f ff By Charlene Strickland
Two Grand Prix Jumpers Prove Their Careers Aren’t Over
Everyone likes a good comeback story. How about two horses returning from injuries just as strong as they were before, boasting wins in the Grand Prix again? These stalwart steeds demonstrate strength of stamina, breeding and character.
SELENA: Texas Tough
She was out of the game for a year and a half—but NKH Selena has come back tougher than before. In 2016, this Oldenburg mare (Stakkato Gold x Quattro B) has won three times when put to the test at CSIs in Mexico and California. Her owner, Neil Knox of NKH LLC of Dallas, Texas, calls his
jumper “super.” Her trainer, Christian Heineking of Weath- erford, Texas, is also very fond of her. And they share in the pride of how Selena has rebounded after a long layoff.
EARLY SUCCESS Christian picked Selena as a five-year-old after watching her free jump. “When I saw her the first time it was at an auction at October Hill Farms [Texas],” he recalls. “She really jumped well. She had a little bit of character, was a little bit difficult in the beginning, but she always wanted to compete and leave the jumps up.” Christian says the young mare was a little bit mareish. “She had a little bit of her own opinion about things.” Neil remembers her as being totally unbroken. “I think
it’s safe to say she was a bit of a madam. She thought she was in charge of everything. We had to point her in the right direction,” he says. As a six-year-old, Selena competed in young jumper
classes. Christian took her to the Young Jumper Champion- ships Midwestern League Finals in 2011. There she finished
All photos by Charlene Strickland
NKH Selena and Christian Heineking competed at HITS Thermal Desert Circuit in 2016.
seventh in the six-year-old final. In 2011, she competed as high as 1.40 meters. “I bought her after Christian bought her,” Neil continues.
“He convinced me that she was pretty special. Christian and I have a very strong relationship. I agreed after some time; I think it was just a year. He kept working on me.”
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