Joie Gatlin and Oslo Claim 3’6” Green Hunter Championship
Joie Gatlin started the season at Desert International Horse Park on a high note, earning championship honors with Oslo, owned by Alexis Meadows.
“He’s one of my favorite horses ever, hunter or jumper,” Gatlin said of the 10-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding. “We’ve had him for just over a year now. We found him in Europe from Desiree Johnon. He’d been doing the jumpers over there and he was such a nice mellow athletic type. Beautiful horse, great mover, great jumper.”
Joie Gatlin and Oslo. Photo by High Desert Sport Photo
Oslo is in his comfort zone at the 3’6” fence height, thriving with both Gatlin and Meadows in the irons.
“We started nice and easy last year and he did the 3’6” all year,” Gatlin said of the horse’s progress in the United States. “He’s had a great year. He was Circuit Champion here, and he did the 3’6” Green Hunter Incentive Finals and tied for tenth his first time traveling outside of California. He’s the nicest easiest horse there is. He and I get along really well and I love riding him. We’ll move him up to the 3’9” [Green Hunters] next year. He’s just lovely. He’s easy and good about everything.”
Gatlin and her team base in the desert for the winter, meaning they’ve set up camp for everything to come over the next few months.
“It’s really nice to be back in the desert,” she reflected. “There’s always improvement. There’s such a variety of classes – fun classes, money classes, good derbies, the WCHR weeks. It’s the place to be. It’s a great place to build up your horses and they can really grow up through a circuit with the variety of classes. They have good footing, great jumps, and great course designers. It’s such a nice place to build [young horses] and – with your seasoned horses – win. There are so many great classes to win and great prize money to jump for.”
Hunters continue Friday with the $10,000 Platinum Performance USHJA National Hunter Derby – Open and the $10,000 Adequan® USHJA National Hunter Derby – Junior/Amateur.
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