It's that time of year again: spring flowers, warm weather and, most importantly, Rolex Kentucky. This year, we will be highlighting riders who are making their first appearance in North America's only CCI4* event. Our final installment of this series is Libby Head and Sir Rockstar, who together make up one of the youngest riders and smallest horses competing this year. Here is the full scoop on this scrappy pair.
Libby and Sir Rockstar at Rolex. Photo by Jenni Autry.
We previously featured Libby Head on our Collegiate Eventing spotlight and we have really enjoyed following this young rider’s career. Sir Rockstar came to Libby as a neglected 10-year-old in 2008 and quickly blossomed under Libby’s care. Once he was healthy and his personality had really begun to shine, “Rocky” began to show his talent for eventing. The pair moved up to Advanced in 2012 and blazed around a formidable course at Fair Hill last year to bring home 12th place.
“Rolex has always kind of been a dream of mine, but when I got Rocky I was more focused on just getting a horse who at least wanted to jump. My last horse wasn’t all too interested in jumping,” Libby said. “After Fair Hill it kind of became a reality that Rolex could happen, so we just made a plan and kept working on his dressage to get ready.”
Libby’s coach, Kyle Carter, has worked with her on accuracy in the dressage ring so that she can pick up as many “easy” points as she can. A Rolex veteran himself, Kyle has also presented Libby with some types of questions that may come up this weekend. Overall, Libby’s small but mighty horse is as ready as he can be, and Libby feels confident in their abilities this weekend.
“My main goal is to complete,” Libby said. “Everything else at this point will just be icing on the cake. He has been here before when we did Young Riders (in 2011), so I am hoping that he remembers and can channel his energy more in our dressage rather than focusing on the atmosphere.”
As far as plans for after Rolex are concerned, Libby hasn’t thought too far ahead yet. She took this semester off from school at the University of Georgia so that she could focus on her Rolex prep, so she will be hitting the books when she returns from Kentucky. “I’m going to get caught up again so that I can finish,” Libby said. “After that we’ll think more about where to go from there.”
