16 SIDELINES MAY 2012
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
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Five Questions for Alexi Wikstrom
By Lauren R. Giannini
In the 2004 NAYR CCI*-J, Alexandra (Alexi) Wikstrom
and LeQuel partnered to earn the individual gold
medal, securing team bronze for Area I. Now 26, civil
engineering keeps her busy and on the go for the Conti
Group. She returned from a year of working on hurricane
protection in New Orleans in August 2011 to oversee
a New Jersey bridge-building project. After work she
commutes to her barn and rides one, sometimes both
horses. Weekends are for lessons and spending quality
time with her off-the-track Thoroughbreds who raced at
Penn National.
Sidelines:
How did bringing one horse through the
levels shape you as a rider?
AW:
It was a bit frustrating at times to see the other
young riders with made horses; but once you learn
those skills, you never lose them. My parents were
very supportive and I learned how to train a green
horse. Susan Barisone-Gilson (NY) sent me to Canada
to look at horses, particularly one Holsteiner. LeQuel
was seven, very green with some formal training but
no experience competing. LeQuel went from Novice
to Training to Prelim to Young Riders. I had help from
some good people. It was a real rider education and
makes you much more appreciative.
Sidelines:
Who were those “good people”?
AW:
When I was 9, I moved my pony to the farm of
the district commissioner of the Red Jacket Pony Club
(NY), Linda Giordano. Her daughter evented and I
emulated her and joined the Pony Club. In my early
teens I rode with Susan Barisone-Gilson, Diann Roffe
Steinrotter and Carrie Wehle. In 2004 I was a working
student with Mara Dupuy off and on, Jan Byyny helped
me and our Area 1 team coach was Bobby Costello.
Carol Kozlowski has always been a great mentor,
before YR and even after I graduated from college.
LeQuel helped me to earn my B and A ratings: he was
the horse of a lifetime.
Sidelines:
Does your riding come into play on the job?
AW:
It’s all about thinking on your feet, like on a
cross-country course. There are definitely times when you
have to make a decision – move from Plan A to B or C and
hope everything goes right. In construction, how you plan
everything initially isn’t exactly how you do it in the end.
Sidelines:
Is that a good description of the last part of your
Young Rider years?
AW:
I didn’t qualify for the YR two-star, because of two mistakes
at two different competitions. I was really disappointed; but
I didn’t give up and I continued competing. Now that I earn
my living outside horses, I have a different perspective with
my job commitment at this time in my life; horses have to be a
source of enjoyment. Right now it’s all about having fun while
training my young horses.
Sidelines:
How do you juggle work with competing?
AW:
It’s okay for now; but as Flintt (Secret Asset) and Hayden
(Change Order) move up, I’ll have to spend more time with
their fitness and my fitness. Before Hayden moves to Prelim,
he has to prove to me that he’s very confident at Training.
That’s one of my ‘end of season’ goals – to do a Training level
Classic Format 3-day with Hayden. The younger one’s just
starting Novice. They tell you when they’re ready to move
up. I do dream of four-stars and riding at Rolex some day;
but even a horse that can jump the moon isn’t always going to
make an upper level horse. Time will tell.
Alexi Wikstrom and Change Order (aka Hayden) had a blast
winning Open Novice on their 31.0 dressage score at the 2010
Cosequin Stuart Horse Trials, their ‘hometown’ event
Photo © Brant Gamma Photos