2007 Palm Beach Dressage Derby

They’re Back! “Tuny” Page and Wild One Take Saturday’s FEI Grand Prix Win

On The Road to Burbank

Page and Wild One will be making the trip to the West Coast later this month for the Freestyle Championships in Burbank and the final selection trials for the Dressage World Cup, which will be held in Las Vegas, April 18-22. Saturday was a hot and muggy day at the Derby and Page said the weather might be helpful in preparing the pair for Burbank and long-term, maybe even for Beijing, site of the 2008 Olympic Games. “It’s important to feel like the horse can come out on a day like today and still win.” One thing she also learned from her Derby ride was that Wild One doesn’t need much preparation time. “I worked him for maybe 15 minutes and he can do that. He can work for 15 minutes and then go to the ring. That’s really important to know.”

Wild One, an 11-year-old Hannoverian gelding (by Wanderer), and owned by Page, had a reputation for being a difficult ride, mostly because he spooked a lot. But to her credit, Page stuck with him and the pair has evolved into a successful international duo. Page expects that as she and Wild One get back in show mode, their scores will go up as the season moves along.

When Wild One is strong in her hand, their scores are lower and he was a bit strong in their Grand Prix ride. “That issue will chase me to the grave,” Page said. “But the more I show him, it gets better and better.”

Wild One isn’t the only one who needs to be checked now and then. Page said she sometimes needs it as well. Although she has a promising youngster in the wings, Wild One is still her main ride and Page said she’s aware that when riders have only one top mount, there is the tendency to push too much. “The horse can only take so much.”