Eliza Banks of Jackson rode 4-year-old CanaDream Kelbeck YouandMe to a blue ribbon during Dressage at Devon's 40th anniversary edition, where he was the first of his breed to compete there.
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Rainy weather didn't faze Eliza Banks of Jackson and CanaDream Kelbeck YouandMe, the first Cheval Canadien to compete at Dressage at Devon. The Dressage at Devon debut of Le Cheval Canadien (Canadian horse) was a sparkling one in horrid weather, as trainer Eliza Banks of Jackson rode her sturdy Toque to victory, disregarding rain and cold.
Toque, whose registered name is CanaDream Kelbeck YouandMe, was up for the challenge. After all, they don't call Canada's national breed "the little iron horse" for nothing.
The 40-year-old show, which ended last Sunday in Devon, Pa., includes a wide variety of breeds and even hosted mules. But a Cheval Canadien had never appeared there.
Toque started off well, topping a field of nine in the 4-year-old Suitable to Become a Dressage Horse class. He picked up two fifth-place ribbons as well as in under-saddle and materiale classes (where mounts are judged on their movement, potential as a dressage horse and an overall general impression).
The Canadian horses are known for their dependability, strength, genial disposition and versatility. From dressage to jumping, eventing, police work and gymkhanas, as well as driving, there isn't much they can't do. Toque was bred in Quebec by Marie Josee Proulx, who is president of the Cheval Canadien breed society.
She estimated that there are 7,000 of the breed in North America (most of which are in Canada), with only 10 or 15 in Europe. They generally stand between 14.2 and 16 hands.
Toque is by Proulx's Swallowfield Eno Kelbeck, a 15-year-old black stallion. He is reminiscent of a Morgan, the versatile American horse, and Proulx believes that the Morgan breed includes a Canadien foundation. Toque's dam is Bauge Tony Heleonore, the farm's top mare.
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Toque's sire, Kelbeck "These horses, when you gain their confidence, they'll do anything for you. If Canadiens could wag their tail like a dog when they see you, they would," she said.
Although they are not in the same category of style and movement as the big warmbloods that dominate dressage, Proulx pointed out, "I see them as the perfect horse for the middle-aged woman."
She noted that while they likely won't get to the Grand Prix level in dressage, "what's the percentage of riders who will even dream of getting there? Eighty percent of the population is amateurs."
This year marks the 350th anniversary of Le Cheval Canadien, descending from animals brought to New France (later part of Canada ) by French settlers. French King Louis XIV also sent over stallions and mares that became part of the gene pool.
Banks, who runs Trinity Dressage out of Golden Gait Farm in Millstone, found Toque on Facebook last September as an unbroken 3-year-old, when she was looking for a sales prospect; basically, a friendly, smaller horse that would suit an amateur rider.
The fact that he was black caught her eye, since she has several black horses. Banks, who had seen Toque on a video, wisely took a trailer when she went to Pennsylvania to meet him.
Her first impression when the owner, Kim Beldam, who had bought him from CanaDream, took Toque out of the field was that he looked "kind of homely, kind of cute." And then Beldam, who rides a Canadian horse at FEI level, put him on the longe line.
When Banks saw him move, she said, she couldn't get the money out of her pocket fast enough to seal the deal.
"For as quiet as this horse was, he didn't need shoes, he only eats hay, I decided he
was worth taking a chance on," recalled Banks, who had never heard of the breed.
She figured, however, "If any young horse would fit in at our home with my daughter (8-year-old Paige) in our backyard, with the New Jersey winters that we've been having, I thought this was a fun horse that might be worth investing some time in."
Actually, he didn't need much time, since he was such a willing worker. She didn't bother to saddle-break him: "I just hopped on him," said Banks, who trail rode him before getting down to serious work.
Banks, 36, is a member of the New Jersey Equine Advisory Board, representing the Arabian Horse Society of New Jersey. She got her start with Arabians in her native Wisconsin. Then she became involved with dressage, training with Tracey Dikkers before moving to Great Britain, where she worked with everything from a racing barn to western horses and also focused on dressage.
She met her husband, Stephen Banks, in England, and they moved back to the U.S. Banks' current mentor is trainer Beth Sproule-Hansen in Warwick, N.Y., but she also takes advantage of learning experiences wherever she can, attending a lot of clinics--coming "loaded with questions"--doing a lot of reading and "a lot of watching."
Devon was only Toque's second show. He competed for the first time in a 4-year-old test during the summer at the Horse Park of New Jersey, earning a 71.4 percent score, even though Banks made two mistakes.
