Erynn Ballard Wins with Genius de Rance
A stroke of Genius leads Erynn Ballard to the top of the podium as she returns to FEI competition in Traverse City
If there’s anything to know about Erynn Ballard (CAN) it’s that she’s always pushing herself to be better. With a new horse in her string by the name of Genius de Rance, she fully believes she’s equipped to unlock the next level of winning.
On Thursday of week two of the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival, presented by B&D Builders, Ballard entered her first FEI class of the Traverse City Horse Shows season and took home the win in the $31,100 MacAllister Machinery CSI3* Welcome Stake.
“Genius [de Rance] is a genius,” Ballard said of the 10-year-old Selle Francais gelding (Quitus D’Armanville x Quick Star), owned by Ilan Ferder. “I think someone knew very early on to give him that name. This is my third FEI show with him and it’s my third win. [I expect] huge things for this horse.”
Ballard dropped quite a big name in comparing Genius to past horses she’s seen in the sport.
“I used Hickstead as an example because that’s a horse that changed the sport and changed Eric [Lamaze’s] career,” Ballard shared. “I jumped the first jump with Genius and said I think he’s like Hickstead; this horse can change my life.”
On top of being an incredible horse, Genius de Rance is Ballard’s dream horse.
“It’s a perfect match,” she said of the partnership. “So many of these horses I ride for a dealer, we don’t pick them out with the idea that they’re going to be for me. They have to be for sale, they have to suit a lot of people, so in the end they can be sold. If I had to pick one horse out for myself, I would pick Genius every time. I feel pretty lucky and grateful that he’s mine.”
Thursday’s first round, built by Mauricio Garcia, produced eight clear efforts. Ballard had seen a few go so she knew what she was up against, but she went in and took the speed to an entirely new level.
“Ilan says you have to practice winning,” she explained of her approach to the jump-off. “How can I be fast at 1.60m if I can’t be fast at 1.45m? At the highest level in the jump-offs that’s where I’m the weakest right now, so I need to get better. I had in my mind to have the fastest time in this class even if I have one down. Luckily for me I had the fastest time and I didn’t knock any down.”
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