Former dressage Olympian Christilot Boylen has made the move to Florida and the Canadian rider feels certain she has made the sunny decision. Aboard the 10-year old Hanoverian Dio Mio, Christilot swept the board at the 2013 CDI West Palm Beach on 24-27 January 2013, winning the Prix St Georges and Intermediaire I with scores in the upper sixties.
"I made the move to Florida as I had the feeling I needed to keep expanding my horizons," Christilot told Eurodressage. "I am in Florida now with a string of younger horses, ranging from 6 to 10 years, to train and compete on them here. The owner is based here in the winter and also wants to get to know the horses better and be able to ride them with instruction."
Starting out her dressage career at the local pony club, Christilot found a racetrack reject Bonheur as her first "serious" horse, which led her into dressage. "The horse couldn't jump, so we gradually drifted to dressage," she reminisced.
While Florida is now her training centre, Christilot spent many years in Europe and was taught by a wide variety of dressage greats. "I have spent a lot of time training in Germany , first with Von Oppeln-Bronikowski (1936 Olympic Gold Medallist), then 8 years with Willi Schultheis, then another 8 years with Georg Theodorescu. I also spent a winter with Herbert Rehbein when I got Anklang from him and some time with Jo Hinnemann when he was coaching Canada. And of course with Udo Lange my partner."
While Christilot spent most of her training life in Germany, the move to Europe became quite permanent after the 1987 Pan Am Games, where she was able to win her 3rd individual Gold Medal, just one of many career highlights. "I find it hard to pick my greatest dressage achievement. Perhaps taking out leading Lady Rider in Aachen, or the Hamburg Derby Win on Pink Power, or Gachino's wins in GP and GPS at Horses and Dreams. Also the three Gold Medals at the Pan Ams, particularly the last when I made it a Hat Trick!"
With many more wins under her belt, particularly her most recent triumphs in the Prix St George and the Intermediaire I at the West Palm Beach CDI, Christilot is enjoying the change of scenery and competitive environment that Florida has to offer. "I can be very pleased with the results of the first two competitions," she said. "Six classes, four wins, and two seconds in the first show, and then four wins at the second 2nd show, plus a 6th for the young PSG horse Hudson," she said. "I have realised though that Florida competitions function quite differently from Germany or Europe, where national and international shows are hardly ever mixed. In Florida you run the gammut of training level all the way to Grand Prix with often 3 or 4 rings going simultaneously. Plus the facilities are great: good boxes, much space, friendly organizers, and above all great weather."
Due to this mixture of lower levels or amateur divisions with the CDI, Christolit noticed that the standards witnessed at the events run the whole palette. "From truly amateur all the way to top notch FEI Levels and this is clearly seen by the results of the recent competitions," she explained.
Her winning equine partner in West Palm Beach is Dio Mio, a De Niro son with a Charmeur mother which Christilot found at Burkhard Wahler's place in Medingen. "I am going into the third year with him now. He is in his second season of small tour and is working also on Grand Prix stuff," Boylen explained.
Trained mostly by herself, Christilot also relies on Ashley Holzer as the "eyes on the ground" at their debut event. Next week Christilot's partner Udo Lange will come along. "He will be here and will surely help me "pull up my socks"," she admitted. "I also take a lot of training videos, so I can see what I am feeling, or compare slightly different tempos."
Set to continue her Floridian life, Christilot is having a wonderful time, enjoying good horses, lots of sun, and a happy working environment! "There is also a great team to help me with the horses," she added. As for the horses? It seems they too are living the sunny life! "They get turned out everyday and we go hacking on the bridlepaths. It sure beats a cold arena," Christilot quipped.
by Sarah Warne for Eurodressage - Photos © Susan J Stickle
Related Links
Bonheur xx, From Race Track to Olympic Dressage Arena
Scores: 2013 CDI West Palm Beach