Kimberly Herslow & Rosmarin On Way to Likely USA Intermediate Championship

By KENNETH J. BRADDICK

LEXINGTON, Kentucky, Oct. 10–Kimberly Herslow and her Rosmarin came close to clinching the United States Intermediate Championship with her second victory Thursday, but an emerging talent on an American-bred horse rode her way into contention for a top placing.

Kimberly of Stockton, New Jersey and the eight-year-old Rosmarin scored 75.789 per cent to capture the Intermediate I after taking the Prix St. Georges a day earlier with the same score of 75.789 per cent at the Festival of Champions presented by the Dutta Corp.

Caroline Roffman rode Her Highness O that she competed at the World Equestrian Festival in Aachen, Germany in June to second place on 73.053 per cent after the pair’s 72.842 per cent in the St. Georges.

The surprise of this annual championship came from Sarah Lockman, a 25-year-old originally from Gardnerville in northern Nevada now living in Ranch Cucamonga, California, who rode her Vinterpol to third place on 70.553 per cent, after 67.500 for a sixth place finish in the St. Georges.

The first two competitions in these national championships count for 85 per cent of the total with the Intermediate Freestyle to be held Saturday worth 15 per cent.

Kimberly Herslow and Rosmarin lead with a combined total so far of 64.421, Caroline Roffman and Her Highness second on 62.011, Sarah and Vinterpol third on 58.749, Emily Juchser Wagner and Wakeup fourth on 58.622, Shelly Francis and Danilo fifth on 58.533 and Jessica Jo Tate and Faberge in sixth on 57.943.

Sarah describes herself and the 11-year-old gray KWPN gelding (00 Seven – Uniform) as “newbies on the scene,” having performed their first Prix St. Georges last December and their first ever CDI small tour in February in  Southern California then two more over the following couple of months .

Vinterpol, bred by Natalie Bryant and sold by Willy Arts at DG Bar Ranch in Hanford, California to Pamela Munson, an amateur, has been ridden by Sarah since the horse was four years old.

Sarah has been riding almost her entire life, first going into the show ring at the age of three her feet rubber banded to the stirrup.

She was home schooled so she could focus on riding and at one stage lived in a tent outside her trainer’s house because her family had no money to pay for lessons and Sarah was working to pay her own way.

When she was 10 years old she told her first trainer she was going to become a trainer and go to the Olympics.

She was an eventer taking Thoroughbreds off the race tracks to train and compete.

Although she loved the thrill of cross country, Sarah switched to dressage in 2004 and, with her event horses, moved to California to work for David Wilson in Chino Hills.

She developed her own riding, trained horses and taught riding as well as sold horses.

Then, 18 months ago she went out on her own and has built a business with 20 to 25 horses in training and a sales operation successful enough that both her younger sisters, Bridget, 21 and Angela, 19, are working with her.

She has dragged her fiance, Mark Cumming, into the horse world though he has no previous equestrian experience but has become a big supporter. She tried to reciprocate by joining him in snow boarding and golf but as a self-described horse nerd she was “just ugly” at those sports.

A major focus for Sarah has been young horses. She works with some breeders and has some well credentialed youngsters coming up, some for sale and others to keep for competition.

Early this year, U.S. Developing Coach Debbie McDonald spotted Sarah at one of the CDIs in California.

“I’m a little girl from the middle of nowhere,” she said. “I don’t know how I would have gotten here without the support of so many nice people looking out for your wellbeing. It’s incredible. It’s out of this world.

“My goals? Everybody keeps changing them. Originally I was hoping to make it on a Pan American Games team with this horse.

“Robert Dover and Debbie both want me to go to Europe, and spend some time in Florida.

“I’m just ecstatic to get the horse to Grand Prix.

“He surprises me from one week to the next. He gets stronger and stronger. He is one of the most incredible animals, a work horse. It’s just so cool.”

Results:

INTERMEDIATE 1
Judges: E: Lamping-USA  H: Rockwell-USA  C: Gardner-GBR M: ZANG-USA B: GRIBBONS-USA