Laurel H. Brower of Jupiter, Florida, rode her gelding Take The Odds to the top of two classes. Minutes after completing a flawless round and winning the championship in equitation over fences, the team gave another top effort to earn third place in working hunter. It was her first time at Select and she’s already making plans to come back again next year.
Q. How are you feeling right now?
Laurel: Ecstatic! Excited!
Q. Will you tell us a little about your rides this morning?
Laurel: My first ride was the equitation and it was a perfect course. He didn’t make any mistakes it was absolutely wonderful from start to finish. The second course I just had too many nerves and he skipped into the wrong lead so I had to switch leads and we had six great fences and two that were chips – too close together to be perfect, but he was wonderful. Wonderful. This is my first time here so it is really exciting!
Q. How long have you been riding Take The Odds?
Laurel: This will be my third year. He qualified (for Select) last year, but I live in New Hampshire so it is quite a trek and quite expensive so I said, well, I’m coming this year no matter what! And it’s a wonderful thing I did – excellent!
Laurel Brower and Take The Odds won the Bayer Select World championship in equitation over fences.
Q. Will you tell us a little bit about his personality?
Laurel: He’s like a big dog. He’ll follow you around anywhere. Loves treats. Loves attention. Gets bored easily. So he’s perfect for the hunters. His only foible is he does not like to get on a trailer. He loves riding in a trailer, but he does not like getting on a trailer. Everything else about him is fabulous.
Q. So how do you get him in a trailer?
Laurel: I don’t – other people do!
Q. Will you tell us about your experience at Select?
Laurel: This has been terrific! Everybody I’ve met – western or english – has just been very friendly. People come up to me and say, “You weren’t here last year. I’m so-and-so. Who are you? Where are you from?” It’s just great. I would definitely tell anyone who qualifies save your pennies and get here! It’s worth it, definitely worth coming.
Q. How did you find Take the Odds?
Laurel: My trainers did. I had a quarter horse mare before and I came to Bill and David and they showed her at Congress and she won Congress. They said good, next year you can starting showing her in AQHA and I said no because she’s 16 and I want to breed her. David said that was the oldest horse he ever rode in the green working hunter! So then she had two foals by Skys Blue Boy and then we found him so I’d have a horse to ride.
Q. Who are your trainers?
Laurel: David Conner of Ocala, Florida and Bill Ellis of New Jersey. They’re great – great quarter horse people.
Q. What future plans do you have for yourself and Take the Odds?
Laurel: We’re definitely going to Florida Circuit to qualify again and we’re going to try to qualify in four or five events – hunter hack, equitation over fences, working hunter, equitation on the flat, and showmanship – because it’s such a trek to get here. We’re already qualified for halter.
Q. Is there anyone special you’d like to thank today?
Laurel: A thank you to Kim Chadbourne at Townsends Training Farm in Pembroke, New Hampshire. I ride with her in the summer and she’s helped us a lot. She doesn’t do fences, she says, “I’m not going near fences, but I’ll work you on the flat.” I’d like to thank her too, she’s terrific. Also, everybody back in New Hampshire who’s rooting for me. It’s just so exciting!
FUN FACT: He was bred by the Purina Research Farm in Gray Summit, Missouri.
