PrintA big Grand Prix win proves she’s on the right track.
Elisabeth Austin has experienced a few detours on her road to Grand Prix achievement, but her hard work paid off with Olivier at the Green Mountain Horse Association’s June dressage show in South Woodstock, Vt.
The pair scored 74.78 percent to win their Grand Prix class and the overall FEI high score of the show, held June 19-21.
“Fizzy” has been part of Austin’s life since he was a baby. Her mother, Madeleine Austin, bred the 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood stallion (Idocus—Rowillie). She trained him as a young horse at her Imajica farm in Williston, Vt., before handing over the reins to her daughter. “Liz” has ridden him since he was 7 and showing second level.
Liz and Fizzy consistently climbed the levels together.
“We started showing in 2004 when he’d just turned 8. We did third level in 2004, Prix St. Georges in 2005, and then we won the [Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Young Adult “Brentina Cup”] for Intermediaire II in 2006. In 2007, we won the Brentina Cup again. We’ve had exponential progress,” she said.
“But then, in 2008 he wasn’t so sure he was interested in being a Grand Prix horse. He’d always enjoyed working
in the arena every day, but he started being very grouchy. So a big part of 2008 was a lot of trail riding and fitness work outside the arena. I think that was super helpful for him,” she continued.
To maintain his freshness, Liz takes Olivier out of the ring on a regular basis. “We still go trail riding and only do the more difficult arena work two to three times a week. We’ll also go out and work in the field. We walk, trot, canter and play with the movements but in a far less serious way,” she said.
Although her mother taught her to ride, Liz, 25, has worked with a number of other top dressage riders and now primarily trains with Michael Barisone, Long Valley, N.J.
“He’s been a fantastic help for me. Michael has really helped me bring out his best,” said Liz.
Following in her mother’s footsteps, Liz started her own business this year called Liz Austin Dressage. She takes in horses for training and does some sales of dressage horses. She’s based at Imajica during the summer and in Florida during the winter months.
Liz has high hopes for the future with Fizzy.
“We’ll do a few more national shows and then some CDIs. I’m hoping to qualify for the USEF Festival Of Champions next year, which is the final selection trials for the [Alltech FEI] World Equestrian Games. I have so much confidence in him. He’s proving that he’s ready to go in there and be consistent,” she said.
The Spice Of Life
Liz wasn’t the only one to find FEI-level success at GMHA. Deborah Dean-Smith couldn’t have been happier with SPS Lady Liberty’s performance in her second Grand Prix. The pair won the FEI reserve championship with 69.57 percent under judges Johanna Gwinn and Elizabeth Madlener.
Dean-Smith is a trainer at Ann Kitchel’s Huntington Farm in South Strafford, Vt. She said her goal for the show was a clean test and a good experience with piaffe and passage aboard the 12-year-old Oldenburg mare (Lord Liberty G—Petra). “We did just that,” she said.
Dean-Smith imported “Libby” as a 4-year-old from Germany.
“She loves to show off. The bigger the crowd, the better. But when I first started riding her, there were times I was tempted to pull her shoes and put her out in the field with the broodmares,” she said with a laugh.
