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At the START BOX Interview Series

Valerie

  1. What horse changed your career?
    I have some sponsors finishing a deal as I write this to get an up and coming 3* horse into my barn from New Zealand. I’m thinking this guy is my ticket to Rolex…let’s hope I’m right!
  2. Can you tell us about your pre-competition routine?
    I start every day with tea, British style with milk and sugar, no matter how hot the weather or how late it is going to make me! Also, I have this weird thing about always having to walk through the start box on a cross country course walk. Gets me in the right frame of mind and my stride turns into this walk-with-a-purpose walk.
  3. What’s the best advice you have for riders hoping to compete at the professional ranks?
    Learn to get up early. That will solve half of your problems.
  4. If you could ride any animal other than a horse, what would it be?
    My current favorite animal is a giraffe. Can you imagine having all that neck there in front of you to help you stay back?!
  5. What is your educational background?
    I am very proud to say that I went to St. Mary’s College of Maryland, a small public honors college. Don’t tell anyone but I graduated our class valedictorian. And now I work in a barn!
  6. If you could have a superpower, what would it be?
    I would love some sort of dirt shield. To have my clothes and truck look like I don’t work at a barn! No dust, no slobber, no huge dry cleaning and detailing bills!
  7. Last book read?
    I am still trying to finish Tom Friedman’s The World is Flat. Fascinating and thought provoking;  but not a real page turner. I buy a Star magazine every week for kicks!
  8. If you weren’t a professional event rider, what would you be?
    Rich!
  9. Which phase do you like most and why?
    Is there really anyone that answered anything other than cross country?
  10. Which horsewoman has been the most influential in your own development or career? Linda Zang is someone that I can’t thank enough for getting me to where I am now and all the places I am about to go. She is such an amazing person, on the inside and the out, in all aspects of her life. It is humbling just to be around her.
  11. Why PRO?
    Eventing is such an amazing sport and I think one of our strongest assets is our camaraderie. To think that we now have one formal voice, and a very strong one at that, to set goals and achieve them for the betterment of the entire eventing world, well that’s a very exciting thought!

 

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Current News

 

WORKING STUDENT POSITION available. Contact Valerie directly to see if this is the job for you!

WE CURRENTLY HAVE training openings in the Blue Clover Eventing program. Get in touch and let's see what we can do together!

GOODBYE 2011 - Click Here for new video of Playtime's highlights of the year.

IT'S AIKEN TIME AGAIN! We are planning our winter getaway and want YOU to be a part of it! Deposits are due December 15, reserve your spot now!

SAD BUT TRUE, the Blue Clover Eventing event season comes to an end November 13 at Loch Moy, good luck to all of our Blue Clover Eventers!

CONGRATULATIONS to Marybeth Webster on here long awaited purchase of No Patience Here!

BEST OF LUCK to Valerie and Sabrina Valente's Splish Splash, off to the Area II Novice Championships. Let the winning streak continue!

WELL DONE working students Marian Herbick and Trisha Catallozzi for finishing 3rd and 8th respectively at the Training Level Three Day at Waredaca! Marian's Patagonia II was also the highest placed TB!

CONGRATULATIONS to Aryn Coon on her purchase of the fabulous young horse, Portman. We are sorry to see him go; but know the two of them will do wonderful things together!

FREDDIE MAC continues to make Blue Clover Eventing proud across The Pond with new owner William Fox Pitt. They have been in the ribbons at every competition thus far!

WISH US LUCK at the Fair Hill International, hope to see everyone there!

PLAYTIME is qualified for the CCI** at Fair Hill International after a super run at Plantation Field CIC** September 15-18. CLICK HERE to see new footage from cross country.

TWO WINS IN A ROW for working student Marian Herbick and her horse Patagonia. Next victory, the Training Three Day at Waredaca?!

EVERYBODY GETS A RIBBON at the Seneca Valley Horse Trials September 4. A special congratulations to Sabrina Valente who WON on her very own Splish Splash. The streak continues!

SOME GREAT videos from Millbrook August 4-7. Watch Clifton Jade negotiate the water complex as well as the tough bounce bank at the end of the course.

SPLISH SPLASH does just that on her way to victory at the Olney Farm HT July 24. Her winning streak continues even after moving up a level!

