PrintIn this monthly series leading up to the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in September and October, we watch a different competitor each month prepare for competition.
Does Adrienne Lyle ever sit up in bed in amazement at her situation?
“Every morning!” Lyle said.
In just one year, Lyle has gone from a Grand Prix novice to a contender for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. She’s headed to the WEG Selection Trials and Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF National Grand Prix Dressage Championship in 11th place in the rankings with Wizard, with an average score of 66.48 percent.
“When I was a kid, I never really dreamed of being on a team. I knew I wanted to do something with horses; I just wanted to get good enough to make a living doing what I liked,” said Lyle, 25.
She grew up riding and eventing in Washington state, then traveled to River Grove Farm in Hailey, Idaho, in 2005 for a working student position with Olympic and WEG veteran Debbie McDonald.
“When I came to Debbie’s and got to see a little more of the international level of riding and competition, I was just fascinated by it. It’s so different and inspiring, so that starts to become a goal,” said Lyle, who quickly earned herself the title of assistant trainer for McDonald.
In the beginning of 2009, Lyle wanted to learn the ropes of showing at Grand Prix. She and Wizard had won the Brentina Cup in 2008 after she’d brought Wizard along from the Prix St. Georges level.
“Neither of us had done it before, so there’s something a little exciting about flying by the seat of your pants for that first year. But I have the best trainer and mentor [in Debbie], so that made that transition so much easier, just to have someone there to show me the ropes and support me. I never felt like I was lost at any point of it,” Lyle said.
Lots Of Time
Lyle made a big splash in her first appearance at the Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Grand Prix Championships (N.J.) last year, winning the Grand Prix freestyle with her country music performance on Wizard.
She backed that up with more wins earlier this year, at the Dressage Getaway CDI (Calif.) in February. She won the Grand Prix freestyle on Wizard and topped the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Special aboard Felix.
“To have such a great outing on both horses at a CDI was great and another thing that really got me started thinking that Wizard could be a contender for the WEG,” Lyle said. “That was a pretty electric environment, inside a tent with people in the stands. It was a lot for them to handle, and they both did really well.”
Lyle has the ride on Felix as well, a horse McDonald developed to the Grand Prix level. Felix was also a strong contender for a WEG spot, but a bone bruise suffered this spring prevented him from earning the qualifying scores necessary for the selection trials. He’s back in work but will miss the trials.
With Wizard, Lyle is headed to the trials, which take place in Gladstone, N.J., on two consecutive weekends—Aug. 6-8 and 13-15—with a keen competitive attitude but without stressing herself.
“I’m not putting a whole bunch of pressure on myself, saying, ‘I have to make the team this time.’ I have a lot of time ahead of me, but I also have an amazing opportunity with an incredible horse, a great coach and wonderful sponsors. So I’m going to go there and try and make the best of it,” she said.
