40 SIDELINES JUNE 2013
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
e
West Side Story
By Holly Hugo-Vidal
Lesley Bulechek, a California native, grew up in Atherton outside
of San Francisco. Now a young professional trainer based out of
Malibu, California, she is best remembered as a very successful
junior rider. She had equally impressive amateur winnings on both
coasts with her lovely mare Vida Blue.
“I started riding when I was seven-years-old. There was a barn
across the street where I would often go just to pat the horses,
then one day I thought, I should go ride! My parents were very
supportive and signed me up for lessons at the Menlo Circus Club
and it went from there!”
Quite typically one lesson a week escalated into three. Two
years later, she had her own horse. By 10 she was ready to show
and began riding with Carlton Brooks, the show trainer at the barn.
She started in the children’s hunter division and quickly moved up
to the junior hunter ranks.
Lesley rode with Carlton for 11 years on multiple horses. “We
went to about 20 shows a year and not only in California, but in
the mid-west, such as Chagrin, Detroit, Bloomfeld Hills and, of
course, ending with the indoor shows in the fall.”
Some highlights from her junior years include: earning the
Zone 10 Horse Of The Year in 1997 on Walk the Talk (not the
easiest according to Lesley) and winning the Turfway Junior
Hunter Classic at the Cincinnati horse show. The moment stands
out for Lesley as she recalled, “There I was this little girl from
California who didn’t know that much competing against top east
coast riders! My mare Can We Talk got scores of 90 and 88 and
won this big class! This was defnitely one of the most exciting
memories of my junior career!”
After Lesley turned 18, she moved to Los Angeles and was
planning to go to college, putting riding on hold. “I attended UCLA
and toward the end of my senior year, I knew I wanted to ride
again and thought it would be a good time to make a change. I
had sent a couple of horses to John French to sell, but he still had
one and suggested that I come ride it. The moment I graduated I
began riding with John and loved it! His style really suited me and
I also knew that he would fnd me great horses! I showed in the
amateur division for about fve years.”
In 2006, Lesley was fortunate to acquire a wonderful mare called
Vida Blue. “She was the horse of a lifetime! She was magical! I
feel that I owe my success as a rider as well as a horseman to
her!” Lesley said, adding that highlights with Vida Blue included:
winning the Zone 10 Horse Of The Year in 2006 and 2007; World
Champion Hunter Rider, Amateur/Owner, at Capital Challenge
in 2006; Younger A/O Champion at Harrisburg and Co-Grand
Champion in 2006; Amateur/Owner Circuit Champion at HITS
Thermal in 2006 and 2007. In addition, they were champion or
reserve in every show in 2006 and 2007.
“Vida was a mare that wanted to be left alone which suited my
way of riding and we just gelled! John also had a tremendous
degree of success with the mare taking the Second Year Green
Grand Hunter Champion at Washington in 2006. At the end of
2007 my Mom got sick and everything had to be put on hold. Not
knowing what was going to happen, we made the most diffcult
decision and sold the mare! The mare continues to win with other
riders. Vida was the most wonderful horse, always wanting to
please and was incredibly consistent. She was the nicest horse I
have had the privilege to ride. I would love to get her back.”
Lesley turned professional in 2008 after her mother passed
Out of the Blue with Lesley Bulechek
Lesley Bulechek
Photo by Roxane Becker
away. “I was looking for something to do that would help me get
through the grief I was suffering so I starting riding again, just
hacking horses for people in the L.A. area. I had intended on
going to law school, but my plans got derailed. So I began by
teaching for Phillip Cillas. In 2009, John French called and said he
needed some help at Thermal. This was an opportunity I couldn’t
turn down! I was thrilled to be able to try out my new venture with
teaching under John. When Thermal ended, John asked me to
continue teaching for him at Cross Creek Farm in Malibu. Diane
Dufau, the barn manager and I teamed up with Melissa Margolis
as our rider and that is where we are today.”
The barn has grown over the last few years and goes to local
shows and joins forces with John at the World Hunter Rider Shows.
Lesley has found teaching to be more rewarding than she ever
imagined. “Watching young children progress is very fulflling!”
Holly Hugo-Vidal is Sidelines’ California correspondent and writes the “West Side
Story” column. Holly is located in Rancho Santa Fe, California where she specializes
in hunters and equitation as well as adults. She is an “R” USEF judge, clinician and
an author. Her most recent book is “Build Confdence Over Fences.”
Lesley Bulechek
and Vida Blue
Photo by O’Neill’s