Wellington, FL (July 19, 2010) – Dressage rider Caroline Roffman’s brilliant Young Rider career may be behind her, but that isn’t keeping the talented 21-year-old from shining as a young professional. Roffman and her Hanoverian gelding Bon Chance have qualified for the Markel/USEF National Young Horse Championship in Lamplight, Illinois, July 22-25.
“I will be competing Bon Chance, or Moto as I call him, in the five-year-old Preliminary and Championship Class, American Bred Horse at the Young Horse Championships,” Roffman said. “This is really exciting for me because I have had Moto since he was three and I am proud to say that I have done all of the riding and training myself, with lessons from my trainer Lars Petersen.”
This will be the duo’s second trip to the Young Horse Championships, as Bon Chance was the Reserve Four-Year-Old Champion at the prestigious show last year. Bon Chance was bred by American breeders Marefield Meadows out of Virginia. “I feel really honored to once again be competing at the Young Horse Championships. I believe this program allows the United States to develop future team horses and we are incredibly lucky to have people like Scott Hassler to guide us down the right path,” Roffman said.
Roffman, a veteran of the Junior and Young Rider programs, said Bon Chance shows ability and brilliance at home and she hopes that carries over to the Young Horse Championships. “No matter what happens at the show, I know Bon Chance is a horse with a big future,” Roffman said, adding that she bought him from Petersen who spotted him as a three-year-old at a small show. “Moto’s strong point is his ability to maintain a steady rhythm. He also shows real brilliance in his walk and trot tour.”
In addition to riding with Petersen for the past four years, Roffman said she has had the privilege to ride with a variety of world-class trainers including Rudolph Zeilinger, Steffen Peters, Kyra Kyrklund, Debbie McDonald, Silke Rembacz, Melissa Taylor, Jurgen Koschel and Anky Van Grunsven. “In 2010 I aged out of the Young Riders and found myself nervous not to have the Young Rider safety net that had been there from the beginning,” Roffman said. “It has turned out to be an exciting transition and an exciting year as I jumped in head first to the Open Intermediaire I division with my other horse Bulgari 5. Much to my surprise we picked up where we left off and were able to hold our own against the big boys in the extremely competitive Wellington show circuit.”
Roffman’s family and friends aren’t surprised that she is already in the ribbons and headed to the Young Horse Championships and to Gladstone. “I am lucky to have wonderful horses in my stable, supportive and distinguished trainers by my side as well as clients and friends who have my back,” Roffman said, adding that she and Bulgari 5 qualified for the Intermediaire 1 Championships at Gladstone with an average score of 68 percent. “This is an exciting season of my life and so far I am really enjoying the ride.”
For more information contact:
Caroline Roffman Dressage
1-617-633-1003