Grooming at the USEF Dressage Festival of Champions

Although I may no longer groom professionally, I'm often persuaded to come out of working student retirement and dust off my braiding kit to support friends on special occasions. This year, I had the opportunity to do so at one of the most iconic competitions in the country, the USEF Dressage Festival of Champions at Lamplight.

While the excitement about my first time at the festival may have waned while loading horses at 2 am for our 13-hour journey to Chicago, the magic of these national championships became apparent as soon as we stepped foot on the showgrounds. Trucks with assorted license plates streamed in behind us, followed by trailers full of everything from ponies and schoolmasters to four-year-olds and young Grand Prix horses.

Our group of horses and students included two Developing Prix St. Georges entries, a 7-year-old mare, a U25 Grand Prix combination, and one FEI Junior rider. However, our barn aisle quickly filled up with a herd of ponies, and we found ourselves besieged by infectiously giddy young riders competing in the FEI Pony and Children divisions.

One of our horses, a teddy bear disguised as a 17H+ dark bay gelding, cheerfully discovered that he could reach just far enough for snuggles while the young girls filled their buckets at the hose in front of his stall.

That horse would earn a national championship title later in the week with his new fan club cheering from the sidelines, and our team made the time during our busy show schedule to watch his 13H neighbor carry his young rider down centerline.

Some kids seemed starstruck by sharing barns and schooling arenas with team riders and international horses. But I think this dynamic is part of what makes Lamplight so extraordinary. 

The Festival of Champions is unique, allowing future stars of both the two-legged and four-legged variety to brush shoulders as their more experienced partners guide them into the national spotlight for the first time.

That spicy young mare who nearly dislodged her rider during her first awards ceremony may very well be a team horse at the next Olympics. The young girl whose pony decided to make the arena decor a mid-test snack may grow up to win medals. And at Lamplight, these two may find themselves sharing a schooling arena, or a barn aisle, or a borrowed braiding needle when the kit inevitably goes missing just before your ride time.

This competition feels magical because every class is full of possibilities and potential. Everyone there is chasing a dream. And with barns full of the best young horses and youth riders in the country, there's a good chance you might get to see one come true.

A groom’s view.

Amidst all of that inspiration and excitement, I also remembered just how mentally, physically, and emotionally intense show grooming really is. My feet, now used to days spent in slippers under a desk, ached from chasing my rider from the barn to the arena and back for jogs, lessons, warm-ups, and awards ceremonies that we may or may not have almost missed. 

Did you happen to see a red-faced girl with a backpack desperately power-walking far behind a rider and horse in white wraps trotting through the showgrounds? Probably me.

In addition to achy feet and an infected toenail that I essentially treated like a hoof abscess, I somehow also managed to give myself tendonitis while braiding. Thankfully riders don't have to present their grooms for the veterinary inspection. I certainly would not have passed the jog.

Although I may no longer be serviceably sound as a show groom, I made it through the rest of the week with the assistance of our equine first aid kit, plenty of vet wrap, and the help of our fantastic barn group who supported each other through every triumph and challenge.

Despite the inevitable bodily risk and rider wrangling involved, these competitions always seem to draw me back into the grooming world. Being a part of something as special as the Festival of Champions and belonging to such a dedicated dressage community is incomparable.

You may not notice the face hidden behind the camera and under the baseball cap by the gate of every competition arena. You won't see the pockets full of sugar cubes, towels tucked into their belt, braiding bands on their fingers, or the heavy backpack weighing down their shoulders with fly spray, spare white gloves, and any other essential ringside items they can fit. But they're always there - the grooms that make every ribbon, trophy, and title possible.

This sport wouldn't be possible without the dedication of professional grooms who spend countless hours behind the scenes caring for the horses. While grooming may now only be a hobby for me, venturing back into their world of early-morning handwalks and late-night wrapping is a valuable reminder of the total commitment required to help our equine partners be the best they can be.

Pats for the National Champion.

Our team of horses and riders had a remarkably successful Festival of Champions. We ended the week with celebratory frozen margaritas that looked like go-gurts and thawed leftover pizza we had previously stored in the ice boot freezer.

But those quiet moments between the thrilling rides, watching pony riders giggle as a fancy FEI horse nuzzled their hair, reminded me why we so willingly sacrifice blood, sweat, tears, and sanity for such a demanding sport. It's not the ribbons. It's the love of an animal that gives so much to us, a challenge to be the partner they deserve, and a connection to the people who share that love.

I am incredibly proud to be part of such a community, and grateful for the opportunity to support my friends at these extraordinary championships.