above the rail february 2016

Cowboy up! Meet Todd MINIKUS

Snapped by the RAIL

HORSES take

FLIGHT

FEBRUARY 2016 EQUESTRIAN SPORT IS OUR PASSION

Wellington MOURNS

Remembering the lives of Andres Rodriguez & Sophie Walker

Contents F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 6 I S S U E

Directory & Columns08 Publishers Note: Rail Talk

10 HITS announces Great American Sponsor

12 HITS Holiday Series

14 HITS Custom Barns

16 Snapped by the Rail

22 Calendar of Marion County Events

Features18 Todd Minikus Cowboy up!

28 Wellington Mourns

34 Horse Flight

PUBLISHER/EDITOR IN CHIEF

Bonnie Thibodeau

ART DIRECTORMary Racila

WEB DESIGNRebecca Fox

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Photoartbyjill.com ESI Photography

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSCat Allen Alexis Karlson

Above the Rail magazine is Published 12 times a year by Equinox Media Group LLC, © 2016. Above the Rail and its subcontractors do not endorse opinions or its writers and assume no liability for claims to advertise.

TO ADVERTISE Call 352-598-6668 or Email [email protected]

Media kit can be found on www.abovetherailmag.com

COVER PHOTO: Andre Rodriguez by Photoartbyjill.com6

Rail Talk

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Several weeks into the New Year, many of us find ourselves grappling with resolutions to shed a few pounds, get fit and save money. If you’re anything like me, as each year rolls around, I find myself making the same resolutions. Gosh, if I made them last year, than why am I making the same resolutions this year? I should have spent the last year accomplishing those so that I can make new ones to keep growing and achieving.

I was just reading HABITS are 40% of your day. Wow! That made me really think. I need to incorporate my resolutions into Habits, then they will just become a part of my day. Than the next year, I can work on new ones!

Gym at 9 a.m. for an hour Monday-Friday … It’s becoming a HABIT.

Smoothie in my Ninja for breakfast.

Salad with protein for lunch.

Protein with lots of veggies for dinner … This is getting easy!

On the first of each month, I make a payment to my savings — it’s considered a monthly bill. Kazam … DONE!

This is working out great, I don’t have to think or negotiate, it’s just a part of my day and it’s becoming a HABIT! See how this works?

To everyone reading this, there is one HABIT I hope we ALL can incorporate into our daily lives. Tell those close to you how special they are and how much you love them. Make every day count, as you never

New Year’s Resolutions

Bonnie Thibodeau, Publisher

know when God is ready to take us and embrace us … As only He knows when He has new plans for us.

My condolences to the families of Andre Rodriquez and Sophie Walker … my thoughts and prayers are with you. Andre and Sophie will be missed by many and thought of often. Rest in Peace.

HORSE NEWS

HITS, INC. is pleased to announce that Great American Insurance will again be the title sponsor of the 2016 Great American $1 Million Grand Prix, the second jewel

in the HITS Triple Crown of Show Jumping, on Sunday, March 27. “I think that all of the million dollar classes that HITS produces

are phenomenal,” said Olympic gold-medalist and professional show jumper McLain Ward. “The level is world-class, the prize money is world-class and when you’re able to do well at that level of competition, it’s certainly something to be proud of.”

The third annual Great American Million beckons the attention of the entire equine industry — from spectators to competitors, sponsors to media — to HITS Post Time Farm in Ocala, Florida. The most elite riders will travel to compete for one of the richest purses in show jumping, including a $350,000 prize for the rider to claim the blue ribbon.

“Great American’s continued support for this iconic class solidifies their commitment to the people of the horse sport

industry,” said HITS President and CEO Thomas Struzzieri. “They are a greatly valued sponsor.”

Great American has one of the most comprehensive and unique product portfolios available to horse owners; the highly-regarded insurance company recognizes involvement in the horse industry as an ongoing investment, which deserves expert insurance coverage.

