14 SIDELINES JUNE 2014
FORHORSEPEOPLE • ABOUTHORSEPEOPLE
e
BySophieSt. Clair
On the West Coast, a young rider named Theo Boris was a
consistent feature in the equitation classes for many years. As a
youngboy, Theobegan ridingwithDiannLanger (newU.S. Show
Jumping Young Rider Chef d’Equipe) and later moved to trainer
KarenHealey.
Under Karen’s direction, Theo was hugely successful in the
equitation ranks, racking up wins in some of themost esteemed
classes in the United States. In 2009, he was the United States
EquestrianFederation (USEF)ShowJumpingTalentSearchWest
winner. This gave him an automatic berth into the 2010 George
MorrisHorseMastershipclinic inWellington,Florida.Also in2010,
Theo finished sixth at the ASPCAMaclay Finals. As he began to
make amove to the jumper classes, he spent a summer training
with Dutch show jumper Roelof Brill and was finding success in
the jumper ring, too.
But in 2012, Theo seemed to disappear from the shows
entirely. Then, early in2014at a show inLosAngeles, he showed
up with not one but two stunning horses and a completely new
riding style. Gone was the traditional American equitation look
and what emerged was a truly European quality to his riding. I
caught up with Theo recently to find out what was at the root of
this transformation.
I asked Theowhere he’d been the last couple of years and he
explained that when he was finished as a junior rider in 2012, it
wasunclear tohimwhat heshoulddonext. “When Iwasno longer
a junior, I didn’t know what direction to go in,” he said. “I mean,
for someonewhowants to do this as a profession, how does one
knowwhat to do?When you’re doing the equitation classes, you
have your own horses and then you turn 18. Suddenly you have
nowhere to go.What are you supposed to donext?”
Theodecided that if he reallywanted tobeaprofessional at the
top level of the sport he’dneed togo toEurope togain knowledge
and experience from some of the best-run stables in the world.
Heacknowledged that this experience canbe found in theUnited
States, but admittedly the businesses are very different. “Yes, it’s
a lot of work but in exchange you get a lot of experience and
get to seewhat this sport is really about,” he said. In 2012, Theo
landeda jobworking forworldchampionJosLansink inMeeuwen,
Belgium.
Theo said that in Europe the work ethic is very strong and it’s
very easy to get over faced. “It’s a big shock,” he said. “It’s a lot
of hardwork frommorning ’til night eight daysaweek. But the top
riders work like that even when there’s not enough time.” Theo
began tending the garden, painting jumps, taking out the trash
andgoing to theshowsasagroom–anything toprovehehad the
drive and skill to get himwhere hewanted togo.
Europewasaneducation inhow todo thingsasaprofessional.
Theo said that beforegoing toEurope, he truly didn’t havea solid
understanding of how to clean a stable, brush a horse or how to
feed it properly. It took him six months to learn how to blanket
Jos’ stallion, Cumano; he had no idea how to even approach the
horse, but he learned. “You can be seen a certain way until you
prove yourself andadapt to thework ethic,” Theo said. “They had
a joke in thestableandbet that I’donly last threemonths.”But the
tasks that he was given earned him trust with those in the barn.
Oncehehadearned that trust, hewasgiven younghorses to ride
and, witheachwell-done job, heearnedbetter andbetter horses.
Theo also began to understand how different the business of
running a sales and training barn is in Europe from in the U.S. “I
got to see that the way they function is to bring young horses
through to the top,” Theo said.
TheTransformationof
TheoBoris
Continued on page16
Theo andClimax Junior.
Photo byBret St. Clair
