I have to brag on Bridgett and Stanley a bit. Recently Bridgett moved up a class in Working Equitation. She and Stanley have steadily been improving in the Introductory class for the last couple of years, but she and Stan have gotten a bit bored. Her good friend and boarding facility manager felt it was time for her to move up as well. So she moved into Novice A and had her first show the weekend on April 24th.
Novice A is a bit more difficult – there is a different dressage pattern and the ease of handling obstacles are a little more challenging with a canter between each obstacle. The biggest change is adding one more test – the Speed test. It’s a version of Ease of Handling with similar obstacles – but the goal here is to complete the test as quickly as possible. certain errors can result in penalties.
They both did well for their first showing and I’m proud that Bridgett was able to make the move into something different.
Bridgett and Stanley have gotten some press on Stanley a bit in the last year. In May 2020 – she was featured in Sport and Trail Magazine: Retired Thoroughbred Race Horse Enters the Working Equitation Winner’s Circle.
In February 2021 she was interviewed for a podcast by Jamie Jennings and Joy Hills on Retired Racehorse Radio: Episode 50 go to time mark 39:22 for her interview
The two of them have several ribbons. Some of their top achievements:
2018 Champion Thoroughbred Incentive Program (TIP) General Division (Working Equitation)
2019 Reserve Champion Thoroughbred Incentive Program (TIP) General Division (Working Equitation)
2019 Breed High Point Thoroughbred Working Equitation – Champion
2020 Reserve Champion Thoroughbred Incentive Program (TIP) General Division (Working Equitation)
For more information on Working Equitation and the TIP:
USA Working Equitation
The Jockey Club Thoroughbred Inventive Program