also the lower level classes. They began to move up, placing third for example in the $25,000 D-Braider Cherry Capital Grand Prix at
Michigan’s Horse Shows by the Bay
Series. The pair was also moving up and beginning to win in their other classes, at levels 6, 7 and 8. The following year would prove to be an eventful one.
Competitively, the partnership began to soar. In 2008, Patoile won the $25,000 Ariat Grand Prix, came third in the $50,000 EMO Grand Prix, and then took third again at the $100,000 DeLuca Toyota Tundra Grand Prix and received the Leading Mare Award, all at HITS in Ocala. The prize, much to Phyllis’ surprise, was a free embryo transfer breeding service donated by the Stallion Services Department of the Equine Medical Center in Ocala. Then, just three weeks after her big win, Patoile colicked giving both David and Phyllis quite a scare. Her colic was serious enough to require surgery, which was done at Lexington’s famed Rood & Riddle equine clinic. After surgery,
Ring Power Grand Prix at the Winter Ocala Finals, their first Grand Prix win and were sixth in the $50,000 Purina Mills Grand Prix, also in Ocala. “That,” David says with satisfaction of the Ring Power class, “was a nice win.” The mare then stayed on in Ocala to be bred. In July, Patoile carried David to the title of Ovation
Leading Rider at the Horse Shows by the Bay Series. The pair finished fifth at the $30,000 D-Braider Cherry Capital Grand Prix there in July, then went on to win the $10,000 Welcome Stake later in the month. In October, the pair took second in the Puissance (high
jump) class at the Washington International Horse Show. The class was a thrilling one that is still regularly viewed on
youtube.com. The Puissance class was a nerve-racking moment for Phyllis. The word puissance means “power” or “might” in the Middle English it derives from, and the class is certainly a test of equine strength—and, of course, jumping ability. In this class, horse and rider jump a short
course with a wall that is Patoile needed 90 days of recovery time. It would be the middle of the summer before she would be fit to compete again.
HITTING HER STRIDE Phyllis and David decided to make use of their award the following year and Patoile was bred in April of 2009, with the embryo transferred to a surrogate mare at one week. Her brief pregnancy—and surgery the previous year— didn’t slow Patoile’s winning streak down. In March 2009, prior to Patoile’s breeding, the pair had won the $50,000
continually raised until only a single pair can clear it. “I only reluctantly agreed to the Puissance class, because the size of that wall really scared me,” Phyllis explains. “So David and I agreed that I’d give him a thumbs up or a thumbs down after each round.” After the pair successfully jumped 6’7”, she decided it was just too much and gave David the thumbs down. But he wasn’t ready to give up. After a quick in-the-stands conference, David and Phyllis’ husband convinced her to let Patoile continue and they went on to compete at 6’10”. Patoile refused at that height and on her second refusal, David lost his seat and took a spill. As a result, McLain Ward and Vancouver
Portrait of Patoile. Patoile’s filly “For Sunday” with her surrogate mom. (Photos by Cookie Originals) Warmbloods Today 27
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