66 SIDELINES NOVEMBER 2011
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
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By Jan Westmark-Allan
Stacy Parvey-Larsson has been immersed in the
dressage world most of her life. When Stacy was 13, her
mom began bringing the late Jill Hassler from Hilltop Farm
to Florida for clinics. “I started riding when I was fve and
by the time I was 13 I knew I wanted to focus on dressage,”
Stacy said.
Stacy went to Hilltop Farm with her horse every summer
for the Intensive Riding Program and by the time she was
15 began working under the tutelage of Scott Hassler.
“I moved to Hilltop after graduating from high school in
1998. In 2001, I went to Germany and took part in the
Pilot Program at the International Academy for Equestrian
Studies. Upon passing the trainer “A” exam I moved to
Ocala, Florida and started my own business, Hidden Acres
Dressage.”
Like many professional riders, Stacy is proud to
have sponsors that help her with her business and her
competitive life, including Verhan Saddles, Purina Mills,
Charles Owen, Blue Centaur and The Sanctuary Equine
Therapy & Rehabilitation Center. “The relationship between
a sponsor and a rider has to be a win-win situation. When
the sponsor can beneft from a rider’s good performance
and therefore get their product or service known, and a
rider can beneft from a sponsor’s product or service by
helping keep their horses performing at their peak, to me,
that is a win-win.”
Sidelines:
What is happening in your career right now?
SPL:
I am currently training some young horses that I am
really excited about. Also, I have formed a partnership
with Linda Woltz on some lovely young sales horses. I
am currently competing the 2004 Hanoverian stallion,
Benidetto, Horses Unlimited’s 2008 Hanoverian stallion,
Pikk Dynamic HU and Horses Unlimited’s 1997 Sachse
gelding, Lord of Dancing. Each of them has a very bright
future!
Sidelines:
What are your plans for these horses?
SPL:
My plans for Benidetto are the Prix St. Georges and
A Chat with Stacy Parvey-Larsson
Intermediaire I in Wellington next season and to qualify for the
Developing Horse Championships next year. The plan for Pikk
Dynamic is to qualify for the FEI 5-Year-Old Championships. Also,
I just recently purchased Benidetto’s full sister Benidetta with
business partner Linda Woltz, and I hope to qualify Benidetta for
the FEI 4-Year-Old Championships. She will be coming over from
Germany this month and I am really looking forward to her arrival!
Sidelines:
What do you consider your career highlights?
SPL:
My favorite most recent success, while fve months
pregnant with my son, was fnishing Reserve Champion at the
Markel/USEF FEI 6-Year-Olds National Championships in 2010
with the Hanoverian stallion Benidetto. I formed the partnership
with Benidetto in November of 2009 and worked very hard in a
very short time to get him ready for the championship. It was a
long shot and we managed to pull it off! He is one of the most
talented and willing young horses I have ever trained.
Sidelines
: What are your riding goals now?
SPL:
My goal is to train Benidetto and Lord of Dancing to the
Grand Prix and to represent the United States in international
competition. I also want to qualify my young horses for the FEI
National Championships in 2012.
Sidelines:
What do you like better -- showing, training or
teaching?
SPL:
I love to show more than anything! To have success in the
show ring is a compliment to the daily training you put into the
horse. Also, just as rewarding is to have a happy student earn his
or her bronze and silver medals, just another confrmation that the
training is going in the right direction.
Stacy and her husband Olof with their son Ashton
Stacy and Benidetto enjoying life!