18 SIDELINES OCTOBER 2012
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
by Liz Benney
The Dressage Foundation’s Century Club is a program
designed to honor senior dressage riders and their seniors horses.
To become a member the ages of the horse and rider must add
up to at least 100 years and they must ride any level dressage
test before a judge or dressage professional. The following is a
personal account of Liz Benney’s quest to become a Century Club
member.
Preparation for my ride began with an application to The
Dressage Foundation. I wrote: “If you add my 78 years, 9 months
and 2 days to Minty’s 21 years, 3 months and 9 days we add up
to 100 years on July 11, 2012. Please may we do our ride on July
15
th
?” We’re approved!
Minty’s veterinarian, Jay, worked out a two week wellness
program prior to the ride. A shot of Vitamin B-12 was given to him
to help Minty feel frst class and improve his energy level. Minty
still loves to work; but his body is aging and every bit of help is a
positive.
July 15
th
- I’m up at 4:30 a.m. …energy level is pretty good.
We reach the show grounds just after 8 a.m. and the place is
already packed. It turns out the club is making a big deal of my
ride. A biography and awful photo they must have found on the
Internet is stapled to the program. I look like a very weathered
great-grandmother.
I mount Minty with half an hour to go before the ride. I ask for
a trot and let me tell you …Vitamin B-12 shots have the most
remarkable effect on a horse. He moves off with the titanic stride
and bounce of his youth and he is so forward and loose. I glance
at my trainer, Kathy, and laugh that he won’t need a bit of a whack
to wake him up when I prepare to enter the arena.
My husband Dave, our children, and a host of loyal friends
arrive. It’s odd that I don’t feel the slightest bit nervous. I guess I
e
Liz and Minty – 100 years old (together) and going strong!
know old Minty so well…I delivered him 21 years ago. We will be
able to muddle through the test okay.
The announcer goes on and on about the Century Ride and
how I’m the 114
th
person to join the club. My friend Ann dusts my
boots and Minty’s face and we’re off to the arena. People crowd
all over the place to watch, but old Minty is unfazed. A bell goes
and we enter at the letter A and track in a dead straight line to halt
halfway up the arena at X. Minty stops fawlessly so I know we’re
“on.”
I acknowledge the judge and we go through all our exercises.
It’s desperately hot and humid and even with permission to cast
off our jackets, Minty and I are wilting by the last canter. But he
has a marvelous surge when I do the required trot lengthening,
diagonally across the long arena. He’s so dramatic we get a high
mark of 8 for that! We turn up the centerline again and end with a
halt at X. Another 8!
The spectators are unexpectedly so generous in their cheers
that Minty has this mammoth, frst-ever spook and I am fung
backwards. The onlookers love it and it is so out of Minty’s
character that I’m hooting, too. Oh the many times we have halted
at X to the applause of one loyal friend.
Minty has the beautiful Century Club ribbon pinned to his
bridle and we are given gifts. Speeches follow and a bottle of
champagne is opened.
That night Dave and I give a party for 12 at a superb restaurant
on a lake. We don’t leave for three hours. I’m dead beat but can’t
sleep! So many people helped make this memorable day. Dave
and I are so thankful.
Heating things up: The hot weather didn’t slow down the dynamic
duo
Photo by Prestige Sportshots
Diary of a Century Ride