American Grand Prix rider Eliane Cordia-van Reesema and her number one Grand Prix horse Jewel's Adelante returned to the big tour show circuit with a bang, winning the national Grand Prix at the 2015 CDN Wellington on Friday 23 January 2015. In a class of seven, including World Equestrian and Pan American Games riders, Cordia-Van Reesema was the only one to post a 70+ score.
Eliane and her 15-year old Swedish warmblood Jewel's Adelante (by Don Schufro x Phaeton) skipped the summer show season after a minor injury briefly sidelined the liver chestnut in the late spring of 2014. Focusing especially on the mental well being and physical fitness of her experienced Grand Prix horse, Cordia-van Reesema chose to preserve her horse's strength over the summer and concentrated completely on the 2015 Florida show circuit.
"To me it's the little things that count," Eliane told Eurodressage. "Last year I fully focused on building the total fitness image of the sport horse. Adelante had to be fit in mind and body, so he is fresh and fruity in the show ring."
Her concentrated work paid off as Eliane was the only rider to break the 70% barrier in the national Grand Prix, winning the class with 70.400%.
"Adelante felt better than ever," said an ecstatic Eliane. "He had no doubts whatsoever and gave me his all. It was such a fantastic feeling."
The Recipe for Having Motivated Horses
Eliane's recipe to success is not only having her horses on form, but also learning from the best, across the disciplines. Based at U.S. show jumper Peter Leone's Lionshare Farm, Cordia-van Reesema is not afraid of fences and regularly jumps her horses. While her horses are based there on the lush grassy lands in Connecticut, she trailers her horses to Ashley Holzer in New York on a weekly basis for some dressage fine-tuning. Now at Holzer's yard in Florida for the winter, Eliane also gets coaching from U.S. team trainer Robert Dover.
"The more eyes the better," Eliane stated. "You can always learn from everyone if you are open to gaining new knowledge. I also think it's important to jump the horses occasionally to keep them inspired and motivated. They have to love their job. You'll notice it when there is no sparkle! My small tour horse Amethyst loves jumping and with Adelante I go out on hacking on the hills or taking him round the canter track. I think it's important to ride often on different surfaces and make their legs stronger. I'm firm believer that there is a certain mileage limit to the amount of piaffe and passage you can train, because these movements are so straining on the horses."
It was obvious that her 10-year old Dutch warmblood Jewel's Amethyst (by Sandro Hit x Flemmingh) felt inspired because the tall and muscled, home bred bay gelding finished second in the national Prix St Georges on Thursday 22 January 2015. The pair scored a strong 70.921% and were only bested by Dorothy Morkis on Artiest (71.184%).
"Amethyst went really well. He's such a big horse so is more challenging to ride, but he has a big heart and wants to do the job," Eliane explained.
A Trainer-Student Symbiosis with Carefully Selected Horses
Cordia-van Reesema runs the American branch of Jewel Court Stud, an internationally acclaimed stud farm of Olympic show jumping horses and top quality dressage mounts in Belgium. While most of their horses are home bred, Jewel Court Stud has an amazing eye for spotting talent in young horses. They regularly acquire promising foals and young stock to be trained and sold.
While training students is not a priority, Eliane cherishes the coach-student relationship she has with a select few. Jewel Court Stud's assistant trainer Jessica Forend recently won the USEF Fourth Level Test of Choice at the 2015 Gold Coast Opener CDI on one of their lovely sales horses Capriole, an 8-year old bay Dutch warmblood mare by Special D x Falco. Student Stephanie von Guttenberg aced her first show ever, winning the Third Level Test 1 with a whopping 70.455% aboard Winston, an 8-year old Dutch warmblood by OOSeven, which Eliane discovered and sold to her.
"It is very satisfying to be able to find super talented horses in Europe, train them for a while so that they become nice, easy to ride horses and then sell them to clients who are loyal and become students, even close friends," said Eliane about the fulfilling life she has as a dressage rider and trainer at Jewel Court Stud.
While Eliane Cordia-van Reesema remains modest about her goals, the dream to represent the U.S. at an intercontinental championship is certainly there. With the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto in August looming around the corner, her fire is sparked.
"In February I want to compete Adelante and Amethyst in two CDI's. If there is chance to be on the team, I'll jump for joy! We all want that one day. I just hope I can keep holding onto this upward trend and make it one day."
Photos © Sue Stickle - private
Related Links
Eliane Cordia-van Reesema Breeding for Success, Proving Form at 2014 CDI Saugerties
Eliane Cordia-van Reesema, Dutch Rider with U.S. Pan Am Team Ambitions