2004 Dressage at Devon

Nothing Missing between Michael Barisone and Neruda

October 13, 2004

Standing in the limelight of the 2004 Devon Grand Prix Kur winners Leslie Reid and Mark was the new combination Michael Barisone and Neruda. Definitely a crowd favorite, Barisone and his dark bay Dutch warmblood gelding finished in the top five twice at 2004 Dressage at Devon.

In the Grand Prix, Barisone and Neruda placed fourth with 63.250%, but in the Kur to Music the pair rose to the occasion and ranked second with 72.675%. "It felt great," Barisone commented after his kur ride, "it's a brand new freestyle. We finished the music on Wednesday so I didn't ride it at home. The horse was terrific."

Riding on a Queen medley in his kur to music, Barisone highlighted Neruda's fortés: the piaffe and passage. The horse shows high elevation and good engagement in these collected gaits, while maintaining rhythm and balance. The horse's weakness are the tempi changes, even though they look impressive. In the changes Neruda jumps too much up in the air, and is not enough forward and jumping through from behind.

Nevertheless, Barisone's freestyle on Saturday evening at Devon was a remarkable improvement to the tension filled Grand Prix on Friday. "I warmed up wrong on Friday. I thought he would be crazy in the ring, but he wasn't. For the kur I did my normal warm up and he did his job like he's supposed to," Barisone commented.

The Dutch warmblood Neruda (Haarlem x Ladalco) is owned by Michael Barisone and Jane Suwalsky. When we pinned down Barisone for a talk on Sunday October 3, 2004, Barisone mentioned that it was Neruda's one year FEI anniversary. "He rode his first FEI test in his life on October 3, 2003 at a show in New Jersey."

One can notice a sparkle in Michael's eyes when he's talking about Neruda. "For me, it's the first time in my life I have a complete horse. He has a beautiful walk, trot and canter and he's a horse everyone likes. And, he's big enough for me," Barisone explained. "He's such a smart horse. To teach him the piaffe-passage was easy."

Barisone found Neruda as a 3-year old in The Netherlands and sold him to a friend who rode him for 2-years. "He got too big and too strong, so I took him back," Michael said.

As a 6-year old Neruda competed only in one show, namely at Dressage at Devon. He finished third (with a 7.6 score) and first (with 8.8) in the FEI Young Horse tests for 6-year olds at 2001 Dressage at Devon. "Judge Janet Brown remarked that "any rider who rides this horse can consider himself lucky'," Barisone reminisced.

When Barisone and Neruda made their Grand Prix debut at Dressage in Florida in the spring of 2004, all kinds of pressure were on the shoulders of owner Jane Suwalsky to sell this horse. That is when Michael and his wife Vera Barisone stepped up to the place at decided to buy back 25% of the horse.

Barisone's most successful mount prior to Neruda was the Danish warmblood mare Safir. "She's the most wonderful horse. There won't go a day by that I will not remember riding her." In 2000, Barisone almost made it on the American Olympic Dressage Team. When asked where it went wrong, Barisone replied, "I was too big for her and her walk was sometimes tense."

Barisone has a feeling he hit the jackpot with Neruda. "I've always been an alternate. There was always a thing missing in the combination, with Commanche, Dotato and Safir." However, with Neruda Barisone seems to have found his all-inclusive horse. "The only weakness he has is that he needs time to develop, to get confident and strong. I trained him from day one and he didn't see one bad day in his life. He's a beautiful talented horse that needs season, mileage and be healthy. Then, no horse will stand in his way," Barisone said.

By experiencing the Neruda thrill, Barisone has changed his view on competing. "I don't want to go to another show again with a horse that isn't as good as Neruda."

Text by Astrid Appels - Photos by Astrid and Mary for Phelpsphotos.com

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