BY CHRISTINE HAMILTON AND ABIGAIL WILDER
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| Sharnai Thompson and Principle Income won their third gold medal for Team USA in Saturday's western riding class. |
“Sharnai isn’t riding that bay horse tomorrow!” said Team U.S.A. Coach Nancy Cahill. Team U.S.A.’s Sharnai Thompson and Principle Income had just won their third Youth World Cup gold medal on July 1, this time in western riding. The Journal caught Cahill as Sharnai headed off to get ready for hunter under saddle.
But for tomorrow’s competition, Sharnai will swap horses. Why switch out a winning combination? Because winning at the Youth World Cup is all about learning and winning as a team. The five-rider team is assigned five horses; the showing decisions are up to each team.
“It’s been their decision as to who rode what in what,” Cahill said. “On the first day, everyone rode every horse a little bit.
“They traded all around so everybody got to ride the one they wanted,” she added. “That takes sacrifices. They don’t have to do that [when they show] on their own -- ever.”
“We took the rider that was the best at that class and put them with the best horse in that class to give us the best chance,” explained team member Sarah Locker, herself a gold medalist in cutting. “Then tomorrow we change riders.”
“It gives everybody a chance,” Cahill said. “We may not have all the best horses, but our riders are versatile, and they adapt. We’re not going to leave it this way; we should, but we’re not.
“This whole thing is about learning.”
It’s all about camaraderie, too.
“Normally, with four girls in one room trying to get ready, there’d be a lot of bickering, arguing and fighting,” Sarah said. “But we’ve gotten along so good, we’ve had an absolute blast.” None of the five team members were much more than acquaintances prior to the Youth World Cup.
“I think it’s been just coming in and knowing that we’re here to represent our country and knowing that we need to do the best we can and be the best sports we can,” Sarah said. “It’s really brought us together and made us close.
“We’re proud of winning, but we’re more proud of representing our country, the United States. We’re glad to represent our horse and our association.”
“And they’ve been on time, every morning,” Cahill added with a laugh. “Without me having to wake them up! I think that’s pretty darn miraculous.”
SARAI TAKES THE SILVER
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| Sarai Hashash of Israel rode Heza Mystery Story to a silver medal in Saturday's western riding class. |
Team Israel added a second silver medal to its collection on Saturday at the Youth World Cup. Sarai Hashash, 18, riding Heza Mystery Story, was a little surprised she had won.
“I was not expecting to win,” Sarai said. “Maybe ninth or eighth place, but not to win. It feels good.”
Sarai didn’t know how the 15-year-old bay gelding owned by Jenny Bivins would do in the show pen. She said that he did well in the clinics earlier in the week and that her strategy was to do her best.
Sarai is no stranger to the United States. She has traveled to the Ford AQHYA World Championship Show before and has spent time with Professional Horseman Andy Moorman the past three years.
“She did well, and she deserved it,” Ruti Shadmot, Team Israel’s manager, said.
While in Israel, Sarai travels from her hometown of Eilat to Ruti’s stable in the Arava desert, where the Israeli Quarter Horse Association is located. She also rides with Ruti’s daughter, Gili, in Bensheman.
“She can ride any horse you give her to ride,” Gili said.
