Maddie and Rosie at a Jumper show in Montana this summer prepping for their first Novice by doing Training level jumps. Thanks to her mom Luann for the photo.
I don’t know if anyone has mentioned this lately, but the AECs are happening this weekend. And while you may be interested in watching horses jump those big and wide cross country tables, take a moment to glance over at the Junior Beginner Novice division and watch this week’s “Six Questions” star Maddie McElduff and her pony Orion’s Rosealene. Maddie’s mom Luann sent EN a list of Maddie’s accomplishments and we were pretty impressed. At ten years old Maddie is currently ranked 2nd on the USEA Junior Rider Beginner Novice Leaderboard and “Rosie” is ranked as the 3rd overall Beginner Novice horse. Maddie, Rosie, and Luann are making the trip to Georgia from Katy, Texas for Maddie’s first AECs. This is after Maddie spent two weeks in Montana this summer, training with Jil Walton and prepping for her first Novice at Rebecca Farm. They navigated the tough course and finished in a stylish fourth place. If you aren’t already a new member of their fan club just read her answers and trust me, you will be.
How did your riding career begin?
When I was four I loved my stick horse. I rode it every day for hours. I rode around and around the house, the block and pretty much anywhere I could. I got all my neighbor friends to ride theirs too! My parents thought maybe they should get me up on a real horse so I took my first lesson on two little Shetland ponies named “Jack-be-Nimble” and “Jack-be-Quick”. We moved to New Zealand and I rode over there too, and when we came back to the states my mom took me to three local barns and I picked the one I wanted to ride at. The instructor was an “eventer” and she got me started. We are no longer there, but I learned a lot about riding at that barn.
What was your first event and what made you come back for more?
For my first event I rode the Green as Grass division at one of our local equestrian centers called Pine Hill. We didn’t know a thing about “Eventing” but my family couldn’t believe there was a place out there that was so pretty with lots of trees and actually has jumps out in the field. It was close to where we live but we had no idea it was there. My mom and dad thought this might be a really fun sport for me to do because of being outside and being able to go to beautiful venues like Pine Hill. I leased a little Welsh pony named Sparky and we had some good success. He was very cute and he had the best tail ever! The best tail in the whole wide world. Sparky and I made a good pair and he taught me what it felt like to go fast and how to ride a naughty pony on cross-country. My second pony was named “Belle” and she was naughty too but she was also really cute so that made up for it. Rosie is my third pony and together we make a great team. I call her the “kitty cat” because of the way she jumps. She is amazing.
What part of the AECs are you most excited for? What is your next goal?
Cross country!! I just really like cross-country and can’t wait to see the Chattahoochee’s course. I am ready because I prepared all summer for this. We went last year just as to watch, so I am happy to be an official rider this year. My next goal is to qualify for the AEC’s at Novice. I am ready to bump up and I think I can be pretty good at that level. I am working very hard on my dressage because Jil said “it is all about the flat work” and I know deep inside she is right!
Who is your biggest inspiration?
My biggest role model is Jil Walton. She trained me over the summer up in Montana and she saw that I had a super duper awesome pony and wasn’t afraid to ride her. She let me jump some “training” level jumps and it made me really happy. She is an expert rider and I just liked being with her. I grew up a little bit this summer.
Who is your pony?
My pony is a buckskin Connemara/Arab named “Rosie” and she is really unique. Her official show name is Orion’s Rosealene and she comes from a barn up in Washington state. She love love loves to jump. I can’t say that she likes dressage but I can say that she cannot wait to go out on cross-country. When we pass the finish line she whispers to me, “Can we do that again?”
She loves to eat. She wants to eat all day. I don’t think she ever gets full. When she was in Montana this summer we had to slowly convert her to alfalfa hay from the coastal hay she gets in Texas. One day we noticed that she had eaten all of her alfalfa and had used her nose to push the yucky coastal hay over to the horse stalled next to her. Hoodoo Brown didn’t want it either.
Also she has a very unique brand. They call them the “Christmas Tree” ponies because her brand looks like a christmas tree. It is very cute and when we are at shows she gets lots of compliments and other “Christmas Tree” ponies come up and say “hi”.
Why do you ride?
I ride because I have a pony who loves it, which makes me love it too. When I see Rosie it makes me smile every time.
Good luck to everyone riding this weekend, and don’t forget to throw in an extra cheer for Maddie and Rosie. Go Eventing.
