When Meredith Mathers bought Grand Glissando four years ago, he was billed as a solid Grand Prix horse. But Mathers found otherwise, and has been working ever since to improve him.

The work paid off at the Rocky Mountain Dressage Society Championships, held Sept. 22-24, at the Colorado Horse Park in Parker, Colo., as they earned the Grand Prix and Grand Prix freestyle wins.

Everyone who rides horses in the Rockies knows the weather can turn ugly at any time of the year. This particular weekend, one would have thought winter had arrived early with very cold temperatures and rain mixed with occasional snow. At one point, Mathers thought she would have to scratch Glissando, due to a ring cancellation.

“I went over to Ring 1 where I was supposed to ride and it looked like a big lake,” said Mathers, an amatuer rider from Franktown, Colo. “They deemed the ring unrideable, and I thought I’d have to scratch. They decided to move it to another ring, but the footing was still very wet and sloppy.”

Mathers was able to ride her test–though conservatively due to the footing–and earned a score of 58.12 percent for the win. Ever since she purchased “Gordon” from a broker in Washington four years ago, she has been working on improving their Grand Prix movements.

“He was supposedly a confirmed Grand Prix horse, but that was really not the case,” said Mathers of the 14-year-old Hanoverian gelding by Gaspano. “Also, he had not been away from the farm for years and he was so scared. Our first Grand Prix test he threw his head up in the air and snorted and spooked at everything.”

Mathers, who occasionally takes lessons from Sue Halasz, made a conscious effort to expose Gordon to as much as possible. She built an outdoor arena at home to train in and went to as many shows as she could find.

“When he pays attention he really does well. In our freestyle, which is really our forte, we were right on the music, and I thought it was a great ride,” said Mathers, who won with a 60.37 percent in the freestyle. “We usually get 70s or high 60s, but I thought we did everything great.”

In the spring, Mathers hopes to make the trip to California to compete. For now she is content with having the support of her family and a sound horse who is happy with his job.

Winning by a good margin in the open Intermediaire I championship, Kristi Wysocki and Billy Bell earned a 65.12 percent.

“He’s just an amazing horse,” said Wysocki of the 11-year-old Swedish Warm-blood gelding she imported three years ago. “He tries harder than any horse I have ever sat on.”

Billy Bell had been doing fourth level in Sweden before Wysocki–who has a training facility, Somewhere Farms, in Elbert, Colo.–imported him. Shortly after, she began doing Prix St. Georges with great success. Earlier this spring she competed Billy Bell in California at the Del Mar CDI (Calif.) and finished in the top 10 at Prix St. Georges and Intermediaire I.

“He’s been very consistent this year, getting 65 to 68 percent all summer,” said Wysocki. “The conditions were very adverse with all the rain, cold and wind, but it just showed me how much heart he has to go in and do his job and do it well. Also, mother nature made it very difficult on the show management, and they deserve a lot of credit for dealing with all that brought on. “

Wysocki plans to continue training through the winter with aspirations to compete at Grand Prix next spring.

Coming out on top of the eight competitors in the open Prix St. Georges championship, Sue Halasz and Paradiso B won the class (65.87%).

Halasz welcomes the win after a particularly rough spring trip to California, which included a trailer accident, mechanical problems and too much time spent at the vet clinic.

“It was truly remarkable–a series of mechanical and other mishaps,” said Halasz. To top it all off, her Grand Prix horse, Julius, started to show signs of lameness and has been sidelined ever since.

“So I have been focusing on Paradiso,” said Halasz of Chardell Steeves’ imported 9-year-old Dutch gelding, who won the RMDS championship at fourth level last year. “He has been consistently getting scores in the 70s and has a great attitude.”

Halasz feels confident that Paradiso will be able to continue moving up the levels: “He’s showing real talent for piaffe and passage and has begun one-tempi changes.”


Awentia Awes The Judges In Breeder’s Championship
Years of careful planning and some good luck paid off for Gwen Ka’awaloa, of Elizabeth, Colo., in the RMDS/USDF Breeders Championship. Her Dutch filly yearling, Awentia, earned the prestigious grand championship honors, with Ka’awaloa’s son, Chad Toney, as handler.

Years ago, at another breeders show, Ka’awaloa inquired about a lovely Hanoverian mare, Guenvere, who had caught her attention. Months later, the owner of the mare called, saying the she would be available for a breeding lease. Ka’awaloa had a leftover straw from the Dutch stallion Flemmingh from a previous breeding.

“I had almost forgot about that straw until I saw that mare and thought what a great match,” said Ka’alawoa. “I have to give so much credit to my vet, Woody Smith. The man is truly a miracle worker. He only had one straw to work with, and she settled on that one try.”

Ka’awaloa also credits Toney for his special talent as a handler of young horses. “If you do not know what you are doing you can really drag them down and not present them at their best,” said Ka’awaloa.

Heather Messner