62 SIDELINES JULY 2014
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
By Sydney Durieux
Maria Gabriela Brugal, a 16-year-old from the Dominican
Republic, first stole the spotlight against a field of seasoned
international competitors during the XVII Bolivarian Games in
November 2013 in Lima, Peru. But this is just the start for the
talented teen, who spends her time between Santo Domingo and
competing in the United States.
“I went as an individual,” explained Maria, who trains with Teresa
“Titi” Mills of BG Stables at Grand Prix Village in Wellington,
Florida. “They said I was too young and lacked the experience
to be on the team, which I think happened for the best. I needed
to gain experience without having the pressure to do well for the
team. I think that’s perhaps why I did well. I was there just to get
in the ring.” The junior, who represents the charity Step by Step
Foundation in competition, put in clean and fast rounds aboard her
11-year-old bay gelding Diabolo Van de Cadzandhoeve
.
She just
missed out on the bronze medal for her first big championships.
“Going into the jump-off, l wasn’t expecting to do so well. I had
never done a 1.40m course before. In the jump-off I was clear, but
a Pan-Am rider — Luis Ignacio Marreiro Munoz — beat my time
by 0.025 seconds. I ended in fourth place.”
Her first memories in the saddle were not as auspicious. “When
I was 4, I went to riding camp and I fell off; I got scared and
stopped,” Maria said. “Six years later I found myself telling my
mom I wanted to ride again and I haven’t looked back since. When
I first started riding with Titi in 2012, I was crashing through the
Low Juniors at WEF [Wellington Equestrian Festival] and finished
2013 by jumping off for the Bronze medal in the Bolivarian Games.
“It started very bad for us,” admitted Maria about her now-
favorite mount Diabolo
.
“I didn’t enjoy riding him at all because
he used to drag me everywhere. After two months, it clicked and
since then it’s been pretty great. He’s always in a mood to work
and loves to please the rider. I couldn’t really ask for anything else
from him.”
Next on Maria’s schedule is the Youth Olympic Games, which
will take place in Nanjing, China, from August 16 – 28, 2014.
“My mom told me I had not made the cut; only three riders out of
Central America and the Caribbean — and 30 from around the
world — are invited to go,” she recalled. “I was very disappointed
but then we found out I had qualified. It was probably one of the
best things that happened to me thus far.”
Maria will be the second Step by Step rider to be invited to
compete at the elite sporting event. Stransky’s Mission Farm’s
Mario Gamboa took home the individual silver medal during the
inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore in 2010. “I would
love for more kids to join the Step by Step team and help Lili
Stransky’s charity,” Maria said. “I don’t think we realize how much
we can do for someone by just giving a bit of our time and helping
out with little things, like buying a bracelet at the show or getting
people involved.”
She added about her upcoming trip to China, “My trainer, my
parents and all four of my grandparents are going with me. I am not
that nervous yet; right now it doesn’t feel real. I’m mostly worried
about the pressure I’m going to put on myself and managing that
well so it doesn’t interfere with my riding. Once I’m in the ring I just
ask myself, ‘Why am I nervous?’ I usually don’t have time to come
up with an answer for that and so the nerves go away as soon as
I’m over the first fence.”
About the writer: Sydney Masters Durieux, who grew up around horses
and competing, is a freelance publicist specializing in equestrian, lifestyle and
philanthropic clients. Sydney, who has her BA in Communications and Journalism
from NYU, is also a writer who regularly contributes stories focusing on the hunter/
jumper world. Based in New York City, Sydney lives with her husband Arnaud and
their West Highland White Terrier “Angus.”
Maria puts in clean and fast rounds aboard Diabolo during the
2013 Bolivarian Games in Peru.
e
Maria Gabriela Brugal:
Jumping Her Way up the Ranks
Junior Jumper Headed to 2014 Youth Olympic Games in China
Maria and Diabolo
All photos by Jhony Quintero
