54 SIDELINES FEBRUARY 2012
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
Continued on page 56
Sarah Anderson and Cody
All photos by Karin Andersen
Spotted in the Ring: Perseverance
Wins the Day for a Rider with her POA
By Holly Jacobson
In a sea of bay, gray and chestnuts, Wild Card Cody’s
loud blanket of big black spots on his snow white rump
stood out, as usual.
For his owner-rider Sarah Anderson, 15, of Great Falls,
Virginia, competing at the 2011 Pony Finals at the Kentucky
Horse Park in Lexington marked another gratifying
experience and deep pride in her pony. Perseverance has
been the key to their relationship. Sarah says the most
important lesson Cody has taught her over the last four
years is to not give up.
Gaining Hard-Earned Trust
“Lots of kids quit after getting dumped; but after three
years of hardships, trials and tribulations, it’s so worth it.”
Sarah got Cody in the summer before staring 6th grade
when she had only been riding for a little over a year. The
entire frst year she worked at not getting bucked-off. “He
has a wicked buck,” says her mom, Karin. “We set little
goals,” says Sarah. “The frst year was not falling off at
a show; the second year success meant not stopping on
course.” “It took time for him trust me as a rider,” says
Sarah. “He’d stop unless we got the perfect distance or
buck me off. He taught me to ride correctly and to really
ride the whole time, with my leg on.” Although, Cody knew
how to do everything, Sarah says he preferred she fgure
out how to ask. “I have to fnd the distance and then tell him
it’s the right one.”
Originally broke Western, trainer Miranda Scott of
Meadowbrook Stables in Chevy Chase, Maryland, loved
his name when she saw his ad. When she tried him, she
loved his jump. Under Miranda’s direction, Cody placed
7th over fences at the USEF Pony Finals in the Green Pony
division and 14th overall with rider Elizabeth Giliberti.
He next belonged to Alexa Wilbrandt at Virginia
Wilbrandt’s MEA Haven Farm in Aldie, Virginia, before
Sarah took the reins. Cody’s “cuteness” factor wins him
many fans but the pony has a strong mind of his own. Over
the years, girls would come up to Sarah at shows excited to
see Cody and share their stories about riding him. “He likes
people but you have to be careful not to back into other
horses,” says Sarah. He loves carrots and molasses treats,
especially the ones she bakes for him. He also loves going
cross country. “Normally, he’s pretty lazy, but hacking out
his ears prick up and he soars over logs, coops, all that fun
stuff,” says Sarah.
Movin’ Up
The third year, Sarah started showing Cody in the Large
Children’s Pony Hunter. At the Upperville Colt and Horse
Show, they were champion out of 20+ in the Local Large
Ponies (2’6”). Sarah also won the VHSA Pony Medal her
frst time in a 3’ class. At the VHSA Pony Medal Finals the
very next weekend, she placed third.
Sarah met her personal goal of qualifying for Zone 3
Finals when Cody’s Reserve Champion in a feld of 40
qualifed them for the 2010 Washington International Horse
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Show at the Verizon Center in DC.
Like a movie script, Sarah and her blue roan won blue with a
score of 82 at the WIHS Regional Hunter Finals (Ponies). Sarah
called the experience, “so amazing, he couldn’t have been better.
It was really a one in a lifetime chance, and I’m so glad it went
well.”
“We were never more proud of her because she worked so hard
for the past three years,” says Karin. “The largest compliment
anyone pays to Sarah is how easy she makes him look. They
have truly developed a special partnership.”
In 2011, they qualifed for the USEF Pony Finals, the USEF
Pony Medal and the VHSA Pony Medal. At HITS Culpepper, she
and Cody placed frst in all four over fences classes with ffths in
the hack and model. Sarah knows Cody isn’t the fanciest mover or
model but says his phenomenal jumping makes him a champion.