Ellen Toon Shines in Amateur-Owner Hunters With New Star Attache

Wellington, FL- March 5, 2005 - Ellen Toon is known for winning with her phenomenal hunter, In Disguise, but this week the spotlight was on her newer mount, Attache. The pair competed for the first time in the Amateur-Owner division this week at the Cosequin Wellington Open of the Winter Equestrian Festival and came away with the championship over Oracle and Laura Yorke.

Attache and Toon were second and third over fences yesterday and received a third in the under saddle class. They improved on their performance and picked up a first and second place in the remaining over fences classes.

This was the first week that Toon has shown Attache in the Amateur-Owner Hunters. They showed together for the first time in the Adult Hunters in the first week of competition at WEF and were champions, and placed second in the Peggy Cone Adult Hunter Classic in week four.

Toon felt that the Adult Hunter division gave her great experience in the show ring, but mentioned, “I really wanted to do him in the Amateurs because I felt comfortable on him.” Toon was thrilled with the results this week and acknowledged Attache, saying, “He has not taken a bad step for me in all those classes that I’ve shown him in. I can definitely improve, but he’s been absolutely perfect.”

However, Toon did reveal something that most would never have noticed about her. “I was very nervous because he didn’t do the regular hunters this week, and he’s never shown with just an amateur. I just didn’t really know how it would go. After the first class, I felt much better, but I was still nervous. You get to know your horse, you get to know what to expect, and I just don’t know him that well,” she said. Although Toon felt unsure, she and Attache made it look like they had been partnered together forever.

Both Attache and his brother In Disguise were brought along by Shachine Belle, who shows him in the Regular Working Hunters, and also by Toon’s husband, Jimmy, and trainer Rodney Bross. “He’s very similar to In Disguise. It’ll be a very nice combination if I have the two to ride together, because they’re both big strided and they are both broke in the same way.” Attache’s simplicity is credited to Belle, and Toon explained, “He’s very nice, very broke, and he really knows his job. I was a little surprised about that, because I thought he might just be a bit too big for me. He’s just a very well-made up horse.” Toon added, “When you say slow down, he slows down. When you say move up, he moves up. He looks for the jump. He’s about the simplest horse I’ve ever ridden.”

Attache is a favorite in the barn for both Toon and Belle. His nickname is “Donald,” but Toon also mentioned that he is a like a “Black Lab.” The big, friendly black gelding has even learned a few tricks. “He’s so sweet and he gives paw! He’s gotten really good at that; he gives both paws now!” said Toon with a smile.

Toon and Attache will compete again next week in the Amateur-Owner division and will go on to Tampa when WEF holds the final two weeks of competition, the Tampa Bay Classic on March 23-27 and the Tournament of Champions on March 29- April 2, at the Bob Thomas Equestrian Center.

Photo Credit: Attache and Ellen Toon, champions in Amateur-Owner 36 & Over Hunters at Winter Equestrian Festival. Photo by Randi Muster.