Elegant and effective, Dominic Gibbs had “winner” written all over him when he competed in today’s ASPCA Maclay equitation championship at the National Horse Show. It was a marathon of a competition that ran 13 hours from the first horse to the victory gallop in the Kentucky Horse Park’s Alltech Arena.
Dominic Gibbs aboard Cent 15 on his way to victory in the Maclay. (Photo by Elaine Wessel/Phelps Media Group)
Because of Covid, the class had a record 252 riders entered in the first round, since qualifying had to be adjusted in view of limited opportunities to compete because of the pandemic.
The field was tested over an extremely demanding first-round course designed by Bobby Murphy, with rails falling more than usual for this class. The initial group was whittled down to 24 for the flat phase. Dominic, second to Gigi Moynihan of Oldwick after the first round, moved up to the top spot going into the first test after the flat competition.
The test was quite complicated, with a hand-gallop to the first fence and counter-canter approaches demanded to the sixth and 10th fences to test both leads, a triple of a skinny vertical one stride from a birch oxer and then two strides to another skinny vertical. Oh yes, and then between the last two fences, riders had to put in six steady strides, no more. Competitors needed to be proficient in extension and collection throughout.
I thought the contenders had sorted themselves out quite nicely after that round, but judges Emil Spadone and Mark Jungherr thought otherwise.
The course for Round 2.
So they called back the top four–Dominic; Dover Saddlery/USEF Medal winner Taylor Griffiths-Madden, Gigi and Sophee Steckbeck of Clarksburg in Monmouth County for one more round over a shorter course with two trot fences. After that, the result was the same.
Taylor Griffiths-Madden and Mac One III. (Photo by Elaine Wessel/Phelps Media Group)
Stacia Klein-Madden, who trains Dominic at Beacon Hill in Colts Neck, figured that the round after the flat phase “had so many tests built in that I speculated if whoever was leading delivered that test well enough to stay on top, that maybe there would be no other testing.”
But as she pointed out, since no scores were made public, no one but the judges knew how close the riders were.
As Emil noted, “There was a little room if someone maybe wanted to move up. They all held their own, but there was not enough of a change for us to change our order.”
Stacia took the decision about additional work in stride.
“Once they announced there was going to be further testing after the second round, you just had to get your head in the game and deliver again.”
And that’s what happened, though of course, the additional testing brought heightened tension.
“In the past, I have had some issues with nerves,” Dominic observed, “so I was just trying to keep myself calm and keep it under control to have the best round that I could for the second round. I think that really helping myself to calm down with breathing really helps a lot.”
Whatever he’s feeling on the inside, Dominic always looks composed and in tune with his horse, Cent 15.
“It’s a stunning picture, it’s a stunning horse I don’t know that I’ve ever had a rider get a top five ribbon in all the finals in the same year,” said Stacia.
The list includes fourth place in the Washington International and the Medal, as well as fifth in the Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals East.
Stacia Klein-Madden and Dominic Gibbs. (Photo by Elaine Wessel/Phelps Media Group.)
As Stacia put it,” We kept knocking at the door until somebody answered.”
Since Dominic has another year as a junior rider, he will now try to raise the ante and win those other championships in which he placed during 2020.
I first met Dominic last year when he was fourth in the Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals East, and I was impressed.
A Colorado Springs resident, he was so talented that his first trainer sent him to Katie and Henri Prudent. Though they guided him in the jumpers, they suggested he also needed an equitation specialist, which was how he became associated with Stacia.
Dominic bought his mount in Europe as a stallion and trained him to be an equitation specialist.
“He’s done a lot of work, and I think that is really something for him to be proud of,” Stacia said.
She cited Dominic’s strengths as “perseverance and determination. He really is truly thrilled with his horse’s every performance. He is always looking at the good of the performance and tries to learn from the mistakes.”
The Maclay wrapped up a crazy year for junior riders and their trainers, with Covid canceling USEF shows from March 20-May 31, and many shows deciding not to go ahead after that. Those who participated at the National offered kudos to the organization for running when so many others couldn’t.
As Stacia noted, “Every horse show we got to show at, I was just thankful we were showing.”