The dressage world lost and gained this week. The loss was Howard Nelson, who, along with his longtime partner Lisa Froelig, ran Silverwood Farm in Wisconsin. Silverwood played a huge role in my life as a young dressage competitor in the Midwest. It’s an amazing facility, and Howard’s ceaseless dedication to it took it from just another facility to one of the best around, home to countless shows including qualifiers for the NAYRC, young horse championships and national championships.
Howard’s tremendous attention to detail benefitted all us competitors, and his awards for Silverwood’s superior footing are evidence of his dedication.
That commitment to horses and horse sport, as well as his joy for life, will be missed.
The gain is in Cleo’s first ET foal of the year, a gorgeous filly by Rousseau. I sold this filly in-utero to Tim Malin, a Grand Prix rider from Connecticut. Tim’s named her Radinka, which means industrious for the people, and she is STUNNING. Big white blaze, hind socks and HUGE joints. She’s going to be a big girl—a good thing, as Tim is 6’3″—and is already a favorite over at Equine Reproduction Concepts, where all my babies are born.
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I missed her birth, but was there a few hours, and when I walked into the stall she came right over to me. A people person, like her mother and like her sister.
Here’s hoping that Radinka will be everything we all hope for!
