Wellie Week 8 With Chris Carroll

The Canadians have been a force to be reckoned with this week. Erynn Ballard’s mount, Timber Ridge, started the week off with a Championship in the Regular Conformation Hunter Division. The gelding, by Coriano, is owned by Shane George from Texas and has only started showing at WEF last week. Erynn has shown him several times, their last show being the National. She does a wonderful job with the hunters, giving a quiet, sensitive ride that inspires confidence in her mounts.

Wayne McLellan was also in the limelight on Stiletto, owned by Kathleen Selke, winning the beginning of the week’s Baby Green hack class and pinning in over fences classes in this division. Wayne has 20 horses here this year – mostly hunters – and while keeping a few stalls at the WEF grounds, also leases a barn a short distance from the show. He really enjoys the WEF circuit and its wide variety of classes.

Jumperland was well represented by Canada on Thursday when Eric Lamaze came out on top in Thursday’s WEF Challenge Cup Round 8 to beat 81 riders on Coriana van Klapscheut, owned by Artisan Farms LLC. The talented mare by Darco x Heartbreaker, was Eric’s number two horse when Hickstead was alive. After Hickstead’s tragic death in November she stepped up to the plate to show in top classes around the world. Eric was on fire this week with another win in Saturday’s Equine Couture/Tuff Rider Jumper Stake on a new horse this season, Wang Chung M2S, jointly owned by Eric and Tom Reed of Ireland.

The variety of classes at WEF this year is amazing, requiring much organizing and managing. A typical Friday afternoon in Ponyland, for example, will include both a USEF Medal class and a Washington Medal class.The trips are run back to back or as close together as is manageable while the announcer informs the judge which course the rider is doing as they enter.

The circuit is more than half over, with horses and riders having experienced stresses and challenges along the way. One of the Lunch and Learn talks recently focussed on how competitive dressage and jumper riders can improve their performance using mental and physical exercises. Nick Tortola, a personal trainer and Jiu Jitsu competitor and instructor, has developed a system with elements which he has modified from his sport and used with riders. He calls his system BEST, for Balanced Equestrian Strength Training, suggesting certain mental thoughts should be experienced before getting on each horse, as well as the physical strength training which he demonstrates at the end of the lecture. A certain pattern of breathing gets oxygenated blood flow to the brain. Breathe in through the nose four times and out through the mouth four times, which is done for five minutes. Visualization is also involved as are incantations, when the rider creates repetitions of something positive in his mind. Finally, a last but not least thought is gratitude – being thankful for what one has, what one is able to do here at WEF and what one has done or had in the past. Be conscious of the energy you yourself are bringing into the ring. Regarding physical exercises, Nick teaches that to move more smoothly and easily one’s body needs to be aligned properly. Development of core stabilization and base balance and alignment can be achieved with various exercises using a large rubber ball and a long foam roll. Two young, athletic women demonstrated a very impressive series of exercises using these shapes in a very unusual and impressive way, very much equestrian related. Nick’s website is http://www.bestriderexperience.com/

This past week was a very busy one for the jumpers – two evenings of jumping, including the very popular and competitive Nation’s Cup and ending with the $150,000 Grand Prix this afternoon, with Britain’s Nick Skeleton claiming victory with Carlos. Looking forward to new experiences and excitement next week.