Dressage-News

June 5, 2024

By KENNETH J. BRADDICK

Three horses newly bought in a year-end splurge by Heidi Humphries’ and her Zen Elite Equestrian to be ridden by Americans are competing at Hagen, Germany CDI3* this week in the first head-to-head contest of all eight combinations on the U.S. short list for the Olympics in Paris beginning the end of next month.

Heidi of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida bought the three Grand Prix horses and others not yet at top sport from the money she has made developing technologically advanced products for breast-feeding mothers.

The horses are:

Bohemian, the 14-year-old Westfalen gelding now with the prefix Zen Elite competed by Endel Ots that was ridden on Denmark’s Tokyo Olympic team by Danish star Cathrie Laudrup-Dufour;

Helix, 12-year-old KWPN gelding that was competed by Marina Mattsson of Sweden before being bought by Zen Elite  Elite Equestrian and assigned to two-time Olympian Adrienne Lyle who was on historically successful U.S. silver medal teams with Salvino at the Tokyo Olympics and the 2018 World Equestrian Games, and

Lars van de Hoenderheide, 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding that was competed by world champion Charlotte “Lottie” Fry before being bought by Zen Elite for Adrienne to compete after the retirement of Salvino.

Heidi’s love of horses began when growing up in Miami and at the age of seven convinced her parents to buy her Roxie, an Appaloosa mare that became “truly my rock during my childhood.”

She later became a nurse specializing in new mothers–and became on herself with two children–that eventually led to creation in 2011 of Spectra Baby line of breast pumps. Success of the business enabled her to pursue her passion for dressage and possibly fulfill her dream this year of owning an Olympic horse.

As Heidi has become deeply involved in high performance dressage, she says she has “appreciation to all of the people and horses in my life who have each played a special part leading up to this incredible time! I am just so unbelievably grateful.”

She selected Endel to ride Bohemian after he “did a great job” with one of her young horses, King’s Pleasure on which he won the U.S. seven-year-old championship.

Endel recalls that he had just flown back from Europe when Heidi texted him about Bohemian being put up for sale and asked him “to go try this one.”

“And I was like, okay, cool,” he said. “I jumped back on a plane and then, yeah, went and tried him. I loved him the second I got on him. Heidi actually texted me a screenshot. She goes, ‘do you remember what you said when you texted me after your first ride on him?’ I said, no. She sent me a screenshot and it said: ‘I’ll sell one of my kidneys, whatever I have to do, firstborn child, you know. And so, that’s how it came to be.”

Heidi describes it this way: “He wanted the opportunity to ride this horse, Bohemian, and I wanted him to be able to show the world what he can do, and that’s what he’s doing. I’m really proud of both of them, because it was a short period of time that they had to work on perfecting their relationship with the horse and just getting to know the horse and they really just did a phenomenal job.And it’s a growing relationship.

“Endel also has a really sweet, playful way of allowing the horses to be horses. From bareback rides, to teddy bears to occasional Twizzler snacks , I know my horse is getting the attention he deserves.”

Heidi was first introduced to to Adrienne Lyle shortly after the Tokyo Olympics.

“What struck me with Adrienne, in addition to the trust I felt with her when I met her, was her deep love for the horses,” she said. “She always put the horses feelings, health, and wellbeing first. As an animal lover myself, that meant everything to me. Adrienne’s team seems to be following in her footsteps, too. It’s a long line of Debbie McDonald’s soft touch, trickled down to each and every rider on the team.

“More than anything, I believe in both of them. And, I feel so honored to be partnered with such incredible riders and horses.

“Hoping to make the U.S.A.(and my first horse, Roxie) proud!”

In addition to Helix and Lars Heidi has her stallion Zaunkonig (Blue Hors Zack x De Niro) in training with Adrienne that is at the top of the U.S. six-year-old rankings.

Adrienne describes Helix and Lars as “both really good horses” but doesn’t express a preference–“You can’t pick between your children. Come on!”

As with her own horses, Adrienne rides Helix and Lars three or four days a week after giving them time to acclimate from Europe’s winter to Wellington’s sub-tropical weather when they arrived in January.

She did not make changes to accommodate the short time to the Olympics.

“I was really adamant on that when they came here, because mentally and physically, just because we want to do things doesn’t mean we can change the way we do it with them. So we’ve been sticking to that.

“And thankfully, it all seemed to come together just in the nick of time…”

“I feel very, very fortunate because I think it’s so important that we not only have good Grand Prix horses,” Adrienne said, “but that we’re bringing up good youngsters in this country as well.”

Adrienne describes Heidi “as an absolutely incredible woman. She oozes enthusiasm and support and positivity and I ride several of her horses for her now. She supports several other riders here in Wellington, some of which I work with, and I just think it’s such an amazing vision that she’s building. And I’m so thankful to get to be a part of it.”