ShowBiz Featured PROFESSIONAL
BENSON CARROLL Producing Equitation Winners, Year after Year
B by Kathy Hobstetter
Medal winners. In the end, according to Benson, there is a common thread, something consistent about all the top equitation specialists. “How many great coaches
and trainers are there out there,” asks Benson, “with pages and pages of results? The interesting thing is that most of us practice known tried and true principles that none of us were responsible for creating. The thing I can guarantee is that if trainers are consistently producing horses and riders that are winners, you will always find that they will have the same traits in common. Consistency to the system they use, attention to detail, and repetition.” Taking the long, winding
enson Carroll is among the highly success- ful trainers that turn out equitation win- ners, year after year. He passes on to his riders the dedication and self discipline necessary to rise to the top among the ever growing number of exceptionally talented
or 12. The problem was, first we had to catch her! She was a nasty little pony that used to run backwards kicking at us in the field when we went after her.” The first horse he owned was bought with money saved
from his paper route but he had no saddle, he didn’t have enough for the saddle too. Participating at the local rodeo, riding in parades and grand entry, he also did kids pony bare- back bucking at the rodeos. This all evolved into some sporadic 4-H involvement, local shows and eventually breed shows, Quarter Horses but mostly Appaloosas. Most of the showing was Western but to go for the overall high point, riders would show everything from Halter classes to English Pleasure. “After turning 18, I moved
road through just about every riding discipline, and several countries, the road eventually led him to the beautiful Car- mel, California area and a way of life people dream about. “Living the dream” as the quote goes, is something Benson is doing, and working hard at his craft at the same time. Born in the state of Texas, his father was killed in a tragic accident when Benson was 3 and his family moved to the panhandle of Florida for his childhood. He fondly re- members his early years, intertwined with horses along the way. “On my Father’s side of the family, most were Florida farmers. They were close enough to Alabama, as one of my southern relatives used to say, you could spit on it! They had livestock as well as crops, and I learned to ride by getting on a pony in the fields with my cousins at about the age of 11
Photos Courtesy Benson Carroll 71
Meredith Manor to join their staff as an instructor, with the promise of them sponsoring me at eventing competitions. I stayed with them for 2 years and although I never did a true 3 day event, I had a great time doing all of the horse trials.” “It was during the time,” says Benson. “A young woman
to San Antonio Texas for my first job in our industry with Col. John Russell. A former member of the US Olympic Team, winning Bronze Medal in Helsinki in 1952, he was in- ducted into the Show Jumping Hall of fame in 2001. After a year there I was lured by
from the east, Frances Gallagher (now Nix), was riding the stables good stallions and doing some jumping. She was the only exposure I had ever had to someone who seemed to have some knowledge and I eventually was a working student for her in Colorado. There I had my first experiences jump- ing. When the opportunity arose for me to go to Europe, I grabbed at it but eventually that led me to California.” Possibly the most interesting revelation about Benson is his insight to the sport and his understanding of what it takes to
Above: Adrienne Dixon, Benson Carroll and Sheila Sosnow
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