POLO SCENE
N E W S • NO T E S • T R E N D S • Q U O T E S
SNICKERS HEAD SATISFIES Pony honored at Florida Subhead Thoroughbred Expo
FOR DECADES, OCALA, FLORIDA has been best known as a Thoroughbred racing and breeding paradise. With its rolling hills and gentry manor, Ocala has recently drawn horse lovers of various disciplines, leading to the growth and repurpose of locally-bred Thoroughbred horses. Incredible personalities, intuitive learners and eye-catching athleticism make the Thoroughbred phenomenal in every equestrian sport. The Florida Horse Park annually hosts the Thoroughbred Transformation Expo organized by Run for the Ribbons Charity, giving owners and trainers the opportunity to show off their majestic animals in disciplines beyond their original racing careers. During this year’s expo, the facility was jammed packed with Off-The-Track-Thoroughbreds participating in dressage, jumping, barrel racing, freestyle riding and polo. Riders of all ages and levels competed to be the best in their division. The polo division was set up with several polo pros and longtime patrons of the game, with competitors showing off their abilities and horsemanship skills. The players and horses were judged on playing ability as well as their ability to execute a set of drills as a team. With such a tough field of competition, my 12-year-old Thoroughbred mare Kherianna’s Hope (barn name Snickers) and I stepped onto the field with high hopes and an incredible bond. I originally fell in love with the horse in Wellington years ago at my first Women’s tournament with Sunny Hale. Unfortunately, Snickers got lost in the selling and trading of performance horses that so often occurs. I was told she had been relocated in the upper East Coast and my parents ordered me to stop pestering them about her. Years later, my Dad learned of her location by chance and made his move. On Christmas Eve, Snickies was loaded onto the trailer and headed for our farm, St. George Plantation just outside Ocala. When I first saw her that Christmas morning, I was so shocked and almost did not recognize her. Snickers and I became better acquainted and bonded at an even deeper level, as I spent as much time with her in the paddock and stall as I did on her back. We swam in the lake, went trail riding in the woods and orange groves, and our mornings were filled with sets and stick and ball sessions. Lessons turned into practice games and finally tournaments. I played Snickers without hesitation and learned I could always rely on her to get me to the play. Months before the expo, Snickers was diagnosed with a corneal abscess that became extremely difficult to heal. Six months of administering medications and several surgeries later, Snickies was healed. We were finally ready to compete again. On the first day of the expo, competitors were given a set of drills to showcase their horses’ abilities, while on the second day, those abilities were showcased in a game. The competition was fierce but the connection I have with Snickers brought me confidence and joy. Win or lose I was going home with Snickers, which is better than any trophy or title. After the game, we made our way to the arena. Snickers and I had won No. 1 Best in Show! Exhausted but euphoric, we trotted to the stage to accept the ribbon and give a backstory on Kherianna’s Hope, the best friend, teacher, and teammate a girl could possibly ask for. —Ava-Rose Hinkson
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