August 10, 2012

Ford Youth World Determination

Injury didn't keep Della Frederickson from riding again - and qualifying for the Ford Youth World.

By Christine Hamilton
The American Quarter Horse Journal

Della Frederickson, 17, of Palm Beach, Florida, was determined to ride again after doctors told her she wouldn’t. And now she’s showing at the 2012 Built Ford Tough AQHYA World Championship Show.

An accomplished rider on the hunter circuit, Della went out trail riding with friends on her family’s ranch, Valentine’s Day 2010. Giving their inexperienced guests the “calm horses,” Della got on a new horse they “were trying out,” and he ran off with her. When she fell, she lacerated her spleen and ended up losing a kidney.

She spent three weeks in the hospital and missed the rest of the school year:

“It was hard, but I got through it,” she said. What she really focused on was when she would be able to ride again. Not riding was not an option for Della.

“My mom and I made an agreement that I wouldn’t jump anymore because that was more dangerous,” Della said, but what would she do without jumping? Then a friend told her about the AQHA show circuit, the horses and the classes available there.

The first horse Della got on after her accident was an American Quarter Horse at AQHA Professional Horseman Cindy Reddish’s place. Her family then looked for and found a horse, Jazzy Iron, and Della started showing again at the 2011 Big A Circuit in Conyers, Georgia, in hunter under saddle and hunt seat equitation.

“I am so happy I switched to Quarter Horses from the hunter circuit,” she said. “It’s 10 times more friendlier; I love it. ‘Jazzy’ is totally different from the Thoroughbreds and warmbloods (I used to ride). He’s still big, but not as go-ey at all. I trust him; he’s awesome.

“People don’t give (the flat hunter classes) a lot of credit, you just walk, trot, canter around, unlike the trail or jumping where you have all the obstacles,” she added.  “At first, I thought it was kind of boring. But I’ve learned that there’s more to it behind everything: getting a big open trot, riding more off the rail and not getting stuck in a crowd of horses – it’s harder than it looks, and it was different for me to learn.”

Della went with her friend, Carly Beattis, to the 2011 Ford Youth World, “and just watched.”

“It was so much fun, and I met so many people who are my friends still now,” she said.

Now riding with AQHA Professional Horseman Carrie Grose, Della qualified for the 2012 show in both hunter under saddle and hunt seat equitation: “I’m really excited. It’s my first (Ford) Youth World, so I’m not expecting much but I’m going to give it my all and we’ll see how it goes.”

Della appreciates her parents, Tucker and Sherry Frederickson, for allowing her to ride again.

“The first time I got (back) on a horse, I never thought, ‘I don’t trust this horse.’ I’ve never hesitated getting on a horse since.

"But now I’m really appreciative of my mom letting me do it. It was a big deal. The doctors were like, there are other sports, don’t let her risk this, she’s young and doesn’t know. But I intend on having horses in my life for the rest of my life.”