While walking the course for the mini prix at the High Prairie Spring Classic, trainer Paul Rohrbach saw a place where he might make up time.
   
The last two fences in the jump-off were a one-stride double combination with a roll-back to a tall vertical. Course designer Jack Robson had left just enough room after the double to make an inside turn, but the option was difficult enough that only one rider of the five jump-off riders tried for the turn.

That was Rohrbach on Shiraz, and he made it work for the win. The class was one of the highlights of the show, held May 17-20 at the Colorado Horse Park in Parker, Colo.

“I felt if I got to the combination with a little more power than I needed, stalled it at the first jump, and then got deep to the second jump, I could get enough air to clear the B element but land a little shallow so that the turn wouldn’t be too hard on the mare’s front end,” Rohrbach said. Protecting Shiraz’ forelegs was particularly important; the mare had been rested for the better part of a year with problems in both front feet. Rohrbach has been bringing her back slowly, and the mini-prix was her first outing of the year at 1.40 meters.

“We’ve been very slow and methodical about bringing her back,” he said. “She seems really happy to be back in the ring doing her job. Rohrbach operates Wells Bridge Farm with his partner Corky Shaha in Littleton, Colo.

Despite riding the longer track to the last jump, amateur rider Jami Jensen almost caught Shiraz and Rohrbach. Jensen had led a victory lap of her own the day before, riding Karibik and Robin Hood to first and second in the junior/amateur-owner jumper classic.

Jensen bought Karibik as a 6-year-old in Germany. “We brought her over as a grand prix prospect, and Paul Rohrbach rode her in international classes,” said Jensen, owner of Crooked Willow Farm in Larkspur, Colo. “She’s a little bit hot, a little blooded, but she’s smart about it. I’d rather ride hot,” she added. “I grew up riding Thoroughbreds. She’s perfect for me.”

Jensen didn’t begin jumping until about 15 years ago, but she’s experienced just about everything else in the equine line. “I’ve done it all. Barrel racing, team penning, Saddlebreds, Tennessee Walkers, Arabs, the whole gamut,” she said. “Jumping is the one I picked to stay with.” Her horse habit is really more of an addiction. When asked how many horses she currently owns, she looked a little embarrassed. “We have about 150. We breed horses, so many of those are babies—weanlings, yearlings, 2-year-olds,” she said. “We stand four stallions. Actually five, but we don’t count our Fjord stallion.”

Now It’s More Fun
Amy Hershey started riding as a junior, but she ended up not showing much. The constant pressure to excel, the points-chasing, and the competitiveness kept her from enjoying her time with the horses. “I was kind of turned off by the whole craziness as a junior. I actually got more into it as an adult,” she said.

Now she rides for the sheer joy of it and the chance to relate to the animals she loves. “When you’re clicking, and you’re one with the horse, it’s the most awesome feeling you can experience,” Hershey said. “That’s what was happening today. Like when you’re rock-climbing, and feeling the moves, and just going with it.”

Hershey clicked with Lola in just their second show at 3’6″, and they ended up the amateur-owner hunter, 18-35 champions. “She was really soft today, and really easy, and she was just working,” Hershey said. “She was laying it down.” Hershey leased Lola for two years before buying her.

Hershey, who trained at the show with Michael Dennehy, is a Virginia native. She chose to come to Colorado for college just to be someplace a little different. “I just wanted mountains, and a change of scenery. I ski, I hike, I rock-climb,” she said.

Hershey is finishing up a double major in psychology and business. Asked what she’ll do with that odd mixture of degrees, she just grinned. “I have no idea,” she said with a laugh.

Leesa Carver rode her Reveille to win the children’s/adult hunter classic. The 20-year-old college student from Wheatridge, Colo., purchased her Holsteiner gelding in Wisconsin when he was just 5. “I pretty much trained him myself,” said Carver, who trains now with Tracey Ferguson. “It’s been a lot of work, but it’s all been worth it.”

Meant To Be
Kim Dixon knew she wanted Calvin K when she first saw him in California with then-owner Sarah Baldwin. Dixon wanted to buy the horse, but for one reason or another, the deal fell through. Then one day Baldwin, a close friend of Dixon’s, called the Colorado trainer. According to Dixon, Baldwin said, “Do you still have that Harley motorcycle? Why don’t you put that Harley in the trailer, bring it out and I’ll trade you the Harley for Calvin.” Dixon jumped at the deal, and now refers to the gray warmblood as her Harley-Davidson.

The deal paid off when Dixon rode Calvin to the regular working hunter tricolor at High Prairie.

Calvin K has plenty of jump and was bred to go over big fences. Unfortunately he’s a little too laidback for that kind of competition. “You could do the regular working, and then walk into the 1.30-meter, and he’ll jump around,” said Dixon. “But he always has time faults.”

Dixon was worried that Calvin might not adjust to his new home at her Paradise Farms in Carbondale, Colo., since it sits at an elevation of more than 10,000 feet. Dixon was a little concerned about how the horse would handle moving from the temperate California coast to the frigid air of the high country, but she need not have been concerned. “He loves it,” she said. “He lives out,” even in winter.

The Elder Statesman
Liza Dennehy rode her family’s veteran hunter Riff Raff, 21, to the championship in the amateur-owner hunters, 36 and over.

Liza’s mother Sandy and brothers Michael and Charlie, both professional trainers, have shown the gelding with great success over the years, but Liza had few opportunities to ride him. She does, however, lay claim to having been the first in her family to sit on him.

“I actually rode him as a 4-year-old when we tried him in Europe,” she said. Now, 17 years later, it’s her turn to ride him in competition. “He’s fat, he’s shiny, he’s sound, and he’s happy,” Liza said. “He’s loving it.”

Liza was riding before she could walk. Even before leadline competition began at age 2 or thereabouts, her mother had carried her around in front of the saddle. “On pre-green horses,” said Liza, laughing. Liza started on small horses, not ponies, and was riding on her own at age 4. She finally got a mount more appropriate to her size when she was 7.

“I was getting jumped off of everything,” she said. “My dad was getting scared, so he finally got me a pony.”
Riff Raff, for all his marvelous longevity, won’t be able to show forever. Liza feels fortunate to have three professional trainers in the family; that means there will always be something for her to ride.

“There’s always something lurking on the outskirts,” she said. Right now what’s lurking on the outskirts is her infant son. “Harrison is 7 months old—crawling, talking, loves horses, two teeth…” said Liza fondly.
Liza was worried that Harrison might be upset when his mother rode away on a horse, but that’s not been a problem to this point. “So far he’s taken a nap every time I’ve gotten on,” she said