12 SIDELINES MAY 2012
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
Continued on page 14
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It’s Not
ALL Stars
By Lauren R. Giannini
The real glamour of eventing might be when you start
adding stars to the prize list; but the vast majority of those
with the three day bug never get to Rolex – or even two star
events. Are they missing out? Not a chance. Meet a few
of the many who are quite content to pursue their goals at
comfortable levels.
Baby Novice Horse Debut
Dr. Alice Sudduth admits that she isn’t driven to move
up the levels. She has to squeeze riding and competing
around her two young sons, her farm and her work. “I’m
very comfortable at Novice,” she explained. “I pushed
myself to event at Training with my mare, Jessica, and we
put in a lot of time. To do a Training Classic Format Three-
day with Charlie would be my Olympics. In order to do
Prelim, I would have to put in so much time to get ready.
It’s really all about how much I can ride and how safe I can
be. I have to be a realist. I can ride three times a week, so
I don’t see going higher than Novice and Training.”
A small animal vet, Alice rides with Sharon White at Last
Frontier Farm.
“It’s always my goal to compete and I didn’t want to take
off 2011; but my fabulous mare Jessica, who taught me
everything about eventing with Sharon, was 21 and I retired
her,” said Alice. “Now I ride Charlie (Bridon Glenmore),
owned by Brandy Greenwell of Bridon Irish Draughts,
thanks to a mutual friend who knew I needed a horse. He’s
a great horse and I’m having a blast. Charlie makes his
debut in Baby Novice at Morven Park [3/31-4/1].”
Alice added, “What I love about Sharon is that we can
learn and become better riders without losing sight of the
fact that we do this for fun. She’ll push us to achieve our
goals, but she wants her riders to be safe and have a good time.”
YR Medalist Starts OTTBs
Alexi Wikstrom (see Five Question profle) works as a civil
engineer. Construction of a bridge in New Jersey dominates
her days; but she’s dedicated to training her off-the-track
Thoroughbreds evenings and weekends.
“Novice and Training are the educational building blocks,” said
Alexi. “My ultimate goal is to get to the upper levels. When it’s
a challenge for my horses, I’m never bored. They’re both off the
track, one is going Training, the other Novice. There were a lot
of questions marks. I didn’t know if they would event at all; but
they’re willing so far. I’d like to take them as far as their talent and
physical ability will allow them to go. It’s a lot of fun to compete at
the lower levels and a lot less stress.” Young Riders taught Alexi
frsthand what it takes to train a young horse. Moving up to Prelim
isn’t an easy goal for anyone with time constraints.
“Novice and Training are within the grasp of any adult amateur
working a job,” said Alexi. “For now, I’m defnitely having fun and
enjoying myself. Bringing along my young horses and working is
a challenge; but if it gets too easy and the horses tell me they’re
ready to move up, I’ll have to fgure out how to put in a lot more
time.”
Awards For Older Riders
Think you’re too old to event? The USEA presents year end
awards to Master Riders, 40 and up, from Advanced to Baby
Novice.
Ivan Blumberg (MD) and Hastening Opal fnished in frst place
on the 2011 Novice leader board for Master Rider and Master
Amateur Rider.
“I’ve always had a desire to compete; but my work had me
traveling 200 days a year,” said Ivan, 53, who started riding 20
years ago and has hunted with Potomac for nine; his wife Pam
and their three kids ride, and the family stays involved with Seneca
Valley Pony Club. “I started eventing six or seven years ago and
stopped until I got another horse three years ago. Now I’m as
serious about it as I can get.”
In 2011 Ivan competed in 16 events, a huge commitment of
time and resources. He’s still amazed how easily green riders
Alice Sudduth and Jessica: the Tangerines, coached by Sharon
White, fnished second in the 2009 Chronicle of the Horse/USEA
Eastern Adult Team Challenge at the Fall Virginia Horse Trials
Photo By Sara Lieser
Eventing Starts with the Lower Levels
US Eventing Association’s nearly 12,000 members
choose from about 250 events annually and the greatest
“traffc” takes place at the lower levels. You might even
compete in the same Novice or Training division as your
four-star idols.
The USEA’s “2010 Max Rank Riders Per Level
Competed” offers interesting statistics. It tallied 7,493
riders on 9,051 horses for a total of 40,418 starts. 221
different riders competed at Advanced on 271 different
horses and those riders competed 5,159 times; but only
831 of their starts took place at Advanced. Advanced
riders made 1,099 Training level starts and, get this, 197
at Beginner Novice. Novice boasted 12,245 starts by
2,468 ‘unique’ riders. Training level counted 1,970 riders
starting 10,828 times. Beginner Novice ranked third with
8,016 starts. Training and Novice combined for 31,089
starts in 2010. That’s how important the lower levels are
in eventing.