Robert Dover HorseMastership Week – Day 1. Blog by Kerrigan Gluch

Kerrigan Gluch on Vaquero HGF, reserve USA Young Rider Champion. © 2015 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

Kerrigan Gluch, 19 years old, is participating in the fifth annual Robert Dover Horsemastership clinic in Wellington, Florida and is writing a daily report for dressage-news.com. Kerrigan, from Mount Pleasant, Michigan but based at Hampton Green Farm in Wellington and Fruitport, Michigan for the past four years was the 2015 national Young Rider reserve champion on Vaquero HGF.

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This is my third time participating in the Robert Dover event and I am most looking forward to knowledge and experience that will help me move to the Grand Prix level. I will be riding Vaquero, a nine-year-old PRE stallion that was bred and owned by Hampton Green Farm in Wellington.

The Robert Dover Horsemastership week is full of the nation’s top youth riders. Some were invited to participate because of their involvement with Lendon Gray’s Dressage4Kids Program, while others from their success in the competition ring. In summer I was national reserve champion Young Rider so that secured my position as a rider in the clinic.

Today was move-in day for all the horses and riders, and the first day of a break from warm and humid weather that has lingered from the summer and Fall.

Over the years you get to know a lot of the participants, with a few new faces. This is one of the first events of the winter season here in Wellington, so everyone had to catch up on their summer activities. It is always nice to see riders come together from all across the country for this clinic. True dedication!

Everyone met with Lendon Gray for a short orientation. She gave her humorous opening speech and sent everyone on their way.

Tuesday starts with fitness and a lecture from Robert Dover. I am looking forward to an exciting week with all the trainers and speakers. In addition to Robert, Steffen Peters, Laura Graves, Charlotte Bredahl-Baker and George Williams will be instructing us riders. We also get to other riders talk about their international championship experiences and learn about different aspects of dressage life.