It’s a good thing Alexis Richardson is such a likeable young lady. Otherwise, her competitive contemporaries on the Greater San Diego Hunter Jumper Association circuit might get a little tired of her frequent trips to the winner’s circle.
Alexis and her equine partner of the last three years, the terrific Dutch Warmblood mare, Papillon Noir, hit a high water mark in 2007 by cleaning up at the organization’s championship show in December. Their sweep was highlighted by taking top honors in both GSDHJA’s Flat Medal and the GSDHJA Medal, its 3-foot over-fences counterpart. Alexis’ trainer, Pat Lautenbach at Newmarket, believes this is the first time both prestigious medals have been won by the same person at the same show.
Horse swapping was required in the final round of each medal’s work-off. In both cases, there was no warm-up time on the foreign mount. “I didn’t feel as comfortable as I do on my own horse, but it was fun!” Alexis reports cheerfully. Both classes had fields of 30-plus riders and the process of wheedling it down to one winner was long and potentially nerve-wracking.
Fifteen and a half year old Alexis had both medals in her sights since the beginning of 2006.
“I really wanted to go for those,” she says. “And it was really cool to win them.” In the jumping medal, Alexis finished second in the first
round with an 83 score. She topped that with a
90 in the second round, and thus was sitting pretty among the five work-off contenders. She knew she was close to achieving her goal, but she didn’t let nerves get the better of her. “There were a lot of spectators and I just tried to block everything out,” Alexis says. “I just wanted to have a nice, clean round and not have anything drastic happen!”
Newmarket trainer Pat describes Alexis as the kind of kid whose victories are celebrated by everyone who knows them: the hard-working, unspoiled, grateful rider with talent and drive to spare.
The double victory capped a great year of equitation victories, which led Alexis to win GSDHJA’s Open Equitation, 14-17, division, and finish the year as Overall High Point Equitation rider. It’s the third consecutive year the Escondido resident has been the year’s high point equitation rider in her respective age groups.
A Great Start
Alexis fell in love with horses during a visit to the Del Mar Fair at the age of 8. Her mother Toni rode western a little as a child, but was basically starting from scratch when she hit the phones to inquire about riding lessons in the area. They landed, very happily, at Patty Morton’s barn.
“Patty gave me a great foundation to work with by teaching me all the basics,” Alexis says. She rode with Patty for four years and made her first forays into the show circuit with a pony named Splash. “I bought Splash from the barn I’m at now,” Alexis recalls. “I liked Newmarket a lot, but I had no idea then that I might end up here.”
It was after a clinic with Holly Hugo-Vidal, at Patty’s barn, that Alexis and her family were referred to Newmarket in order to keep pace with Alexis’ desire to compete more seriously. Newmarket riders at all levels are typically big winners in the show ring, but ribbons are only one part of the program at this well-established and highly-regarded training barn.
“The people are really great,” says Alexis. “It’s kind of like a big family.” Horsemanship is heavily emphasized and Alexis enjoys caring for her own horse as much as possible. The drive from her Escondido home to Newmarket’s barn in Del Mar can be 30 to 40 minutes, so during much of the school year Alexis is doing homework in the car and lessoning under the lights. “It doesn’t really allow me time to join other sport teams at school or do other hobbies,” she says. “But, it’s a conscious choice and it’s worth it.”
An only child, Alexis loves that fact that her parents, Toni and John, both teachers, have made riding a family affair. They don’t ride themselves, but have immersed themselves in the barn and show scene. “It’s nice that they are always there and I’m never at shows alone,” Alexis says appreciatively. John has read up on the sport and how it’s judged and is often ready with a ringside critique.
Alexis is her trainer’s number-one fan. “Pat is so positive. She helps me through everything and is really patient,” the young rider explains. “She sees everything! And she helps me correct anything I’m doing wrong in my riding.”
Moving On Up
One piece of instruction from Pat has been hard to swallow: that fact that it’s time to move on from Papillon Noir, a.k.a. “Jessica.” The 16-year-old mare is perfect for the 3’3” divisions but Alexis is ready for higher obstacles. The family currently has Jessica up for sale and is looking for a new mount to carry Alexis into the bigger Equitation and Hunter divisions.
Saying goodbye to this lovely mare may be Alexis’ toughest hurdle yet. “Since we bought Jessica, she and Alexis have been a perfect match,” says Toni. After just a few weeks together, the pair trotted off to a county competition and trotted home with two division championships, the proud horse show mom recalls. “I don’t think there will ever be another match quite like the two of them.”
Letting go of an outgrown horse is one of the sacrifices all juniors riders make at some point, but Toni says the sport more than makes up for that in happier contributions to her daughter’s development. “It has built up her character a lot,” Toni reflects. “She’s had to learn how to both win and lose graciously, and to support everybody in the barn. It’s been great all around. And I love the fact that she’s learned to do everything: ride, care for her horse and tack, on her own. She’s impressed me!”
Riding reveals a surprising side of their daughter. “She can be more competitive than I thought she’d ever be,” says Toni. At the medal finals, the parents appeared more nervous than their daughter. “She put her little game face on and seemed unflappable.”
With a new mount in the works, it’s hard to set exact goals for the coming year. Mainly, Alexis hopes to maintain her consistent pattern of growth and success as a rider. If the past is any indicator, that will be another goal this talented and much-admired rider will nail down nicely.
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