78 SIDELINES JANUARY 2014
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
Ringfort Tinkatoo and Woodge enjoy the victory gallop with
Caroline Martin riding Quantam Solace at Rocking Horse.
Photo courtesy of the Fulton Family
looks like, I say: I guess me!”
She didn’t stay in the stroller long. She was riding as a toddler
and then started riding on the Interscholastic Equestrian Team
(IEA) when she was old enough. At IEA events, riders draw a
horse and have two minutes to ride before heading into the ring
to be judged. “A lot of people only get to ride their pony, I was
fortunate enough to always have a lot to ride and it became
comfortable for me,” she said.
She credits much of her success today with the experiences
gained through IEA competitions. Karen added, “She said to me
the other day how that experience has helped her the most.”
While she was fortunate enough to have many horses to ride,
her favorite is Gracefully Dun, also known as Dunny, a 13.2 hand
dun mare. The mare was catty and fast and taught Woodge a love
of show jumping. Dunny is the horse that ignited her passion for
eventing.
“I did my first organized event with her. She helped me get into
it,” Woodge said.
Advancing By Leaps and Bounds
After her freshman year of high school, Woodge and her parents
decided that she would continue her education online rather than
attending school in person. Completing her schooling at home
provided her with the flexibility she needed to fit in time to ride all
the horses she was working with.
Dedicated to her studies, she was even able to graduate six
months early. “The plan was that I would go and work at Buck
Davidson’s for six months as a working student,” she said.
The Fulton family knew Buck well. He had spent much time
at her parents’ farm training and teaching clinics so it was only
natural that she would continue advancing her riding skills as a
working student for him.
In the winter of 2013, she headed to Florida to begin her work
assignment. Woodge said, “Every night before I went to bed my
parents would say to me, ‘Don’t forget you’re going to college.’
I really value the importance of
education and having something to fall
back on because it is really dangerous
and eventing is risky.”
As her six-month commitment drew
to a close, her parents arrived in
Florida, trailer in tow, ready to bring
their daughter and her horse back to
Maryland. What they had not expected
was that Buck had offered Woodge a
job as a fulltime employee. The family
deliberated over lunch, with the final
verdict that she could stay. “It was
such a relief that my parents agreed,”
she said.
“We are taking a year and see where
it goes,” Karen added. “She gets to
ride all kinds of upper level horses.”
Working for a professional is not
easy. Woodge’s day begins at 7 a.m.
and often ends with late nights in the
barn. “You try to be done as early as
possible, but Buck regularly takes 10
or 11 horses to competitions and there
are late nights spent braiding,” she
said. “Working for Buck has opened
my eyes to what it’s really like being a
professional.”
Fortunatley, she can share her
experiences with her close friend,
Caroline Martin, who also works for Buck and was named to the
10 Eventing 18/Advancing Athletes program, too. “It’s nice to have
someone my own age that I can talk to and that we can experience
all this together,” Woodge said.
Despite all of the excitement, Woodge still remains grounded.
She credits her family for her success. “From a young age they
[my parents] always made it fun,” she concluded. “And when life
gives you an opportunity, you take it.”
About the writer: Katie Navarra has worked as a freelance writer in the horse
industry for 12 years. She has been a lifelong horse lover and recently purchased a
dun Quarter Horse mare with hopes of re-entering the show ring in 2014.
Savannah “Woodge” Fulton
Photo by Karen Fulton