“Great American Insurance Group is proud to be the sponsor of the third annual Great American $1 Million Grand Prix in Ocala. For more than two decades Great American has been in support of HITS Horse Shows—sponsoring the Great American Time to Beat and sharing the sponsorship of the Marshall and Sterling League,” said Ken Standlee, President of the Great American Equine Division. “Last year was once again, a great success. Every year is better and better and our thanks goes to Tom Struzzieri and the HITS staff for all of their hard work.”

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Charlie Jayne and Chill R Z on their way to a 2015 Great American $1 Million Grand Prix win at HITS OcalaPhoto by ESI Photography

2016 GREAT AMERICAN $1 MILLION GRAND PRIX

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OCALA, FL (December 15, 2015): Show jumping competition returned to HITS Post Time Farm in Ocala, Florida, this past Wednesday for the inaugural HITS

Holiday Series. In preparation for the ten-week HITS Ocala Winter Circuit, which begins January 19, 2016, the Holiday Series offers riders two additional weeks of winter show opportunities in the heart of the Horse Capital of the World.

$25,000 SMARTPAK GRAND PRIX

Big money classes commenced on Friday for the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix in the Grand Prix Ring. Many well-known names filled the Order of Go, including Margie Engle and Aaron Vale, but it was Lake St. Louis, Missouri native, Andrew Kocher, and Uppie De Lis, owned by BTS Entertainment & Sales, who would go home with the blue ribbon and a $7,500 check.

In round one, riders attempted the 13 fence course set by Kenny Krome, of Westminster, Maryland, but only five entries would go clear to move on to the jump-off. First to reenter the ring and attempt the abbreviated course was Pan American Games star Margie Engle and Eckham Van Het Steentje, owned by Elm Rock

LLC. Steadily, they sailed over the fences to set the tone for the afternoon, and without a single misstep, Engle clocked in at 40.814 for the time to beat.

Second in the order, Kocher and Uppie De Lis cruised to a cool, clean finish, in an impressive time of 38.283 to top Engle on the leaderboard for the time being. Both riders had second entries in the jump-off so it was still anyone’s game. Next in the order was Ocala’s own Aaron Vale aboard Bonzini S, owned by Thinkslikeahorse, and all was right until a down rail at the third fence resulted in four faults and a time of 39.118.

Piloting his second mount, Le Conte, Kocher knew what he had to do for a win and with that in mind he took off running. Zooming through the course fault-free they finished in a time of 38.633, to top Engle again, for second place behind himself and Uppie De Lis.

It all came down to Engle and the last entry of the jump-off round, Indigo, owned by Gladewinds Farm LLC. The round was in Engle’s favor until the second to last obstacle where a single rail would give her a final score of four faults in a time of 38.597 for fourth place. n

Ocala Holiday Classic Round-Up

Andrew Kocher and Uppie De Lis on their way to a $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix win at

HITS Holiday Classic in Ocala, Florida.

Photo by ESI Photography

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HORSE NEWS

Elite, private barns at Desert Horse Park & Post Time Farm

HITS, INC. is pleased to announce that HITS Custom Barns are now available for the 2016 show seasons. Clients may book reservations to make HITS Post Time

Farm in Ocala, Florida, or HITS Desert Horse Park in Thermal, California, their permanent or semi-permanent home.

“Having a HITS Custom Barn is really a no-brainer,” said Mike McCormick of MTM Farms. “HITS has allowed us to customize an already beautiful barn and landscape into exactly what we want. It’s convenient to be on campus in a barn all your own, especially when you have 20-30 horses; we are really excited about this opportunity.”

Exhibitors and trainers may build a personal barn that feels like home. Barns can be set up in any fashion, customized to the needs of a client or business. Clients may also extend their stay past the show season. No matter the extent of one’s stay, private barns provide an opportunity for clients to feel as at-home as possible.

