Ellen Williams and her game bay mare, Earth To Wanda, picked up their third Select world championship in jumping at the 2008 Bayer Select World Championship Show. In addition to taking gold in 2004 and 2007, they were also reserve in 2005 and 2006. The Journal asked her a few questions about her winning ride as she waited to watch her friend, Sue Mulford, in the pleasure driving finals. Sue ended up winning, by the way.
Q. How does it feel to win a world championship here again?
Ellen: I’ll tell you what, I felt better on that horse today – that was one of my happiest moments. There could have been 50 horses in there or one, it didn’t matter, she just jumped really well. I just had a ball! It was great.
Q. What do you think made the difference today?
Ellen: Well, did you see her braids? Red, white and blue. I had a lot of support and a lot of people cheering for me and I knew it. And that makes a huge difference. And she’s just a good mare.
Ellen Williams and Earth To Wanda won their third Select world championship in jumping on August 31.
Q. What do you enjoy about competing at the Bayer Select World?
Ellen: The people and the friends that we see. The fun we have. There hasn’t been one night that we’ve haven’t had an actual ball, and lots of fun. Of course the pressure gets to you and you relieve the pressure, and then it comes back again. You ride it out and go again and have a party.
Q. Do you have a warm up routine with Wanda?
Ellen: Generally I do just basic dressage with her to get her limbered up, getting her to move from side to side. I don’t really jump her a whole lot. But I knew (today) that the line along the edge was a three-stride to a three-stride to a three-stride, and I thought, sometimes she’s a little short-strided, so I wanted to try that. And she was just perfect; I didn’t have a problem. But I do mostly basic dressage with her, and ride her up and down hills and trail ride just to keep her in shape. Then we hit a few jumps every once in a while.
Q. You also placed third in the hunter hack today on your young horse, Major League Rookie?
Ellen: Yes. It was very special because usually “Rookie” doesn’t hack that well on the rail after he goes over fences, and he’s been so good today. In the equitation over fences today he was on a steeplechase course, but he jumped well, so I was happy with that. And then he got a little better in the working hunter. And then he was really quite good in the hunter hack. I was pleased with him.
Q. Do you do all the training on Rookie?
Ellen: Pretty much. I was fortunate this year to come out a few days early and spend a few days at Jerry Erickson’s farm in Sanger, (Texas), and he really helped to square me away.
Q. Are you retired?
Ellen: No. I’m off from work. I’m a clinical social worker in a hospital. So I’ve been goofing off for a couple of weeks. I’ve been enjoying every minute of it.
Q. Who would you like to thank?
Ellen: I have to thank my husband. He was great today. And I’d like to thank the friends that we came with; the Mulfords have been such support. This whole group of hunter riders, they’re there for you. Everybody is cheering everybody on and it’s a nice atmosphere to ride in.
Fun Fact: Ellen's husband, Joe, calls encouragement from the stands in his big, deep voice whenever Ellen rides: "Come on, Grandma!"