PLAYTIME WINS the CIC* at the Cosequin Stuart Horse Trials July 14-17, 2011! He had over 2 rails in hand by the end of the competition! Next stop, Millbrook.

RIBBONS FOR EVERYBODY at Maryland HT I at Loch Moy. Splish Splash (owned by Sabrina Valente) won the OBN start to finish convincingly! Portman finished 4th in a very competitive ON and he's only been in the country for a month! Playtime (Chris Ellis) finished with his best OP placing to date, a 3rd on yet another fantastic dressage score.

FREDDIE MAC is on a roll! Two weekends in a row he has posted the winning Open Novice score....way to go! The Blue Clover Eventing Team is off next weekend to the MD HT I good luck!

WHAT A GREAT WEEKEND at MCTA May 7-8. Valerie and Private Buck (owned by Kathy Farley) won a the very competitive Open Novice division, and Clifton Jade was 3rd in the Advanced!

WELCOME HOME Valerie and crew from another fabulous season down in Aiken. The Blue Clover Eventing Team came home via The Fork, where Clifton Jade (in the Advanced) and Playtime (in the Preliminary) jumped great!

CONGRATULATIONS MORRIS and Valerie on competing their first advanced together at Southern Pines II! They attained a qualifying score and have their sights now set on the CIC3* at Fair Hill.

WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD to Southern Pines II March 25-27. This big show is the first stop on the PRO Tour for 2011 and Morris and Valerie are ready to go! Wish us luck!

THE BIG WINNERS at the Ful Gallop Farm March Intermediate HT were Splish Splash (owned by Sabrina Valente) with Valerie in the tack. They were winning after dressage and never looked back!

INTRODUCING...PLAYTIME! Congratulations to the Ellis family on the purchase of Blue Clover Eventing's newest superstar. Playtime should make his US debut sometime mid-March. His own page is coming soon!

FIRST RIBBONS of the 2011 eventing season come from the Paradise Farm Horse Trials February 18-20. Congratulations, and we know there are many more to come this year! CLICK HERE to watch the double clear show jumping round that sealed the deal.

CONGRATULATIONS VALERIE on passing the final exam to receive her 'r' Event Judge's license. Look for her in a judging box near you!!

SPECTACULAR 12th place finish for Valerie and Clifton Jade in the CCI** at Fair Hill Internationa. CLICK HERE to watch their cross country round - the fastest double clear of the day!

GOOD LUCK to Valerie and Clifton Jade as they head to the American Eventing Championships in Fairburn, GA September 9-12, 2010.

CLIFTON JADE and Valerie won both their classes at the PVDA recognized dressage show at Loch Moy. Also, the pair won the High Score Award for Second Level. Awesome!

WINNERS! Freddie Mac and Valerie lead their PRO/AM team to victory at Richland!

Clifton Jade aka "Morris"

UNBEATABLE! Valerie and a whole trailer full of horses won all weekend long at the Wellington Classic Dressage I held January 8-9, 2010 down in Wellington. Congratulations to owner Thora Pollak and Beall Spring Farm, and her lovely horses Beall Spring Savana and Sunflower. Beall Spring Savana was also the High Score of the ENTIRE show!

SURPRISE AWARD! Thriller formerly known asPuck and Valerie were unknowing recipients of the Blue Ribbon Award.The award was handed out at the United States Eventing Association's annual meeting in Reston, VA while Valerie was training in Wellington. What a suprise to receive in the post! Pats for Puck!

WELCOME CLIFTON JADE! The newest and by far coolest addition to Blue Clover Eventing has made his United States debut. Stay tuned for his own page, complete with pictures and video footage for all of his fans. Contact Valerie if you would like sponsorship/ownership information.

VALERIE is one of the newest members of PRO, or Professional Riders Organization.
Click on our logo to get straight to the action!

PRO

TRICK AND VALERIE WIN CCI* AT VIRGINIA HORSE CENTER!!! Second after dressage with an absouletly lovely test, Valerie and Trick went on to gain zero penalties on cross country day and show jump double clear to take over the lead and win the most prestigious event in the spring at this level! Many pictures and video to come on Trick's page!


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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