“We want to provide our clients with the highest-caliber of options available, which includes the ability to make HITS home, throughout the show season and year-round,” said HITS President and CEO Thomas Struzzieri. “Clients will have barns that are customizable for their needs that offer the most advanced equine amenities available.” n

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HORSE NEWS

BARNS ARE AVAILABLE ON A FIVE-YEAR LEASE AND CAN BE BUILT WITH 24 OR MORE STALLS. FEATURES INCLUDE:

n Center aisle barns with doors n Insect misting system n Paved aisles n 12 x 12’ stalls with rubber mats

n 40x80’paddocks with four-board fencing (two included with each barn) n Bathroom, laundry room, feed room

For more information, contact: HITS Desert Horse Park Asia Manning: [email protected] HITS Post Time Farm Kristen Vale-Mosack: [email protected] HITS Corporate Office: 845-246-8833

Snapped by the RAIL

Faces at HITS Million GRAND PRIX 2015

Images captured by PhotoArt by Jill

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Faces at HITS Million GRAND PRIX 2015

WHILE VISITING Todd and Amanda Minikus at their Wellington, Florida, farm on a summer afternoon, you feel as if you have been transported

to a ranch out West, rather than in the heart of show horse country. Surrounded by sandstone walls and listening to Todd’s southern draw, you are at once disarmed and relaxed. A cowboy at heart, Todd has always been something of a maverick in the show jumping industry. The Des Moines, Iowa, native owns motorcycles and has two young children who are learning to ride in western saddles. Although he has represented the United States on two Pan American Teams, competed in several World Cup Finals, and is currently ranked in the top 40 riders in the Longines FEI World Rider rankings, Todd remains grounded, humble, and focused on the happiness of his horses and family.

The past year has been an important one for Todd. He has consistently had two strings of horses competing at the same time — sometimes on opposite sides of the Atlantic Ocean. He

has represented the United States on several Nations Cup Teams, in Wellington, Florida; Spruce Meadows, Canada; Hickstead, United Kingdom; and Dublin, Ireland. Todd, who is sometimes known as “half horse,” has an uncanny ability to ride all kinds of different horses and adjust his style accordingly — a trick he picked up while bull riding as a young man. Todd also thinks about professional show jumping differently than most of his peers — it isn’t just competing his top horses that makes showing exciting for him, “Each round you do with each horse has special meaning or impact,” he says. “I rode a five-year-old for Two Swans Farm, and that round might have been the best round of the year because it was over his head and yet he succeeded.” It is this kind of constant admiration for the horses that makes Todd’s success so much more special than just another accolade.

Todd’s business is built almost entirely around his family. He and his wife Amanda, who doubles as his barn manager, own several of the competition horses that he rides, alongside horses

Todd MinikusCOWBOY UP FOR

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COWBOY UP FOR

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that are owned by his sponsors. He credits being an owner himself with giving him a unique appreciation of how fortunate he is to have great partners behind him like The Quality Group who owns Quality Girl and Two Swans Farm who owns Babalou 41. “Showing a horse successfully is something that I get a lot of satisfaction out of, and it makes me especially proud to be successful for my owners.”

Todd and Amanda understand the perks and draw backs to their unique lifestyle. “We are so fortunate that we make our living with horses, but there is never enough family time as far as I am concerned,” mused Todd on the deck between the barn and arena. Although he loves that he can watch his six year old son Colt and four year old daughter Langley, play in that back yard of their home while he is dragging the arena or hear them yell ‘Hi Daddy!’ from the back porch while he is schooling horses, he can also feel the

strain when he can not make it to their soccer games on Saturday afternoon, because there are 75 horses in the 1.50 meter class at the Winter Equestrian Festival horse show. “You have to make

tough choices. If you want to have the best of both worlds, you have to work very hard at blending it all together,” he says earnestly. “At the end of the day, my family is the most important thing and I wouldn’t be where I am today without them — so they will always come first.”

