- Rick Wallace and Ultimate Trial
Every horse that we ride has a lot to teach us. The longer we ride, the more we can pick out skills that specific horses have taught us along the way. However, there is always one horse that starts it all for us. The one that teaches about riding and makes us into the rider we are today. This new series is going to tell the stories of the horses that started it all. This week, I thought it would be fun to chat with Rick Wallace, Elisa Wallace’s father, about his first Advanced horse, Ultimate Trial. All photos and videos used with Rick’s permission.
Rick Wallace became a father at 18, finished high school, and decided to make a name for himself as a rider. He bought a 10 acre farm with a 5 stall barn and moved his family there (his wife, and daughter, Elisa). In 1985, at the age of 21, Rick found the horse that would take him up the levels. He was riding with Nancy Gosch of Wood N Horse Stables in Newnan, GA back then. Nancy was known for breeding nice thoroughbreds, and many came to her looking for their next mount. Rick was no exception. Nancy was an integral part of his riding, and he wanted her to be involved in his choice of horses. He ended up choosing a lovely chestnut gelding from a field of unbroken 3 year olds. Nancy said to him,
“It is funny that you chose that horse. He was born in 1982, the year of the Olympic Selection Trials. That year, they were held in Lexington, KY at Rolex. Many said that the event was the ultimate trial of horse and rider. Thus, I named the colt “Ultimate Trial” and his barn name became Lexy, after Lexington, KY.”
Rick and Lexy came up the ranks quickly. In 1989, Rick and Lexy competed in their first long format CCI** at Radnor. Rick flew Nancy up to coach him, and he and Lexy ended up finishing 17th. Lexy wasn’t the fanciest horse, but he was usually midpack after the dressage. His forte was the cross country, however ,and he usually moved up to the top 5 afterward. He was known for being fast and making time, as Rick never had to touch the reins. That year, he was the Intermediate Horse of the Year in Area III. The following two years, 1990 and 1991, he was the Advanced Horse of the Year in Area III.
In 1990 and 1991, Rick and Lexy did a few 2 and 3 stars and did well. Rick decided to shoot for the Selection Trials for the Pan Ams in 1991. He started riding with Jimmy Wofford and Peter Green. Rick was best friends with John Williams at the time, so they did a lot of riding together as well. Unfortunately, Lexy and Rick had an unfortunate fall at Fence 17 at the Selection Trials . Lexy chested the jump and Ricky jumped it without him. Rick decided to call it a day and head home.
Rick and Lexy show jumping
In 1992, Rick set his sights on going to Rolex (which was still a 3* at that point). He started working with Peter Grey in addition to Jimmy Wofford and Peter Green. Rick really wanted to make the ’92 Olympic Team, so he was training hard. They went to Rolex feeling great. They were sitting in 17th or 18th after dressage going into their best phase. Lexy rocked around the steeplechase and onto Phase C. Unfortunately, he was spun in the vet box before cross country. It later came to Rick’s attention that he had a tear in his superficial flexor tendon. Rick was so disappointed. Lexy was his only big time horse then, and he had put all of his eggs in that basket.
Elisa Wallace at age 4 showing Lexy in-hand
At the time, Elisa was eventing as well. She was competing at Training level at the age of 10. Because the age limit on Preliminary was a few years down the road for her, Rick decided to switch their riding over to the hunter/jumper world for awhile. When Lexy was healed, he was Elisa’s first Medal/Maclay mount when she was 11. He also went on to be the first horse Grand Prix jumper rider, Callen Solem, rode in the jumper ring at HITS Ocala in 1993. Lexy taught many riders how to ride before he retired to a field at Rick’s.
Lexy enjoying retirement at age 18
At the age of 18, Lexy and one of Rick’s training horses, Leap of Faith, were best friends in the field. Leap of Faith was a bit of a rogue mare and difficult to handle. One weekend, Rick was away teaching a clinic, and he got a call that Lexy was badly injured. He rushed home to find out that Lexy had broken his leg. Leap of Faith would not leave his side. They knew that Lexy would have to be put down, but they could not get his friend to leave his side. Finally, they tranquilized her and took her to the barn and laid Lexy to rest. Following Lexy’s passing, Leap of Faith suddenly became easier to handle and started coming along quickly. She went on to be one of Elisa’s top event horses.
Rick gives Lexy all of the credit for teaching himself and so many others how to ride. He believes that Lexy was instrumental in bringing Team Wallace into the eventing world. Lexy lives on for Team Wallace in two ways. Rick names all of his event horses with the word “Ultimate”. He currently has Ultimate Victory (who will move up to Advanced this spring), and a new horse, Ultimate Decision. Elisa is keeping Lexy alive by bloodlines. Her stallion, Cor Magnificent, is closely related to Lexy. Lexy’s sire is Cor Magnificent’s grandsire. Lexy lives on in name and blood for the Wallace family.
