Colleen Kelly teaching at the National Police Colloquium Kentucky Horse Park. The next day this rider then went on to win his first ever trophy in the National Police Colloquium Equitation Class
“The audience [included those] excelling in high performance…engaging speaker…thoroughly enjoyed… “ United States Equestrian Federation
“She is very knowledgeable in Dressage and other equestrian disciplines. She is also very entertaining and keeps the audience’s attention at all times.” University of Kentucky
“Colleen has a wealth of knowledge…the thing that makes Colleen unique is the way she presents her material. Colleen is humorous … quite refreshing. She also makes complicated concepts incredibly simple …Averett University
“Just finished 3 fantastic days with Colleen Kelly…Wow and more wow!!” Nita Jo Rush
“What a great Sunday. Riding with Linda in the morning. got two beautiful flying changes on Allure 
had delicious lunch with linda and studied our dvd’s from the lessons with Colleen Kelly. Life is perfect” Marion Oesch
“I had Colleen in Santa FE This past summer. SHE IS SOOOOOO AWESOME!!” Shelley Cooper Bachicha
“I took part in her Santa Fe clinic too and it’s made a world of difference in my riding” Trish Hug
WORLD CHAMPION!!!
Our Sonja Duke takes on the world!
Our buddie Sonja trumps them at the Morgan World Championships.
Anne Zaharias wins Friesian
World Championship!
Not only was I delighted to give presentations of Biomechanics, Seat, Posture & Balance every day at the IFSHA World Championships, but was able to see a good deal of the classes.
Day one was the dressage, and one rider stood out: Ann Zaharias riding the magnificent stallion Ate Van der M and winning the Dressage Freestyle.
This seasoned pair stood so far out from the crowd that I approached her to ask if she would be so kind as to ride a demonstration for me in front of the crowds.
Not only was she gracious enough to accept, she also ended up winning three WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP prizes, and ultimately the world’s most prestigious prize: the High Point Championship of the entire event!
We sure can ‘pick em’!
Ann is a lovely lady, both for the crowds, and handling the stallion, and behind the scenes. And for the stallion: after seeing him in performance, but more importantly “behind the scenes” I could not recommend him more highly. His owners Sandra and Ed Granquist are lovely people, and it just shows throughout all their work with the stallion winning in led classes, ridden classes, costume classes, dressage and musical freestyles and still having enough energy to graciously donate time to do demos for Rider Biomechanics! A massive schedule for any rider!
It was a very exciting time for all, and a great bonus for Rider Biomechanics to be working with the new World Champion!
Congratulations Anne, Sandra and Ed, but more importantly a big pat for our “OJ” the new World Champion!
Our Kris Daniel done it again!
Those of you following the remarkable success of Kris Daniel of the beautiful Briar Creek Stables, Louisburg NC probably don’t know the “behind the scenes” story!
Yes it is true that her magnificent Friesian (when Friesians aren’t meant to win in dressage) Van de Plumm trumped all the warmblood imports last year to be the victor with the highest points and declared the winner for her entire state.
But…she’s doing it again! This time, doubling up with her second horse “Farina VV” a close 2nd (that’s me on Farina on the right!. But if anyone had known the story behind the scenes….only one year ago Van, the now-magnificent gelding could hardly even be led from his own paddock to the round pen! He was a naughty boy that’s for sure!
Kris’ goal that year was to “stay in the arena and not die!”. Needless to say only so very few months later she surpassed that goal beating every warmblood in the state, the supposed “super breed” to the coveted State Champion prize.
And now, she’s done it again. Only in January this year her next horse, the beautiful mare Farina was so “not forward” it was hysterical giggling running around after her trying to give her that big movement we knew she had somewhere (very hidden!) inside.
So for BOTH HORSES to be first and second, now one year later, now one level higher, yet again!!! is remarkable!!!
And how did she do it? No secrets! Hard work. Well actually FUN work. She lets her pupils ride sometimes, we go on hacks together sometimes, ride hill work like the hooligans we were when we were kids, and of course that’s Kris and I doing pairs and training the horses to step together up in the header at the very top of the page.
Kris has given me, personally, a new lease on life. After lupus and osteoporosis put me in hospital with a broken spine for 2 months, Kris, her naughty mother Ruth and my even naughtier husband all conspired together to get me back on a horse (after 2 years). And it was then I discovered what Friesians are all about!
So much so that this very morning I am typing this as I prepare to go to speak at the Friesian World Championships in St. Louis Missouri.
I’m always able to congratulate my pupils, but rarely can I thank them for giving more to me than I’ve given to them….Kris, Van de Plumm and Farina Vv are definitely the rare pupil you can really and truly call friends.
Good luck next week kids! Love Colleen xx
| Out of Africa…Hello ColleenThank you so much for the email. I have been meaning to drop you a mail about the Cape Town Melbosch clinic and lesson I had with you.Once again I must thank you! I thoroughly enjoyed it and I have to say it is one of the best lessons and clinics I have attended. Tas told me how awesome you would be, and she was right. I have been on your website just about every spare moment I have had since the clinic, as I can’t seem to get enough. I have also been telling everyone horsey that I know about you, so I am sure you will have a lot more fans and I will most definitely attend the next clinic you give in South Africa.Your approach and expertise as well as all the research you have done is brilliant and it makes so much sense as a lot the things you said are all things I have believed in but had not heard in such an enlightening way. There were also many new things I learned that made perfect sense and that sort of went light bulb moment, I can’t believe how silly I was for not realising this sooner. Your lessons were very constructive as well as very positive and it was so refreshing to see how you gave many riders so much confidence and at the same time keep it at level suited to the horse and riders capabilities. I am a firm believer in getting the basics right and not rushing things. So again thank you so much!Your clinic also gave me more inspiration and motivation to get my own horse again (next year after my wedding) and to get back into the show ring. Again thank you so so much for a wonderful clinic and lesson. It was greatly appreciated.Sincere Thanks, Debby Griessel, Capetown, South Africa | “Thanks so much for coming!We learned and enjoyed it so much.I will definitely be at your next clinic when you come back to South Africa.Have a safe journey.”Elize King, South Africa |
