Neely Digs In To Hold On To The Lead

After yesterday’s dressage competition at the American Eventing Championships in Wayne, Ill., Kelsey Neely and Zula staked out a claim at the top of the junior beginner novice leaderboard, and today, Sept.11, she had to dig in her heels to hold onto the lead—literally.

Neely, Alpharetta, Ga., survived a hairy moment on cross-country when her pony hit the brakes before a ditch at fence 11A. But the determined 12-year-old kicked on, clearing the ditch from a standstill and cantering on over the second element of the combination, finishing the course within the time to hold on to the top spot with a score of 29.5.

“She doesn’t like to gallop, but she’s better than she used to be,” said Neely. “Yesterday in the dressage she was very good, nice and round and forward.”

This year’s competitors at the AEC found a revamped schedule that sent beginner novice and some novice riders cross-country today, while the rest of the novice riders as well as all the training competitors kicked off their competition in the dressage ring.

Neely first rode the Trakehner-Welsh cross mare at a summer camp in upstate New York run by her trainer, Tawn Edwards, a year ago. The pair clicked so well that at the end of the summer the Neely family brought the pony back to Georgia to ride year-round.

“In the morning on the way to the show my stomach was going, and I was nervous, but when I got to the barn I was cool, and right before I ride, my adrenaline starts going and I’m fine,” she said.

This will be Neely’s last competition aboard Zula, as she’s outgrown the 14.1-hand pony. But she won’t lose her connection to Zula completely, as she’s already started riding the mare's 4-year-old brother.

Aldrich Aces Her First Test

Kate Aldrich got off to a strong start today at her first AEC, finishing the dressage phase at the top of the junior training division with Virginia Coulter’s William Don’t Tell (24.7).

Aldrich had planned a trip to Wayne, Ill., for last year’s championships until her horse came up lame. Although she missed out on the competition, the bad luck had a silver lining when Coulter loaned her “Will” to campaign while her mount was on stall rest, a move which would lead to a successful year-long partnership. “Virginia loves to watch him go as much as she likes riding him,” said Aldrich. “She never misses a lesson.”

The chestnut off-the-track Thoroughbred had already competed through training level with Aldrich’s then-trainer Tom Mansmann. Aldrich recently started training with Mara Dean, who she says has helped elevate her and Will to excellence in the dressage arena.

“He’s very challenging as a young horse—definitely a red-headed Thoroughbred,” said Aldrich. “He had backwards motives as a young horse, and I’d start riding backwards. Mara’s really helped me relax my arm, use my leg and seat.”

After a 12-hour trailer ride from Virginia to Wayne yesterday, Will started dressage day a touch on the stiff side.

“He was kind of draggy in the warm-up, but as soon as I stepped in the ring he was a completely new horse,” said Aldrich. “He came right up and went really nicely. It was kind of a confidence boost.”

During the academic year, Aldrich splits her time between her family’s farm in Huntly, Va., and the Foxcroft School an hour away in Middleburg. The 17-year-old grew up riding show hunters and caught the eventing bug four years ago from Kim Keppick.