Equestrian Fowler wins international event
Chloe Fowler practising in Cayman on her own horse ahead of competing in Florida
(CNS): Cayman rider Chloe Fowler, 13, who was competing internationally for the first time, has won in her class at a jumping show in Ocala, Florida. Each year hundreds of horses are shipped in for the 10-week HITS Ocala show season, which culminates in the Great American $1 Million Grand Prix in March. As well as top-class categories for the elite, which includes the FEI Nations Cup CSIO-4*, HITS also hosts classes for developing show jumpers and hunter jumpers.
Fowler borrowed a horse from her US coach and entered a collection of 0.9m classes and a 1m class. She placed in three of the four classes, winning $110 and fifth place in the $1,000 Child Jumper Classic 0.9m, and first place in the Child Jumper Medium 1m.
Fowler trains at Cayman Riding School and, in a press release from the school, said of her experience, “I was so excited to be able to travel and compete at HITS. It is my goal to be a show jumper and eventually represent my country on the international stage. At home I am training my own horse, who is only a baby in terms of experience, so we are only jumping small fences.
“So to go to Florida for the first time and borrow a horse to jump higher fences, was really rewarding and fun. Winning first place was even better. My US coach is still actively competing himself, and he gave me a lot of tips on how to ride the timed classes and the jump offs more competitively, and I just put into practice what he said.”
Tracey Surrey, owner and manager of the riding school, said she was pleased for the young rider. “Chloe has been riding with me since she was five, and we have gone through all the basics and set the foundations of her riding firmly in place.
“It is so wonderful to see riders I have trained take their skills overseas to compete in competitions where the class sizes are much larger than they are here on island. It gives them a sense of how hard they need to work to make it in the international arena of show jumping.
“For Chloe to go to Florida for the first time, borrow a horse she is not familiar with, and come away with three ribbons, including a first place, is fantastic.”
Fowler plans to return to Ocala before the show season is over to try her luck once more. “It won’t be the $1 Million Grand Prix just yet, but maybe one day,” she joked.
Category: Equestrian
