ShowBiz Feature
“Ronnie used to say ‘What a teacher,
year Charlie Weaver was hurt. my hands on. Every book I can get I
WHAT a teacher,’ about the mare, and
“Carol was just amazing and wonder- read again and again and review them
he helped me so much with the basics
ful and gave me the chance of a life- at night.”
I didn’t really have yet,” Peter men-
time, another who helped me along the “It is especially important if you want
tioned. “I had her for three years be-
way,” said Peter with a sincere note of to get to and stay at the very top of this
fore she died and then Ronnie gave me
appreciation. game. There are great communicators
a wonderful horse named Free Spirit.
At 26 years old, another turn in the out there who have the time to write
I rode that one and qualified for the
road appeared when Cynthia Williams about what they know or have learned
Medal Finals. Although I qualified, it
declined an opportunity to teach in and I want to absorb all of their infor-
was not a horse of the Finals caliber,
Greece. She referred the job to Peter mation,” he ended.
so I borrowed a horse from Sandy
and away he went for a year in Athens. He showed as a kid at the same shows
Nielson and ended up in the top 10
Showing all over Europe with the riders with Archie Cox on the east coast, and
of the Maclay Finals in 1982. I really
and Team, his experience culminated knew Karen Healey from there. He
“Watching those top European riders really made me aware
that watching that level of riding had created a desire in me to
be better! That has stayed with me to this day. I want to be
better each time I get on a horse or give a lesson.”
appreciated that ride and the experi-
in Mons, Belgium for the European Ju- has always admired Karen for her in-
ence.”
nior Championship and then the Vol- sight, dedication and excitement for
Next was a college education at the
canic Games in Istanbul, Turkey. One the junior riders in her barn. Keeping
University of Maryland, with an Ar-
of the most exciting highlights was be- up with her career, he jumped at the
chitecture major, but it quickly became
ing the Chef D’Equippe for a Team in chance to work for her at Indio in ’98-
obvious he really missed the riding.
Ploviv, Bulgaria where one of the rid- ’99, a change instead of thinking about
After graduating, his decision was to
ers won the World Cup Qualifier. going to Florida.
turn professional and work free lance,
“Watching those top European rid- “She offered me a job and I couldn’t
accepting rides from anyone, anywhere
ers really made me aware that watching say yes fast enough, but just a few
he could get them, he stayed busy.
that level of riding had created a de- months after I got to California, Ar-
Then Carol Molony stepped in and
sire in me to be better! That has stayed chie’s business grew extremely fast,
for the next several years (off and on)
with me to this day. I want to be better
Peter showed horses for her farm. A
each time I get on a horse or give a les-
Opposite Page: Left to Right:
highlight was showing “Brazen” to the
son,” said Peter. “I have always been a Lombardo on Matheus, Lombardo
note taker to the extreme, I am enthu-
on Carson. This Page Left to
wins at the Hampton Classic and then Right: Peter Lombardo, Lombardo
going indoors in ’86 with the horse the
siastic about reading anything I can get
on Lydia, Archie and Peter. Next
Page Middle: Peter Lombardo
Photos © JumpShot, © Ed Moore,
© Flying Horse Photography,
© Kathy Hobstetter
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