Sunday, March 21, 2006

Ocala Winter Dressage at the Florida Horse Park

Suzanne Graham and Helga de Carolina Share First Place with Sir Sinclair and Blue Sky
By Shaneen Kohler

Three riders shared a special moment when the scores were tallied in the FEI Prix St. Georges class on March 12. They had each achieved a score of 64%, tying them all for first place. Suzanne Graham of Jacksonville, Fla. riding Helga de Carolina was one of the three, as were Lindsey Cross with Blue Sky and Belinda Nairn Wertman with Sir Sinclair.

Helga de Carolina, a Selle Francais bred by Fernando Cardenas of Citra, Fla., was Graham’s partner for the reserve championship at Fourth Level at the 2005 U.S. Dressage Federation Region 3 Championships. She is by Quik du Rouet and out of True Petra by Orpheus.

Graham said, “(Cardenas) made me buy her as a 2-year-old. It was the best thing I ever did. I was so glad he saw the fit.”

Graham said the ride “was wonderful, which is just what you want when you are riding in the show ring. I was really happy with it.” She said her canter-pirouettes could use some work, but they are improving.

For the past 15 years, Graham has trained with dressage judge Susan Woods, who comes up to Graham’s Jacksonville farm to give her lessons on Helga. “Susan has worked with me since I bought Helga, whom I got as a 2-year-old and have had for eight years.”

She started her as a baby, put her first saddle on her and is showing her up to Intermediaire I, currently. “As soon as she learns to passage and piaffe, we can move up. She is definitely capable of it. There is no question she will be able to do the Grand Prix.”

One of the biggest challenges is training Helga while Graham teaches herself. “I have not ridden that far, so I am learning as I am teaching her. We have come up the levels together.”

Graham not only had a connection to some of the dressage riders at the event, she shared a few moments with trail riders passing through, as well. Graham believes in incorporating “pleasure time” into Helga’s training regime and does this by going on trail rides or hacking a couple days a week. It helps get the muscles elongated and not too tight in addition to being relaxing, said Graham, who also has a Quarter Horse she likes taking out on the trails.

The trail riders who passed through during Ocala Dressage were Karen Lappi of Altoona riding Opie, Terry Dehaan of Belleview riding Jetta, and Jack and Sandy Walsh of Altoona riding Bo and Bell, Tennessee Walkers. They were testing out the proposed course for the Children’s Miracle Network spring trail ride that will be starting at the Ocala Foxtrotter Ranch and winding through parts of the Florida Horse Park and along the Greenway trails, April 8. The 10-mile trail ride will benefit Shands Children’s Hospital at the University of Florida.