for Leslie Burr’s elite jumpers Gem Twist, Pressurized and Charisma. They also learned about veterinary care from Dr. Tim Ober, the U.S. Show Jumping Team veterinarian at numerous Nations Cup and championship competitions. “Horsemanship was a big part of the clinic,” Victoria
reports. “Having the riders take care of their horses and muck the stalls and understand your horse, for me was lovely. We had sessions with vets and with the trainers, which helps us understand that horsemanship is a huge part of this sport. I feel if there is no empathy to the horse there will not be any results. I had a fantastic time at the clinic.”
Nations Cup Practice The mock Nations Cup class took place over a techni- cal, 1.35 meter track set by former Olympic gold medalist Conrad Homfeld. Beezie Madden was the chef d’ equipe for the Red Team, made up of TJ O’Mara, Daisy Farish, Ransome Rombauer and Kelli Cruciotti. Anne Kursinski headed up the White Team of Katherine Strauss, Eve Jobs, Danielle Roskens and Victoria Colvin; and Lauren Hough led the Blue Team of Ailish Cunniffe, Mitch Endicott, Vivian Yowan and Lucy Deslauriers. Before the competition, instructors used notes that
George Morris had written down when he coached them for Nations Cup competitions, and they were able to share the words of the master himself with their students. The riders walked the course with their team and chef
d’ equipe and warmed up together in the schooling ring. Laura Kraut gave each rider and the auditors a thorough review following each round, so riders knew what to
improve on for the second round and the auditors were educated as well. Her eagle eye didn’t miss a thing and she was quick to point out where riders improved, along with a thoroughly constructive critique. Beezie Madden’s team led after the first round with only
six faults, but in the end, it was Anne Kursinski’s team who earned the top spot. Kelly Crucciotti, who captured the Pessoa/USEF Hunter
Seat Medal Finals and the $100,000 Sapphire Grand Prix of Devon in 2015, had a beautiful go in round 1, but she had an unfortunate 16 faults in round 2 with her own Wallen- berg. The only other rider to jump a clean round on the day was Lucy Deslauriers, 16, of New York. Lucy anchored the Lauren Hough-coached Team Blue, who finished the day in third with a 41-fault total score. After her horse Hamlet put a foot in the water in the first round, Lucy rode a faultless round 2. “You were on a mission to improve the water, and you
did,” said Laura Kraut. “You corrected your mistake and added confidence to him.” “It was such an unbelievable opportunity,” rider Victoria
ABOVE: TJ O’Mara was first to go for Beezie Madden’s Red Team. ABOVE RIGHT: Anne Kursinski and her winning Nations Cup Team during the George H. Morris Horsemastership Train- ing Session.
20 March/April 2016
Colvin says of her experiences. “I was able to communicate with some of the top riders in our sport today and it was a blessing. I learned a lot from the various trainers and was able to grow from their critiques.”
“Before the competition, instructors used notes that George Morris had written down when he coached them for Nations Cup competitions, and they were able to share the words of the master himself with their students.”
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