Sixteen young riders from across the country have been working with Lendon Gray for the past six weeks in the intensive riding instruction program in Wellington, Florida.

Katlyn (Katie) Kok riding Morgan Enshoj at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival USPRE Show in the Young Rider division

As the Young Riders move on into building their foundations by competing, they are learning about pressure in short sequences and how to take steps back to continue building their horse and rider partnership.  Katlyn (Katie) Kok from New Hampshire rides her own horse, Morgan Enshoj said, “Going back to the basics is what the program is all about.  We are working on his gaits, getting him into that balance, making him more uphill with self-carriage.”  Katie, 19 years old and her horse, barn-name, Mo, have trained with Pam Goodrich for the past four years. They were on the Region 8 FEI Junior Team for the NAJYRC in 2011. Katie will focus on the move up to the Young Rider division in 2013.

Katie, who is learning how to increase her effectiveness as a rider said, “Mo and I have been working on the flow of every movement and polishing up. He’s a little tough, not that ideal dressage horse, though which one is?  He’s built a little downhill with great big hind-legs and not a great shoulder.  We are working on his gaits, getting him into that balance, making him more uphill with self-carriage.”  When asked how the first Young Riders test went, she replied, “I was ecstatic.

Katlyn (Katie) Kok riding Morgan Enshoj at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival USPRE Show in the Young Rider division

This last weekend was our first official Young Riders test, to see how it would go and to test the waters.  I was nervous about the show because there are so many improvements to be made.  Mo tried his hardest, and stayed really rideable through everything.”  In the FEI Jr/YR Team Test to qualify for the NAJYRC (North American Junior/Young Rider Championships)Katie scored on Saturday: 60.461% and Sunday: 62.970%.

Rachel Chowanec riding Lendon Gray’s Embrujado XI

At the USPRE Adequan Global Dressage Festival Show this past weekend Chowanec  scored on Saturday 64.737% and Sunday scoring 64.789%.

At the sixth week point of the EDAP Winter Intensive Training Program Lendon said, “Almost all the kids are now competing in levels above the ones they have ever competed before.  I am seeing huge progress in their training.”  

Lendon Gray’s Winter Intensive Training Program not only involves daily lessons with Lendon Gray, but also covers rider fitness, cross training, nutrition, sports psychology, media training, horse care, riding theory as well as riding tips from other top international riders.

The young riders even had a couple of days of lessons from Spanish Olympic riders, Juan Manuel Munoz and Daniel Martin Dockx. Molly Maloney riding Flyboy, owned by trainer Wes Dunham – Molly, 20 years old comes from Dover Plains, NY.

Molly Maloney riding Flyboy, owned by trainer Wes Dunham, with Juan Manuel Munoz

Advice from Daniel Martin Dockx, “You have to love your horse and the work.   The technique is needed with expression.  The horse has to want to give it to you without any tension.”  

Katie said, “I wishes to thank my Mom and Dad and brother, friends and family back home who pray for me daily and gave up some of their hard-earned money for me to be here, to Lendon to have sacrificed her winter for this program and Hampton Green Farm to give us the great facility, and to all the lecturers and riders who come and give us so much on an almost daily basis.”

The program will run from January 4 to March 28. Riders have come for the entire three months, or for a shorter period. The program covers lessons, lectures, stall with hay, grain, and bedding, coaching at shows, and stable management supervision.  There is time set aside each day for riders to complete their school-work or to have help with a tutor.

 

The List on Youth and Young riders

• Asia Ondaatje Rupert is a 12 year old pony rider from Bedford Corners, NY

• Katelyn Victoria Kok (Katie) (19 years old) from New Hampshire

• Meghan Watt is 16 years old from Saratoga Springs, NY

• Eleni Econopouly,  17 year old from Reinbeck

• Grace Gregory,  19 yrs old from Tennessee

• Nicholas Hansen (Nick) 17 years old, is coming from his family farm in Pennsylvania

• Hannah Corjulo,  17-year-old from Kingston, NY

• Brittany Stanley is 21 yrs old, a Saint Louis native 

• Jenny Salinger,  a 17 year old, Bannock Urn, Illinois

• Allyssia Bryant is 17 years old from a little farm in Livermore Falls, Maine

• Alexandra Singh a 17 year old from Slingerlands, NY

• Molly Maloney 20 years old from Dover Plains, NY

• Alexa Derr is an 18 year-old native of Reinholds, PA

• Sarah Roda 14 yrs old from Miami

• Maureen Trundy a 17 year old from Maine

• Rachel Chowanec 18 yrs old, comes from Columbia, Connecticut

• Kerrigan Gluch is 16 yrs old from Michigan