Jaclyn Meinen Gets a Leg Up and a Ride on Rockette

Jaclyn Meinen also made the team thanks to the support of others. She competed in the Championships last year with her own horse, Rivaal. But when Rivaal was unable to compete in this year’s qualifiers because of an injury, Meinen’s trainer, David Wightman offered another horse, but when it didn’t pass the FEI jog at a qualifying competition in Los Angeles, the 19-year-old should have been out of the running. “But walking back from the jog, Sandy Harper turned to me and said, ‘You can have Rockette.’”

That started a one-month crash course in how to ride the 15.3-hand, nine-year-old Dutch mare so the pair could make the next qualifier in Del Mar, California. Once they made it, Whiteman donated six months of free training to help Meinen prepare for the Championships with Rockette (Ferro out of Alona).

“Just to be able to be part of this is amazing,” Meinen said. “Everyone pulled together. I couldn’t be more thankful. This whole thing was unbelievable.”