Jennifer Padovani and Moreno ES Command Don Little Masters, Presented by Rushy Marsh Farm
Young horses with amateur riders is not a common combination but one that Jennifer Padovani and Moreno ES are making work in winning fashion. The pair jumped to a WEF 8 championship in the Don Little Masters, presented by Rushy March Farm, in the International Area on Sunday. Padovani and Moreno put in nothing but clear rounds all weekend, carrying them to the overall top position.
Moreno came into Padovani’s life at just the right time. Her 18-year-old horse was ready to step down, and her trainer Christian Coyle found a grey gelding at auction shortly before and was successfully developing him as a 7-year-old with another client, Helen Litt. Young professional Helen Graves—who is also a rider at Christian Coyle Show Stables based out of Sherman, CT—spent time campaigning the horse and helping Coyle bring the talent along.
“He was the last horse to come out the night of the auction and was a fairly green 7-year-old,” recalled Padovani, who hails from Greenwich, CT. “He’s a smaller build but he has a tremendous stride and a lot of scope. When I knew it was time for my horse to retire, I asked Christian if I could try Moreno to see if we’d be a good fit.”
Padovani knew right away Moreno was the one for her. “It was one of those trials where you’re like, ‘Okay, this horse is made for me,’” she shared. “It’s my kind of ride and we clicked from day one.”
For a young horse—now eight this year—Moreno has proven he’s extremely consistent and smart, and Padovani loves that he does nothing but give her confidence.
“He is like a metronome; he’s got the most incredible rocking horse canter,” she said of the Dutch Warmblood gelding. “He’s careful at the jumps but has a great brain. If you make a mistake, he doesn’t care and he keeps going. It’s a combination of tremendous quality with a great brain which is super hard to find, especially with a young horse and an amateur rider.”
Still newer to the Masters division, where riders over 50 compete at 1.10m to 1.15m heights, Padovani is dedicated to making the experience as special as it can be for the talented and passionate group of riders.
“We have such a great group,” she said of her fellow Masters. “We hosted our first cocktail party last year and it’s become such great camaraderie. We’ve been doing this a long time and we’re all here to cheer each other on. We want to do other exciting formats for next year. Murray [WEF CEO] Kessler is a former Masters rider so he’s very supportive.”
As for how the rest of the season with Moreno, Padovani knows there’s more in the tank but wants to enjoy the community she’s part of. “I want to move up on him because he certainly can, but it’s bittersweet because I love this group of people,” she remarked. “That’s the wonderful thing about WEF. The Masters is a really nice way to go a little easier on your horse and then move up in the summer. I might stick with that plan because it’s nice for the horses and riding in the International Arena is amazing.”
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