I’m not up to something, they have to tell me. It’s important to know what to say when. My poor mom…” She takes a deep breath. Some would say that she’s a walking miracle.

“I’m lucky,” says Jan. “It really does take a village. You can’t do it all by yourself – and I want it all. I just have to take it one day at a time.”

Profle in Courage pretty much describes Jan Byyny’s relentless battle to regain her form as an international competitor. Shown here, making Syd Kent’s four-star debut at Rolex in 2009 where they fnished 22nd

Photo by Lauren R. Giannini