by: Dawn Hill
The Olympic Games! For serious athletes in any sport, the Olympics represents the pinnacle of success, the very highest level of competition. It is sports' ultimate "high," the opportunity to represent your country and compete against the best in the world. And for most of us, reaching that ideal is never more than a distant hope, an unachievable leftover from hazy youthful daydreams...
Then, every once in awhile, someone comes along who reminds us that dreams can come true, and not just for the favored few. Wyndham St. John is one of those people. A forty-year old amateur, showing her own horse, Wyndham competed for Canada in the 3-Day Event in the 2000 Sydney Games.
Born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Wyndham spent much of her youth in Oregon, riding with such local trainers as Julie Bradley and Julie Hook. The Lake Oswego Hunt Club was the site of many of her early efforts and Pony Club was the door through which she entered the world of eventing. ("I got terrible scores in Horse Management," she admits with a guilty laugh.)
Her junior year of high school, Wyndham went to train with Joan Kerron (now Curtin) and was a strong competitor in the Equitation, Hunter and Jumper divisions. Then came college and she headed to UC Santa Barbara, where she attempted to combine her love of riding with increasingly demanding studies. But finally, something had to give, and unfortunately, it was her riding. Wyndham transferred to Boston University, earned a B.S. in nursing, worked, and for nine years, never rode a horse. It seemed that the dream was over.
But in 1991, the newly-married Wyndham moved back to Oregon and decided it was time to go back to her first love. She began riding, again with Julie Hook, at Talisman Farm in Wilsonville, and slowly, the dream began to take shape. "It wasn't part of the plan at the time," she says, looking back. "I just wanted to ride again. Do some jumpers, maybe some eventing." But the more she rode, the more her instructors saw something in her beyond the ordinary.
"She was persistent and consistent," Julie Hook remembers now. Julie had her riding school horses, then let her ride some of the more difficult but talented animals at her farm. Wyndham began doing some local events, and once she started, adds Julie, "she just kept moving up the levels."
A trip to Arizona in 1995 to do spring events with Jack Le Goff proved to be life-changing. International rider Mike Huber pulled in one day with a truckload of young prospects. Wyndham saw a dark brown, 17 hand, six-year old, and it was love at first sight. "I liked him right from the start," she says of Oliver, the thoroughbred gelding who has been her partner these last six years. But another trainer had first right of refusal and Wyndham held her breath as he tried Oliver out for a client. But the trainer decided against the youngster and Wyndham grabbed him up before anyone else could.
She still glows when talking about Ollie. "He's a wonderful horse. Solid racing blood, but honest and steady."
She returned to Wilsonville and began competing Ollie in the Novice divisions, but as the horse began to show more and more talent, Wyndham realized it was time to move on. She contacted a couple of rising stars in the USCTA and soon had made arrangements to move back to Middleburg, Virginia, and train with David and Karen O'Connor. The days in Virginia were hard but rewarding and soon Wyndham found herself competing at places like Radnor and Rolex. And then one more door opened. She was given the opportunity to go to England and train.
"My husband's job takes him to Europe a lot, and it just seemed like the right thing. David [O'Connor] said 'If you have the chance, go!'"
That was 1998. Since then Wyndham has trained with the likes of David Greene, Andrew Hoy and Bettina Overesch, has ridden at Badminton and other top events in world, and had the ultimate thrill of making the Canadian Olympic team for the Sydney Games.
"It's amazing," Wyndham says, speaking of her sport. "You're a nervous wreck, you're standing there in the starting box, wondering why you're doing this. Then the bell sounds and you're out the gateand you know why you do it!"
Wyndham and Ollie were in the 30s (placing) after dressage ("he's not the greatest mover," she admits), then had a clean round in cross country and moved up to 17th. Then, at least for this Olympics, disaster struck. Oliver pulled up lame and didn't vet out after the cross country phase. Their Olympic dream was over, but at least they'd been there and done that!
The hoof injury proved to be minor and Ollie is back home in England. "He handled it like a champ," says his proud owner. "He's looking great and should be fine."
So what now for the girl who says she never planned any of this? Who says "I just take it as it comes"?
She takes a deep breath, exhales gustily, then admits "I'd really like to go to the World Equestrian Games next year. They're in Jevez, Spain, and I'd love to go to Spain!" With Oliver sound again and Wyndham bringing along a talented nine-year old, her prospects are looking good.
She does add, though, that the hoof and mouth crisis in Europe is putting a huge damper on all things equestrian. "Race meets have been canceled. None of the big shows have been runBadminton, the other big events. They're all canceled until this thing is under control." Bad news for the equestrian community (and all whose livelihoods revolve around livestock) but hopefully, of short duration.
For riders who are still dreaming, Wyndham offers this advice: "Put your time in. I agree with Bruce Davidson and othersyou've got to start in the morning. You can't go to three-day events and not know your horse! I've had a lot of luck, but I always worked hard. I rode every single day. Get lessons from good people; ride lots of different horses. And you've got to have a horse that can jumpthat's first." For parents, she offers these words of wisdom. "Do not inappropriately mount your childplease! Get them something they can handle and let them move up."
And one final word to those who may think this story sounds too much like a fairy tale. "I'm a 41-year old amateurif I can do it, anybody can do it!"