54 SIDELINES JUNE 2014
FORHORSEPEOPLE • ABOUTHORSEPEOPLE
Tommy JohnandKarenina finish second in the $25,000
WelcomeStakes, March12, Gulf Coast Finale IV, Gulfport,
Mississippi.
Tommy-JohnandKarenina
Our two families havebeen showing together for a long time.”
By selling Karenina, Tommy-John acquired the assets to buy
a jumper out of the ring, but he said, “I don’t want to do that. I’ve
had success making a Grand Prix jumper myself when I bought
this mare after I graduated from college in 2012. She was kind
of unbroken andwe didn’t knowwhat shewas or what she could
do. My dad and I worked together to bring her along. We took
Karenina toher first show inRoanoke, Virginia, anddid thegreen
hunters at 2’6” with her. In a year and a half we brought her up to
GrandPrix.We’re pretty proud of that.”
When asked his immediate and long-term goals, Tommy-John
said, “To do the same thing again – take a young horse and train
it to Grand Prix level, the way I did with Bonnie. My father is
breeding a lot of horses right now and I have a fewwe’re hoping
might work up the sameway.”
The Russell family has developed long-term relationships with
many of their customers over the years. Recently, Tommy-John’s
High Junior Jumper came back to be sold – the horse is 12,
healthy and full of enthusiasm for his job.
“That means a lot to us, to have horses that we sold come
back still sound and happy to teach some other rider about the
jumpers,” Tommy-John said. “Our horses are always for sale.
My parents have 20- to 40-year relationships with some of their
clients andwe all take great pride in that.”
Tommy-John may be on his way as a trainer and Grand Prix
rider,buthe remembershisbesthunterandfirst jumperas if itwere
yesterday. “My hunter pony was called Tea Party and we were
championatRollingRockwhen Iwas13,” saidTommy-John. “We
did the Challenge of the Champions there, the Derby. Stigmata
was my first jumper and I was doing Child/Adult Amateurs when
I was 13 or 14. I never did Pony Jumpers. Both of my parents
taught me and I spent a lot of timeat the showswithmy father.”
Tommy-John also enjoyed huntingwith theTryonHounds. “My
grandfatherWilliamRussell was huntsman there for two years in
the 1960s and my father was a whipper-in,” said Tommy-John.
“That’s howmy father got into show jumpers.My grandfather and
my father would hunt during thewinter and take the same horses
they hunted and show and sell them in the summer. I hunted a
lot when I was in school. My brothers and I really enjoyed it, and
hunting is how I got into show jumping.”
One thinggood to know is that Tommy-Johnandhis father Vick
have the patience and the skills to freshen up show horses, both
hunters and jumpers, so that they regain their competitive bling.
They figure it out, whatever it takes, and the horses are the ones
whoprofit.
“I have to give some credit to my mom,” Tommy-John said.
“She trained all of the people my dad takes to the shows; she
has taught everyone here so
much.
“She’s had a rough ten
years recuperating from
some injuries and health
issues,” he added, “but she
wasaYoungRider champion
in show jumping. She was a
Quarter Horse jockey and at
one timeheldaworld record.
My mother’s pretty much the
person who influenced all
of us to be gentle with the
horses. She’s the one who
gaveme confidence tomove
up the levels and she’s really
excited about where I am
withKarenina.”
