Winner’s Circle Rich Fellers and Flexible
on Their Way to London By Barbara Pinnella
I
t’s official – after all of the trials and observation events, Rich Fellers and Flexible have qualified for the Olympics,
being ranked number one! Just to seal the deal on their Olympic trip, the pair won the last USA Olympic Observation Trial, the $200,000 CN Performance Grand Prix at Spruce Meadows, in exceptional style. It was a very tricky turn in the jump-off, one that Fellers didn’t want to have to use, that brought home the win. Rich explained that jump-off ride and what led up to it. “I didn’t want to do that
turn,” he told us, “because it was a squirrely little S turn with a bit of a blind approach to quite a big oxer, so I didn’t really want to do it. I was actually last to go, but Reed (Kessler) had two in the jump-off. I thought if Kent Farrington had a great round, then that would obviously be the round to beat. I didn’t need to make the crowd wait for Reed, I just moved up in the order.” As Fellers expected, Farrington was extremely fast and hit every jump spot on. “That’s when I decided that to be on top I better take that short-cut, twisty, blind turn thing. I got a good angle to the vertical and he jumped high and hard. When he was in the air I felt I had room to maneuver so I opened my left rein and got him to turn a little bit.” “He landed, cut left and then I cut
Photos by Holly Burns Media 38
back right between 6A and B but he slipped and both front feet just about went out from underneath him. At the time he slipped I was seeing my distance out of this kind of a blind turn and the distance was quite long.” “He’s such a great horse, so bold and
aggressive,” Rich continued, “that I just legged him and leaned forward like I always do. He left long, jumped up for
reduces injury and it increases the life of a show jumper. Flexible is 16 and McGuinness is 17, both still winning.” We wondered what Fellers’ feelings
were about the petition that went around about him not having to compete in all of the trials – that he and Flexible had proved themselves enough. “I think that was really neat and I
appreciate all the concern. I understand what was behind the petition, but that’s not the system that was in place this year. The criteria specs were very specific. I think most people can understand the potential for legal consequences if you don’t follow the rules. I knew a long time ago what I was getting involved in and I knew what I needed to do in order to give myself a chance to make the team. Everything I’ve done so far is exactly what I planned. Flexible is 16, he’s getting a little older, but he’s very sound, healthy and jumping
fun over the oxer and just stayed in the air. Then to the wall on an angle, cut back to the last fence in the jump-off. He was incredible.” Rich has always ridden forward, and
we wondered if his style really fit the smaller Flexible better than someone else’s might have. “I believe in my style. I think it helps
all the horses, I really do. Being forward, light on their back and letting them carry a little gallop, I just think it makes it easier for them. For the long-term it
great.” “He’s no different than any other show jumper, he needs to compete some; he can’t just not compete. He needs to stay on his game. Two classes in Thermal and then he wasn’t really peaking for the trials in Wellington, but he jumped well there anyway.” “He didn’t jump again until the World
Cup Finals and we know how super he was there. He flew home, had a week rest, and jumped two classes at Del Mar. Then six weeks off of showing,
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