28 SIDELINES MARCH 2012
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
HelenVarble, Director of Equestrian Facility
Claudia Roland, Barn/Show Manager,“R” Judge
JoieWoodstock, Riding School / Instructor
Judy Streiber, Office / Secretary
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“Tom Wilson was a great horseman and raised his own horses;
but he got sick with cancer,” said Judy. “He wanted to make
arrangements for his horses before he died. I had become great
friends with him because of my interests and he sent Johnny’s
Pocket to me to sell. We scraped all our money together and
bought him, because he was just so good. He won fve grand prix
in one year – that was huge in those days, the 80s. He never had
more than four faults all year. He was just a fabulous horse.”
“Johnny’s Pocket was the horse of a lifetime – a fabulous jumper
and a smart horse,” states Judy. “Norman Dello Joio showed him
for me. Katie Monahan Prudent and Ellen Raidt showed him for
me frst. JP was so talented and he had just come into my life.
The children were young. We had just bought Coker Farm. I
rode okay; if I’d had George Morris at my elbow every minute,
I would have been fne; but I had a family and the farm and the
family came frst. I couldn’t spread myself that thin. That’s why
I put Johnny’s Pocket with professionals. The horse deserved a
chance to be all he could be. I like riders to have a chance to be
all they can be and I feel that strongly about the horses, too. It
didn’t seem fair to hold back such a nice jumper. I don’t enjoy
watching really talented horses wasting themselves over 3 foot
fences.”
Rants and Raves
Judy’s upbeat about life in the horse world. She would like
talented horses to have a greater opportunity to fulfll their destinies.
After the I:60 classes look to big to aging super horses, they need
to drop down into easier divisions: Junior and/or Amateur, Adult
and/or Children’s Jumpers. Competitive old horses don’t like
retirement. The lower jumps are easier for them AND they are
wonderful teachers. They know what they are doing and they are
safe, a trait we all love.
She’d also like to see the mileage rule go. “Trainers end up
going to a lot of shows they don’t like because they have to,
because of the mileage rule,” she points out. “I’ve wanted to put
on a frst rate horse show here at Coker Farm for 30 to 35 years;
but I could not get a date for a four to fve day show in prime time,
because of the mileage rule.”
It’s unfortunate that there isn’t more traffc between the big A
shows and the local shows. In the old days people made horses
at the local shows. You’d see everything at Greenwich Horse
Show and the Fairfeld-Westchester PHA show.
“Trainers like George Morris would bring a bunch of horses
and riders and that would bring the level way up,” recalls Judy.
“There’s quite a divide now between A and local. There are the
HITS shows that offer something for everybody; but there are
eight rings and the people never watch the grand prix ring or the
working hunters. We used to learn so much by watching the good
riders on the good horses over the bigger courses.”
Judy would also like to see the big grand prix classes top out
at 25 horses. She thinks that watching 50-60 rounds tends to put
any spectator to sleep. “I love grand prix but even my eyes glaze
over,” she says. “When they get that many, they need qualifying
classes and bring back the top 20-25 max on Sunday afternoon.
Same thing for big hunter classes. The derbies are terrifc; but
if they ever have 60 entries, everyone’s eyes will glaze over.
People’s attention spans, especially today, are very short. They
have to have entertainment.”
As for the quality of horses, Judy thinks that the Europeans are
smarter than we are: “They’re breeding to the American tastes
and they’re selling some very good horses over here. These
equitation horses are just magnifcent. I don’t know how the kids
learn to ride if they have these perfect horses all the time, but a
really good horse can teach you a lot.”
Where Champions Meet
Judy continues to teach. She has been working for about four
years with Sam Johnston, 13, who likes the jumpers. She takes