OLYMPIC GREATNESS
Biography
By Stephanie Stephens
Nona Garson rode her famous Russian Thoroughbred, Rhythmical, to a spot on the United States Equestrian show jumping team at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia.
"It was so great meeting all those athletes and being in that situation with so many people who worked so hard at their different disciplines and sports. I do remember how long the trip was on that airplane. I got a little bit claustrophobic," admits Garson.
Her overall record in the grand prix arena is superb, with wins just this year at the $50,000 Garden State Grand Prix and the $25,000 Old Salem Farm Grand Prix. Garson was the senior rider on the team that won the Samsung Nations' Cup in Drammen, Norway on June 24. It was a repeat Nations' Cup performance for her, after her first appearance at that competition in 1997, when the U. S. team was victorious. Garson was a member of the bronze medal-winning team at the Pan American Games in Buenos Aries, Argentina in 1995, and also that year, was named Leading Lady Rider in La Baule, France.
Garson has recently lent her name to a saddle manufactured by Prestige Saddlery, and currently rides up to 15 horses in the show ring, including hunters. She's campaigning a hunter stallion, Superman, at the indoors circuits this fall, and doing very well in deed.
Her most memorable moment? "When I first won the Pan American Games Selection Trial in 1995 on Barrick. I was NOT the odds-on favorite, but a long shot enabled me to go to those games, and it was the beginning of my international career. That class was very exciting, with a course designed by Bertram DeNemethy," notes Garson.
"People think this sport is easy when they view it from the rail. We all know it's really much more difficult," the veteran equestrienne remarks.
Any memories of rides she wishes she could have changed? You bet!
Garson recounts her performance at the Dublin Horse Show in 1998 during a big, international class with 30,000 people watching. "I decided in the jump-off to try and get inside the liverpool to the last jump. I was flying across the field, went inside that liverpool and took a huge angle on the last jump. Then, I looked up at the scoreboard, and the timers were still going. I had taken such a slice to that last jump that I missed it and had to circle through the timer. I still had the best time in the class. Even the crowd was confused, but the jury knew that I had three faults!
"I was the only one to do that slice, but I hadn't factored in the timers. In America, they're rarely set that way, and there, they were only as wide as the last jump! I didn't even get to come back to the ring: My placing was too low."
ABOUT HER HORSES:
Her veteran show jumper, Rhythmical, is 16, but Garson didn't acquire him until he was 10. "He had already had a long life before we came together. He's like a little Napolean, height 15.2...but he likes to say he's 15.3! He's totally unpredictable, a very hot-blooded little horse who wants everything his way. To be totally in charge and decide what HE wants to do is fine. Rhythmical doesn't like to be crowded in the schooling arena; doesn't want anyone close to him, or too many fences around him there. He's very good in the ring when we're showing. But he might bite and kick a little bit when you girth him up. He does love peppermints!"
Her second mount, Capital S, is a 10-year-old Holsteiner gelding. "He went to Scandinavia this summer with the team, and I have great hopes for him and the World Championships. He's so opposite from Rhythmical and so big. He's narrow, but stands very tall at 17.1. The horse has a very big step, and he's scopey, but not a real speedball. Capital is a power jumper, very capable of jumping big courses, but with a much softer personality than Rhythmical."
Garson says the horse loves to eat, but keeping that svelte equine physique is a challenge. "He has to watch his weight, and thinks he's hungry all the time. He's a very nice, sweet horse, and wants to be petted or he'll get grouchy. He doesn't like victory gallops! With too many horses in the ring, he'd prefer to go around the course alone. Capital dislikes the music playing, all the applause. He'd rather be jumping."
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