Jonelle Richards and Flintstar at Bramham in 2012. Photo by Samantha Clark.
There’s something really exciting about talking to a young up-and-coming rider who has the drive and passion to succeed. Calvin Ramsay chatted with me last night about his new horse Flintstar, who arrived in Louisiana 13 days ago from Tim Price and Jonelle Richards’ yard in Wiltshire, England. Purchased by his parents Court and Kylie Ramsay, 16-year-old Calvin is hoping Flintstar will help him land a spot on the 2014 Area V Young Rider CCI2* team.
“I went to England over Thanksgiving break to take show jumping lessons with Bumble Thomas,” Calvin said. “I had been passively looking for a higher-level horse, so I went half expecting to look at a horse while I was there. I ended up riding Flintstar, and I fell in love with him. He was so awesome to ride.”
Flintstar, a 14-year-old New Zealand Thoroughbred gelding by Zabalu out of Croftlea Firequeen, most notably competed on the bronze medal-winning New Zealand eventing team at the 2012 London Olympics. He’s enjoyed numerous top placings with Jonelle in the irons, including placing eighth at the Luhmuhlen CCI4* last year. He’s also completed Burghley twice, placing 27th in 2011 and 22nd last year.
Calvin Ramsay and Hoodwink at the 2013 NAJYRC CCI*. Photo courtesy of ivegotyourpicture.com.
Calvin and Flint are still getting to know each other, and he plans for their first event together to be running Preliminary at the Rocking Horse Winter II Horse Trials over Valentine’s Day weekend. “Depending on how we do there, the plan is to go to Red Hills to do the one star,” Calvin said. “And if one thing leads to another, we’ll try to qualify for the two-star Young Rider team.”
No stranger to the NAJYRC, Calvin competed on the Area V CCI* team last year with Hoodwink, adding just time on cross country to his dressage score to finish in fourth place on 55.8. He also won the very competitive Junior Novice division at the 2011 American Eventing Championships with Landmark’s Miss Liberty.
Flint has been a lot of fun to have around the barn, Calvin said, and he’s a very different type of horse than he’s used to. “He’s much more keen to the fences just because of everything he’s done in his career,” Calvin said. “I’m just so lucky to have him. If it wasn’t for my parents who funded my trip to England in the first place and then bought the horse, none of this could have happened.”
Jonelle said she wishes the Ramsay family all the best with Flintstar. “Flintstar has been instrumental in getting my career off the ground, and I hope he will do the same for Calvin,” she said. “I look forward to competing alongside them at Rolex in a few years!” Best of luck to Calvin and Flint as they build their partnership together.
Go eventing.
