“The Jolly Roger isn’t something I broadcast, because I didn’t do it for anybody else; I did it for me. It’s my journey back to why I do this sport, because I love the horses.”
“My sister died on a Saturday, she was buried the next
Saturday, and I met Jennifer the Saturday after that. Jennifer is like a friend and a sister to me. We have a lot of fun and that’s the most important thing. I can’t say enough amazing things about the woman.” Jennifer is also involved in dog breeding and showing. In
2009, Will showed her Yorkshire Terrier at the Westminster Dog Show in New York City. Her dog handler, Brian Livingston, attended Rolex this year to cheer Will on, then watched the livestream from the airport on Sunday when he had to head to a dog show.
EYE ON THE PRIZE Will is busy making plans for his horses’ futures. Pfun is ten and Will says he came out of Rolex weekend feeling fantastic. Will plans to spend some time this summer working with Pfun with dressage trainer John Zopatti, who is based at Will’s own Gavilan Farm. “We’ve looked over my test and done some strategizing.
Pfun was relaxed even with all the atmosphere so we’re look- ing at ways to improve his score. I think it’s important with a first-time four-star horse to drop him back to the three-star level for the autumn. I want him to finish going, ‘Gosh, that was easy!’ so he can come back to Kentucky or Badminton next spring really confident, if all goes well.” Will also has Hans-Dampf, an Oldenburg by Heraldik XX,
whom he’s aiming for Blenheim (England) this fall. He also has a seven-year-old called Michel 233 (Hanove-
rian by Mighty Magic), who is just moving up to Intermediate level. Will has never competed at the Young Horse Champion- ship at Le Lion d’Angers in France, so if things go well he may take the horse there; if that doesn’t pan out, he’ll probably do the two-star at Fair Hill in the fall. He’s also planning on producing his own future horses. Will
spent much of early May on foal watch with his former four- star mare Andromaque. He bred the Irish Thoroughbred mare (Anshan—Gortnagale, Strong Gale) to show jumping super- star Shutterfly (Hanoverian by Silvio I out of Famm), who was ridden by Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum, and she foaled just before Mother’s Day. “I’ve been fortunate to have the feeling of going into the
arena at Kentucky on a horse that you’ve produced yourself and I hope to have that again,” he remarks. Will’s horses and dogs are like family to him. While he’s
not currently in a romantic relationship, Will also values the people who are close to him. “A couple of years ago I had all of these plans. I had just got this new horse from Germany… then you break your neck and everything stops. It made me stop and think, what happens if I don’t come back, what do I have? You have to take care of the people in your life. I’ve always put my career in front of my relationships. My career is still at the forefront of my mind, but I’m trying to take time to nurture the relationships in my life.”
He is channeling some of that energy into coaching the
Area V Young Rider team, which he says is another aspect of his career that he previously never devoted time to. “The Young Rider program gave me the stepping stone
to my career when Karen O’Connor was coaching and David helped. Last year Dianne Pitts said I should apply to coach Young Riders and my first reaction was, ‘no way,’ but I kept thinking about it and I’m so glad I took the job. Taylor Owen is the Area V Young Rider Coordinator; I knew her growing up and now she has a kid riding, and it’s really a fun process to be a part of.”
Back in the saddle with realigned priorities, a newly
minted four-star horse, and a healthy foal on the ground, Will has much to look forward to. Whether he’s riding for the Stars and Stripes or with a Jolly Roger on his lapel, he’s doing it all on his own terms.
Will and Pfun exit the dressage arena at this year’s Rolex Kentucky four-star, sporting his Jolly Roger on his shadbelly.
Warmbloods Today 17
Amber Heintzberger
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