48 SIDELINES OCTOBER 2011
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
Sidelines:
What is it like training with Margie?
CK:
Margie is an incredible person and very competitive, but she
enjoys watching her students win as much as winning herself.
Margie has won over 200 Grand Prixs, which is amazing. I would
love to be that good. I love the fact that everyone has so much
respect for her and that she has so much integrity. She is so much
fun to ride with and she has quite a mischievous sense of humor!
Sidelines:
When did you start riding for Double H Farms?
CK:
I started riding for Double H during the Winter Equestrian
Festival this year. Quentin Judge approached me about riding a
couple of horses in the juniors and I was thrilled. We have had
some great successes including the Grand Prix in Connecticut
with HH Narcos Du Marais. Quentin and Cayce are a super team
and have been so cool to ride for. They are very supportive and
encouraging, no matter what the outcome is, and I feel very lucky
that they have given me so many opportunities.
Sidelines:
You keep your horses at your own farm and do all of
the work yourself. What horses do you have?
CK:
I have three really nice horses of my own: Camirage a 10
year old German mare; Creata van ten Biesen, a nine year old
Belgium Warmblood; and Ushuaia Van de Wolfsakker, a seven
year old mare by Presidente. I also have two geldings that we
bought as sales horses. It’s a lot of work because I have them on
our farm at home and I ride them all myself everyday. I also muck
out, feed, clean, tack up -- my parents also chip in. Dad and Mum
groom for me when we go to the shows and we are very much a
team. We all need each other to make things run smoothly!
Sidelines:
What has your Grand Prix experience been like so
far?
CK:
I can’t wait to get more chances, it is so exciting to get in to
the jump-off. I have to admit I love when there’s a crowd to cheer
you on and winning on those occasions is so satisfying. I won my
frst Grand Prix in Germany when I was 15 on a really honest mare
called Liberty Lady. She put everything in to it, cutting corners
and leaving out strides and when all the fences stayed up and
the announcer was shouting in German I knew we had won; but I
didn’t know what he was saying. We got a tremendous cheer and
that was an amazing day.
Sidelines:
Who has had the biggest impact on your career?
CK:
Of course Margie is always going to be top of my list, but
all of the senior women in the sport have infuenced me. I love
watching them ride. They know what it takes to win and they are
all kind and encouraging and ready to give advice. It’s a really
tough sport and not winning is also part of it, so it is important
to know how to take disappointment and turn it into something
positive. I think that is what sets the top riders apart.
Sidelines:
What do you do when you aren’t riding?
CK:
My hobbies include music, fashion and I love hanging out
with my friends. I also love all sports and being on a team. I like
paintball, ice skating and snow skiing but there just never really
seems to be enough time. I also enjoy training my dogs to jump. I
think I would probably be a dog trainer if I didn’t ride.
Sidelines:
What do you consider the most amazing moment in
your life so far?
CK:
When I was 12 years old we went to Cannes for the Global
Champions Tour, a two-week horse show. I took a little young
horse just to have some fun and experience. Gonzalo came with
me but warned me to be careful because my little mare had never
seen those bright fences before. He was right, because on the
frst day she stopped at the second fence and I fell off! After that
she was amazing and we won four classes over the two weeks.
Then I got to jump on foot with Matthiew Natif, the French guy who
jumps huge on foot. I saw him practicing one day and said I could
jump, too - so he let me join him that evening in the interval during
the big class. I felt so good afterward when a load of French kids
came and asked for my autograph! At the end of the show they
called me in to the prize giving and presented me with a special
award for the rider who had made the most impression on the
horse show. I was speechless and when they handed me the
microphone to say something all I could do was giggle and laugh
and blurt out “Oh Thank You!” I felt so silly afterward, but it was a
really special feeling.
Sidelines:
What are your goals for the future?
CK:
I would love to go to college, but in a different life! It sounds
like so much fun but I can only make one choice right now and
that is to continue to try and become a top professional rider. I
want to continue living and riding here in the States, as it is home
to me and the opportunities are tremendous. I just have to fnd a
sponsor who would like a crazy little Irish girl with a big passion for
winning to ride for them!
Christina and Camirage won the High Junior Circuit
Championship at the Winter Equestrian Festival.
Christina was Medium Junior Circuit Champion with her mare
Ushaia Van De Wolfsakker at WEF 2011