north america

Tina Konyot and her stud muffin stallion Calecto will live it, believe it and strive for their best as they compete in the most important event of their dressage career.

story & photos by Diana

D e rosa

it took Tina Konyot 35 years to accomplish the wish she made when she was just 15 years old. In 1976 she went to the Montreal Olympic Games and it was then that she decided she would one day be an Olympian.

“I was 15 and I went with my parents and watched the talented Dressage riders and horses and I said, ‘I am going to do that one day’ and now that one day has arrived. Here I am.

“When I was named to the team it didn’t hit me right away. Then my boyfriend, Roger Attfield, bought me a beautiful belt that said London 2012. One day a lady walking behind me admired my belt and asked if I was going to the Olympics. I turned around and said ‘actually I am.’ It was like a slap in the face –a great slap.”

Tina and her famed stallion Calecto V will now have their chance and will be joining Steffen Peters, Jan Ebeling, and Adrienne Lyle in England for the 2012 Olympic Games.

Tina, a 2010 World Equestrian Games veteran, is pleased with the team that was chosen for these Games. “I think we have a very good team. All of us are seasoned competitors. All of us are friends. We care about the well-being of each other and each other’s horse. We all know what we are capable of doing. I think the support of each other to bring the best out will also help.”

After being named to the team Tina made decisions on what she felt would be the best preparation for her 14-year-old, 17H, dark brown, Danish Warmblood Calecto to peak at the Games. This was a horse she first saw at an auction in Denmark in 2006.

“Nobody bid on him but we were able to organize purchasing the horse a couple of months afterwards for a very reasonable price.” This was a point Tina emphasized: the fact that she is not wealthy, but rather just a hardworking equestrian female with a goal. “So often the media makes it appear that only the wealthy can make it to an Olympic Games, but I am proof that you don’t have to be rich to achieve what so many little girl’s wish for; to ride in an Olympic Games,” she stated.

The Preparation

Once the announcement was made that she and Calecto had made it onto the team she focused on how to best prepare her mount. In her mind that meant to maintain as much of the norm for both her and her horse.

“After the team was selected I chose to be home for a couple of weeks to have some peaceful time for my horse and myself. It was important that he could be out in a paddock. I wanted to not take him away from his normal routine even though he has somewhat of an abnormal routine with the flying, shipping, showing and other things. Yet, he deals with all of it in a very comfortable way,” she explained.

If you wonder how she knows he’s comfortable some of that is because Calecto loves his siesta time. “He sleeps well,” she said with a smile. “Everyone finds it humorous how he lays down and stretches out several times a day.”

There are more reasons why Tina also likes being home. Home for Tina is both Connecticut and Canada and then during the winter it’s Florida. “At home in Canada he can be doing different types of work for fitness because we have beautiful hills there. I ride up and downhill which increases his fitness level,” she continued.

When we chatted Tina was on her way back to Gladstone to meet up with her teammates and prepare for their departure to Europe. Unlike Tina, because her teammates live much further away than the nine hour drive she had, their horses had to remain in Gladstone until their departure out of Newark with Federal Express. But some, like Steffen, chose to fly home for a couple of days. “It’s important that we also keep ourselves fresh as athletes,” she quipped.

Health is important to Tina as well and she is thankful for her genes. “Genetically I am blessed. I don’t have to worry about carrying too much weight. I am 50 years old. I do not go to a gymnasium. I choose to be outside doing things like mowing grass or running around doing whatever I can. I keep myself fit and healthy that way.”

What she consumes is also important to her and so when she can, Tina cooks dinner at home because she knows that meals prepared at home are healthier.

Knowing her fitness and comfort routines are in place, Tina was feeling confident about the upcoming travel because they’ve been there and done that before.

“In other situations such as travel and flying to horse shows in Europe in the past Calecto has handled it very well. We’ve also traveled a lot up and down the East Coast of the United States. So, I foresee a very comfortable trip.”

Our conversation turned to the stallion that has taken Tina to these Olympic Games.

Calecto V

Since Calecto is a stallion he is a powerful horse yet unlike most stallions, “he doesn’t take any notice to mares and doesn’t get wound up,” she explained.

Tina keeps Calecto on a very good fitness and aerobic program. “Most afternoons we do very slow jogging up and down hills thanks to his caring groom, Lauren, who is on the same fitness program.”

When it comes to what Calecto is fed Tina answers that in general terms noting, “I think every horse that is an athlete is on some sort of diet but each horse is an individual and so the diet may vary. For Calecto most of his grain is oats since that is what he loves more than anything. Nutrena sponsors me and feeds all of my horses. He gets a Nutrena grain.”

Delving a bit deeper it was clear to see the connection she has with Calecto. “He is my pet horse. And no matter who is around, when Calecto sees me he pushes everyone aside.”

Calecto’s favorite treat is stud muffins. “If you have apples in one hand and carrots in the other hand you first have to give him one or two stud muffins and then he will choose an apple or carrot. He travels with a big three foot tall teddy bear. He plays with it, throws it up in the air, bites it and we hang it in his stall.”

While we already know Calecto loves his many naps he also “loves sleeping out in the sun in the paddock,” remarked Tina. As far as how Calecto is to ride, “He is like a giant couch. Like the most comfortable couch you would ever want to sit on and you don’t want to get off,” she said.

Tina tried to explain what he’s like even more. “He is a big strong stallion and you feel an enormous amount of power underneath you. It is like sitting in a very fast car, like an Indie car with an enormous engine underneath you, yet very comfortable to drive. And he appears that way also. He is a bold strong stallion.”

Fortunately the stables where they will be set up in England have all the amenities they need to keep their horses comfortable and happy. “We do have turnout with beautiful outside fields to ride where we are staying in England,” she added.

The Olympic Games

When asked what her plans were for peaking at the Olympic Games Tina made it clear that you do the best you can but, “every day is different with animals and people. You will never have the same answer on that. It’s an animal that has feelings

Dressage

Team:

Jan Ebeling (Moorpark, CA) on Amy Ebeling, b eth Meyers, and Ann romney’s r afalca t ina Konyot (p alm City, FL) on her own and John b yrialsen’s Calecto V steffen p eters (s an Diego, CA) on Four Winds Farm’s r avel inD iviD ual: Adrienne Lyle (Ketchum, ID) on p eggy t homas’ Wizard and you have to keep everything in mind including how they warmed up, what the temperature is, the surroundings and so on. But in general before I go into the arena I am riding to do a great job and to try and win. I always talk to him and tell him what a good boy he is and that he’s my boy and we get it together and off we go.”

When asked what she is most looking for Tina was quick to remark, “It’s a package. First it is being an Olympian and representing our country. Then it is knowing that my dream as a 15-year-old has finally come true. I’m looking forward to all the parts, from the Opening ceremony, to meeting all the other Olympians, to the competition, to sharing time with my teammates.”

“Making it to the Olympics proves to me that people who work hard and do their very best can accomplish their dreams. Finally at 50 I have accomplished my dream,” she added with a note of content in her voice.

As for her goals, they are to “ride the very best I can, to ride a mistake free test and to peak at the right moment for that day. I want both of us to be at our highest level of performance. That is my goal. You can’t say I want to win a medal because there are so many factors, including a panel of seven judges. All I know is that when I am ready to enter the Olympic arena I will have prepared my horse to the very best of my ability and at that moment I will then live it, believe it and ride my very best. 1