Name: Lindsay Berreth
Age: 24
Location: Fredericksburg, VA
Relationship to Eventing: I have ridden through Preliminary and have been bringing a young horse along for the last three years. We’re now at Training. I also work for GRC Photography as a photographer and do some freelance writing and photography (for USEA, COTH, etc).
Favorite Eventing moment/story?: There are so many! The year 2006. I won or placed second at all of the training level events I entered and my notoriously-difficult-at-show jumping Irish TB jumped multiple clear rounds. We went to the AEC in North Carolina and were fourth after cross-country but had two rails down and dropped out of contention. I was pretty upset about that but we rebounded by finishing second at the Waredaca Training Three Day, and then moving back up to Preliminary (we’d dropped down a level when I started working with a new trainer) to win Prelim Rider at the Virginia Horse Trials.
It was also really cool to go to WEG last year and see all of the greats in person. I’ve been to Rolex a bunch of times, but nothing compares to seeing Mark Todd and Andrew Nicholson ride by after having watched them for years on my Badminton DVDs.
Last fall as an intern for COTH, I traveled to Woodside Horse Trials in California and Greenwood Farm Horse Trials in Texas to cover the Adult Team Challenges. I’d never flown by myself before and had never been to Texas. The warmth and welcome I recieved at both events was amazing. In Texas especially, eventing has such a family feel. Everyone knew everyone and they all rooted for each other. It was so fun to see how eventing is in different parts of the country. I made it home safe and sound and navigated the roads from the airports to the events without any problems!
If you had to pick one reason why you love Eventing, what would it be?: I like the journey and creating a partnership. My now-retired Preliminary horse What the Heck (“Sam”) had gone Advanced when I got him and taught me the ropes. We had a good partnership and had fun.
Three years ago I bought Oh So Extreme, my first OTTB and my first green horse. Because I’ve done most of his training, I feel like we’ve created a deep bond that I never had with Sam. Sam loves attention but he’s also independent and doesn’t need to be fawned over all the time. Oh So seems so relient on me and is so eager to work everytime I get on. He loves learning and would jump off a cliff if I asked him. It’s so cheesy, but he’s like my other half sometimes! We know each other so well. I’ve enjoyed bringing him along and I’m proud that he’s now a solid Training level horse on his way to Preliminary because of the work I’ve put in (with the help of wonderful trainers of course). When I first got him, I thought we’d never be able to ride a dressage test because of how tense he would get, but something clicked within the last year and he’s become much more rideable.
Overall Goals in the sport: I never got to complete a long format CCI* with Sam because of soundess issues, so I think first I’d like to finish on my dressage score at preliminary with Oh So and then we’ll see where it goes from there.
Biggest Role Model: My riding role model is Will Coleman. Every photo you see of him, he looks near-perfect! I try to keep that in mind when I ride. Personally, probably my dressage trainer Nicky Vogel (She’s also a USDF R judge). I’ve been with her for over ten years and she’s taught me almost everything I know about stable management and horse care. She’s from England and used to event so she has all sorts of tricks and remedies. She’s also advised me about issues in my personal life and has become a great friend, sounding board and mentor.
Link to blog or website, if applicable: http://lberreth.wordpress.com