When Todd is asked what his philosophy is on how to be a successful athlete and family man he only has two words: “Pay Attention!” It is obvious that his attention to detail and personal authenticity is what has made Todd one of the most respected riders of his generation and continues to make him the one to watch in show rings around the world. For those of us in the horse world, Todd is certainly a force to pay attention to.

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FEBRUARY 2016 Calendar

FEBRUARY 5 PIANIST FRANCESCO ATTESTIOcala/Silver Springs Rotary Concert will feature world-re-

nowned pianist Francesco At-testi on Feb. 5. All proceeds will go to the Ocala/Silver Springs Rotary Foundation to benefit the community in civic projects and scholarships to local stu-dents going to college.

Reilly Arts Center500 NE 9th Street | Ocala, FL

352.351.1606 | reillyartscenter.com

FEBRUARY 7SALUTE TO ELLA FITZGERALD, JUDY GARLAND & PATSY CLINE

I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues: A Salute to Ella, Judy & Patsy — A salute to Ella Fitzgerald, Judy Garland, and Patsy Cline will be preformed on Feb. 7. A trio of stellar songstresses will unite in a torchy tribute to three incomparable spirits of music.

Reilly Arts Center | 500 NE 9th Street | Ocala, FL352.351.1606 | www.reillyartscenter.com

FEBRUARY 11A SCULPTURE AFFAIROcala’s A Sculpture Affair will feature live mu-sic, hors d’oeuvres paired with adult beverages, valentine caricatures, and docent tours of 10 new sculptures.

Tuscawilla Park | 500 NE Sanchez Avenue | Ocala 352.629.8447 | feeldowntownocala.com

FEBRUARY 13 & 14STAR-CROSSED LOVERSThe Ocala Symphony Orchestra will explore the deepest corners of emotion in Star-Crossed Lovers a special concert on Feb. 13 and 14. Concertmaster Oleg Proskurnya and cellist Lyle Lamboley will lead the orchestra in Johannes Brahms’ “Double Concerto in A minor.” Brahms, a titan of the Romantic era, will be joined by the

story of Romeo and Juliet as the orchestra will bring you to your feet with love, loss, and the ruby red passions of the heart.


FEBRUARY 19, 20 & 21CHURCHILL: THE PLAY Churchill: The Play starring Ronald Keaton will be performed at the Reilly Arts Center on Feb. 19, 20 and 21. Experience the man who famous-ly proclaimed, “I am ready to meet my Maker. Whether my Maker is prepared for the great ordeal of meeting me is another matter...”


FEBRUARY 20ROTARY DISCOVERY FEST CRACKER CATTLE DRIVE & COWBOY ROUNDUPCowboys will herd cattle through downtown Ocala to Tuscawilla Park/Discovery Center on Feb. 20. This authentic cowboy event will fea-ture food, a kid’s corral, animals, demonstra-tions and much more.

Tuscawilla Park | 500 NE Sanchez Avenue | Ocala 352.789.4769 | feeldowntownocala.com | ocalafl.org

FEBRUARY 20-21HUNTER/JUMPER SHOW SERIES Join Horse Shows in the Park and Hunt Coun-try Horse Shows on Feb. 20-21 for their Hunt-er/Jumper Show Series. Hunter/Equitation/Novice Classes from crossrails to 3’5” Adequan Hunter. Full roster of Marshall & Sterling classes each day. Jumpers crossrails to 4’3” with great fiber footing. Canterbury Equestrian

23100 W. Newberry Road | Newberry, FL321-693-5551 | horseshowsinthepark.com

FEBRUARY 23MAX OPEN HOUSEThe Magnolia Art Xchange Inc. (MAX) will be hosting a complimentary open house on Feb. 23. This event provides an opportunity for com-munity artists, art organizations and art enthu-siasts to learn more about the AMX Project.

Ocala Union Station | 531 NE 1st Avenue | Ocala, FLwww.maxocala.org

FEBRUARY 5FIRST FRIDAY ART WALKArtists will exhibit their work on Feb. 5 through-out Ocala’s central business district and will feature performances in the downtown square.

