Mackinzie Pooley Combining College with Competing Professor Partous

Interviews

Young Guns in Dressage

Multiple medalist at the North American Young Riders Championships since 2007, young gun Mackinzie Pooley successfully launched into the under 25 division in 2013, taking out the under 25's at this year's Del Mar CDI aboard the horse she purchased in 2012 from long-time trainer David Wightman.

"Moving out of Young Riders has been a great experience so far and it is always exciting to have a new challenge," the 20-year old Mackinzie told Eurodressage. "David always tells me 'Welcome to the real world' now that young riders is over. So far it hasn’t been that big of a shock. I am so grateful to have the U-25 division to compete in as a stepping-stone into the large tour. Without that I’m sure the shock would be much greater."

Victorious in the under 25 intermediaire II and Grand Prix at the 2013 CDI Del Mar with 67.632% and 66.822%, Mackinzie was especially happy with Partous, as it was the pair's first ever CDI together. "I was thrilled with my rides both days as besides being our first CDI it was only our 3rd show ever together," she said.

Hopping on board a horse for the first time at age 7, Mackinzie took up riding as a means of entertainment and a way to get in some quality mother-daughter time. "We were living in the state of Nebraska at the time and quite honestly there was not that much to do around there," Pooley reminisced. "My mom had ridden as a kid and we started riding together for fun. We ended up moving to Southern California when I was 10 and that is when I started to do dressage competitively with my then trainer Karen Ball."

Second at the USEF Festival of Champions in the Young Rider Division in 2010 and 2012 on two different horses, Mackinzie is currently focused on training the 16-year old Dutch bred Partous (by Juventus) and the 7-year old Oldenburg mare Starlet M (by Sandro Hit), as well as some horses for clients. "Starlet M I got at the Spring Oldenburg Auction in 2009. She is currently showing 4th level and I hope to have her ready to compete at Young Riders next year since it will be my last year of eligibility. She is a fantastic horse and I am so excited about her future," she said.

Mackinzie and Partous Working with Partous since November 2012, Mackinzie says he is a sweet horse and has a great work ethic. "He puts up with my trial and errors of learning the Grand Prix movements which are new to me," Pooley explained. "He is a Grand Prix horse and has been showing it since he was 8. I would say he is a pro at it by now and one of the most special things about him is his talent for piaffe/passage. It appears effortless for him and he seems to really enjoy it. He is a horse that has no weaknesses. I am extremely lucky!"

Owned by Mackinzie's trainer David Wightman since the age of 3, Partous was sold to Mackinzie last year. She hopes to continue training with him at David and Kathleen’s Adventure Farms, where she has been for the past 4 years. "David has been instrumental in making me the rider I am today and I would be no where near where I am today without all of his help and guidance," she admitted. "Plus, I have always admired Partous and had been badgering David to let me borrow him for a season so I could do the Brentina Cup. I figured it was a pretty lost cause but I would try anyway. One day in November David told me I could ride him and I was ecstatic! Later he and Kathleen told me that they would sell him to me so I could continue progressing toward the Grand Prix. My parents bought him for me in November and he is currently owned by my mom, Leslie Pooley."

Working intensely at the moment on her greatest training challenge, the one tempis, Mackinzie had to take her time to get the technical co-ordination in order. "Man do those things come fast," she joked. "I never considered myself a slow individual before, but when I had to learn how to swing my legs to get those it was difficult at first. I was so excited at the last CDI to get all 15 in the ring."

  A student at the University of San Diego, Mackinzie is a sophomore studying Business Marketing and struggles to fit in her hectic study/riding agenda. "The barn is 1 hour away from my school so that has been a challenge, being a full time college student as well as riding full time."

Mackinzie is to compete at the last CDI of the season in California, at Flintridge at the end of May. She hopes she will then have met the USEF requirements to be able to compete abroad. "A definite plan of mine is to compete in the Brentina Cup in October at the Festival of Champions. Something I hope will happen is that I am able to compete at some shows in Europe this summer to gain experience. My plans for the future include showing in the large tour in the CDI’s and then we will see what happens from there!"

Young Guns Profile - Mackinzie Pooley

Date of Birth: 13 March 1993
Nationality: USA
Place of Birth: Spokane, Washington
Sign/Horoscope: Pisces
Profession: Student
Hobbies: Traveling, Shopping, Spending Time with Family
Best personal quality: tenacious
Personal defect: trying to do to many things at once
Favourite book: To many great ones to pick just one
Favourite film: The Proposal
Favourite actor: Ryan Reynolds
Style of music: Country Music!!
Favourite singer or band: I don't have a favorite
Favourite car: Audi
Favourite food: Thai Food

by Sarah Warne for Eurodressage