Michael Eliberg and the superstar mare Woodlander Farouche won the advanced medium freestyle by almost 10% on the opening day of the Royal Windsor Horse Show (14 May, 2014). The partnership scored 84% to take the class ahead of Charlie Hutton and Super Blue in second.
Danish judge Leif Tornblad awarded the partnership 89% for their flowing test ridden to elegant piano-based music.
H&H caught up with Michael after the test to hear more about what makes this mare so special and his plans with her for the future.
Michael said: “She felt pretty mega really. She loves the spectacle. She got in there and she just felt like this is MY space. She felt really good.”
When asked about what makes Farouche so special, Michael said: “Her temperament to come to shows like this and perform really well. She’s got three fantastic gaits, she’s a lovely stamp of horse with a great attitude. She’s just very, very talented and has got high marks in pretty much everything. I just need to keep her natural ability as I train her through the movements.”
The wonder-mare's extraordinary presence and movement won her the six-year-old championships in Verden, Germany
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Michael was keen to emphasis that Farouche’s success is the result of a team effort: “It’s a combination of all of us. I talk to my dad, my sister, my girlfriend. We all decide what’s the right thing to do. You just have to be really patient, not be greedy and take it as it comes.”
And what are the immediate plans for the future with Farouche? “I think she’ll do a few small tour shows, and just see how she comes on with that. Obviously my main plan is to train her to grand prix, so we’ll be ticking along with that at home.”
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Sophia Heath joined Horse & Hound in July 2013 having previously worked for the Daily Telegraph's Olympics website, CNN International and Omnisport. A Durham graduate with a Masters in journalism from City University, Sophia has evented, showjumped and hunted. Sophia left Horse & Hound in early 2015 to join an international boating website.