Downtown Ocala and Citizens’ Circle (151 SE Osceola Avenue)

352.629.8447 | feeldowntownocala.com

FEBRUARY 1-6COATES GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPThe Coates Golf Championship will showcase 120 of the top female golfers in the world from Feb. 1-6. This official LPGA tour features a $1.5 million purse.

Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Club | Ocala. FL844.209.4643 | coatesgolfchampionship.com

Photo by PhotoArt by Jill

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FEBRUARY 25-28COMBINED DRIVING/SHOW JUMPINGThe Live Oak International’s 2016 Combined Driving and Show Jumping Event will run from Feb. 25-28. This year they are celebrat-ing the Combined Driving competition’s 25th anniversary.

2215 SW 110th Avenue | Ocala, FL352.873.9407 | www.liveoakinternational.com

FEBRUARY 26A JOHN WILLIAMS SPECTACULAR!Join the Ocala Symphony Orchestra on Feb. 26 for a performance that will feature the very best of John Williams’ iconic film music. Blockbusters like “Star Wars,” “Indiana Jones,” “Jurassic Park,” “Home Alone” and “Hook,” will be paired with your favorite film clips.


FEBRUARY 27TRAVIS TRITT LIVE IN CONCERTThe incomparable Travis Tritt will bring his unique country/rock’n roll sound to the Reilly on Feb. 27.

Reilly Arts Center | 500 NE 9th Street | Ocala, FL352.351.1606

www.reillyartscenter.com

FEBRUARY 28LIVE OAK INTERNATIONAL INAUGURAL 5KJoin us Live Oak International for their inaugu-ral 5K. Run or walk with the Combined Driving and Show Jumping champions on Feb. 28.

2215 SW 110th Avenue | Ocala, FL352.873.9407 | www.liveoakinternational.com

HITS OCALA WINTER CIRCUITHITS Ocala Winter Circuit is a USEF- rated show that offers exhibitors an extensive range of hunter/jumper classes and over $3 million in prize money. The series continues this February with the Ocala Premiere III from Feb. 2 to 7; Ocala Winter Classic IV from Feb 9 to 14; Ocala Winter Festival V, featuring the Furusiyya FEI Na-tions Cup, from Feb. 16 to 21; and Ocala Masters VI, featuring the WCHR Week and $100,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby, from Feb. 23 to 28.

845.246.8833 | www.hitsshows.comHITS Post Time Farm | 13710 US Hwy 27 | Ocala, FL

Photo by PhotoArt by Jill

OCALA FARM MARKETAbundance! Visit the Ocala market every Saturday to reap locally grown farm fresh seasonal produce, homemade jellies and jams, delicious kettle corn, boiled peanuts, homemade crafts, and plants.

Downtown Ocala | 352.426.8244feeldowntownocala.com

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On January 8, 2016, the equestrian community gathered on a fittingly dreary day at Double H Farm in Wellington, Florida, to say their final farewells to two

well-known and well-loved equestrians. Andres Rodriguez was 31 years old and Sophie Walker was a mere 30 when their lives were lost in a tragic car accident just days prior.

Sophie Walker was an active amateur competitor in the East Coast show circuit with an endless passion for animals of all kinds (including her pet pig, Benny). As described by her lifelong-friend JoJo Gutfarb, “Sophie was a smart, kind, generous young woman with a warm soul who loved her animals dearly.” Walker, alongside her husband, Brian, operated Woodside Farm. “Sophie will live on through everything Brian does … She was a loving person and a great wife,” said Hardin Towell, who competed against Walker as a junior and remained close friends with her for the past 12 years.