"He never batted an eye," she said. When "someone put a bug in my ear about Devon, I thought, `Why not?' If you're going to go in with a longshot, you might as well go in with something unorthodox."
She noted, "I never had a horse who could handle Devon, but I thought in my heart of hearts that he could and it wouldn't stress him," Banks said.
That's how she decided to make her first competitive visit to the show, where the energy level is high, the schooling area can be chaotic and the audience is as big as it gets for a dressage show in the Northeast. The weather, of course, complicated things.
Toque stands a mere 15.2 hands, in a discipline where horses six or eight inches taller are common. But his "bombproof" character makes up for his lack of size.
"He marched right down the centerline in the Dixon Oval. He'd never seen anything like that," she said of Dressage at Devon's main ring.
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Toque caught the eye of the judges during Dressage at Devon. "I have never shown in conditions that were that miserable, and I showed in England," Banks noted.
"I don't think I'd even ever ridden him in the rain, but he was brave as could be. I've never had a horse this fun and easy."
ON THE RAIL -- There are several equestrian-oriented activities today for those who don't ride. The Essex Fox Hounds hold their Master's Chase amateur races at Natirar on Main Street in Peapack starting at noon, with gates opening at 10 a.m. Check www.essexfoxhounds.org for details.
In Alexandria Township, a tour of six barns that visitors can take at their own pace runs from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tickets may be purchased at Alexandria Park, 242 Little York-Mt. Pleasant Road, Alexandria...
Mylestone Equine Rescue, 227 Still Valley Road (Pohatcong) Phillipsburg is holding an open house from noon-4 p.m. to familiarize people with their work and meeting the horses that they have saved, many of whom are permanent residents of the farm. For information, go to www.mylestone.org
ACTIVITIES SCHEDULE
Today: Essex Foxhounds Master's Chase, Natirar, Main Street, Peapack (gates open at 10 a.m., races start at noon); Garden State Classic Show and USDF Region I Col. Bengt Ljungquist Memorial Championship, Horse Park of New Jersey, 626 Route 524, Allentown; Alexandria Barn Tour, start at Alexandria Park, 242 Little York-Mt. Pleasant Road, Alexandria (10 a.m.-4 p.m.); Asbury Classic, The Ridge at Riverview, 3 Wolverton Road, Asbury, Hunterdon County; Woodedge Show, Gloucester County Dream Park, 400 Route 130 South, Logan Township; Palermo Show Stable Show, 1555A Burnt Mills Road, Bedminster; Amwell Valley Hounds Hunter Pace, Big Sky Farm, 107 Van Lieus Road, Ringoes (9 a.m.-1 p.m., register on premises); Mylestone Equine Rescue Open House, 227 Still Valley Road, Pohatcong (Noon-4 p.m.); Smoke Rise Riding Club Show, Smoke Rise Farms, 1 Talbot Dr., Kinnelon; Delaware Valley Horsemen's Association Hunter Show, DVHA Showgrounds, 299 Ringoes-Rosemont Road, Sergeantsville; Central Jersey Horseman's Association Show, East Freehold Showgrounds, Kozloski Road, Freehold.
Tomorrow: Rutgers Equine Science Center's Symposium on Legal, Business and Insurance Issues Impacting the Equine Industry, The Palace at Somerset, 333 Davidson Ave., Somerset (9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.); West Milford Equestrian Center Show, 367 Union Valley Road, Newfoundland.
Thursday: Asbury Classic II, The Ridge at Riverview, 3 Wolverton Road, Asbury, Hunterdon County (through Oct. 18).
Friday: Eastern Pennsylvania Reining Horse Association Show, Gloucester County Dream Park, 400 Route 130 South, Logan Township (through Oct. 18).
Saturday: HRH of New Jersey and Special Olympics Show, Horse Park of N.J., 626 Route 524, Allentown; Briarwood Farm Show, Black River Farm, 20 Boss Road, Ringoes; On Course Riding Academy Show, 210 Beaver Run Road, Lafayette.
Oct. 18: Essex Fox Hounds Hunter Pace, Cedar Lane Farm, Homestead Road, Oldwick (www.esssexfoxhounds.org); Barrel Racing, Horse Park of N.J., 626 Route 524, Allentown; Baymar Farms Show, 38 Harbor Road, Morganville; High Point Equestrian Center Dressage Show, 20 Birch Tree Road, Montague; Oxbow Dressage Show, Combined Test and Horse Trials, 39 Orts Road, Hamburg; The Dressage Experience Show and Championships, Burlington County Fairgrounds, Springfield Township.
Nancy Jaffer: nancyjaffer@comcast.net.