Andres Rodriguez was newlywed in December 2015. He married Clementine Goutal, sister of Brianne Goutal and an accomplished equestrian as well. The couple first met when Rodriguez accompanied his then trainer, Nelson Pessoa, to try a sale horse named Clover Leaf, and the rest was

history. “Their lives were almost like a fairytale,” said Hardin Towell, who had known Rodriguez for nearly 10 years and considered him a best friend. “He was so in love with Clementine, they traveled together and he was at the top of his sport. What they

had is what everybody dreams of,” added Towell. Last year, Rodriguez rode his way to an individual silver medal in the Pan American Games in Toronto, which qualified him for a spot on the Venezuelan Olympic Team. “I’ll never swing my leg over a horse again without thinking about Andres. There are not even enough words to describe how great he was,” Towell said.

Both Walker and Rodriguez were described as happy individuals, able to find the “silver lining” in every situation. When asked what legacy he felt that both Rodriguez and Walker left behind, Towell gave a heartfelt and honest answer: “This tragedy has brought people together. [It is] unfortunate things like this that put things into perspective. I think that what both of them would want is for us

to go on with life — to remember the fun times, slow down to remember the important things and to live life the best we can.”

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Wellington Mourns:Remembering the Lives of

Andres Rodriguez and Sophie Walker

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“I’LL NEVER SWING MY LEG OVER A HORSE AGAIN WITHOUT THINKING ABOUT ANDRES. THERE ARE NOT EVEN ENOUGH WORDS TO DESCRIBE HOW GREAT HE WAS.”

— Hardin Towell

ANDRES RODRIGUEZMAY 11, 1984-JANUARY 4, 2016

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OCALA SALES REP: DAVID MANUEL (859) 312-4412

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Over the past couple of decades the art of flying horses around the world has become a huge industry. As this industry has continued to grow exponentially, finding a

reliable transportation company that provides proper horse care and is the most cost effective has become a number one priority for many elite equestrians. With this in mind, Emil Spadone, Bastian Schroder, and Seth Vallhonrat came together to form TransWorldEquestrian, a company that is dedicated to ensuring that your equine partner arrives safely and is handled with the utmost care when traveling both domestically and internationally.

Based out of Califon, NJ, TransWorldEquestrian focuses on making the process of shipping horses around the globe a feat that creates as less stress as possible for both the owner and the horse. After providing them with the information necessary, Horse Flight handles all the documentation needed during transport and quarantine. Horse Flight professionals accompany the horses from door to door, making sure that each horse stays calm and hydrated throughout the duration of the

flight. However, Bastian Schroder explains that “generally most horses are pretty decent during the actual flight; it’s the loading onto the aircraft that can be the most stressful.” The horses are loaded into a 10X7X8 box stall that is then put onto the plane by hydraulic lift. “This is where you really need to have great expertise and skill, being able to load the horses as seamlessly as possible is crucial” Schroder stated. When asked if there are planes or airports harder to maneuver in than others, Bastian quickly explained that flying horses on a smaller aircraft to an island, such as Bermuda, is always tricky. Since the aircraft is smaller, the box stall dimensions decrease slightly, with the door only coming up to their chest, making it a little nerve racking for

the horse.

But the Horse Flight staff are pros, flying 200 horses a month to various destinations around the world, with the United States being the biggest importer, and Europe the biggest exporter. However, imports and exports are rising in South America since these horses do not have to be tested

HORSES take flight

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for CEM (Contagious Equine Metritis), cutting down time in quarantine and the bill. Following close behind South America is the Middle East, as many racers make the trek for the bigger purses and within the past five years this area of the world has made tremendous strides in the show jumping ring. While countries around the globe are growing to accommodate international transportation, the United States only has four ports of entry, New York, Miami, Chicago, and L.A., with at least a two week quarantine time minimum, longer if you are importing a mare or a stallion. However, if you are planning on flying your horse East across the Atlantic, there are many more options for exit ports available to you. When choosing a transportation company, it is important to fly with a reputable company that are not only business people, but are also horse people, making a TransWorldEquestrian a great option for your equine partners’ next trip. n

The Horse Flight staff are pros, flying 200 horses a month to various destinations around the world ...

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