Lexington, KY – JUNE 21, 2010 – Gabriela Mershad began her equestrian career focused on pursuing the spotlight in the jumper ring. Riding small ponies from the age of 8, eventually led the Ohio teenager to take on more ambitious challenges in the Junior Jumper divisions and has most recently developed a wining habit riding a pair of her horses. During last weekend’s Country Heir II Horse Show, which took place in Lexington, the 15 year old rode to wins in all three of her classes riding her mare, HH Cadans Z. The 9 year old mare was acquired by the Mershad family at the end of 2009 and has gone on to become a consistent performer in the show ring, finishing up as Grand Champion in the second of week of competition.
As is often the case on the show circuit, Mershad was competing with multiple horses, two of which competed in every class without dropping any rails. Aboard her gelding, Van Gils Gust, Mershad rounded out her winning finishes by earning a pair of 3rd place finishes, with a 4th placing coming in the Stake class.
Riding at this level of competition requires a great amount of support, and Mershad surrounds herself with a family as heavily involved in riding as she is. She has a pair of brothers (Ricky and Andre), as well as an older sister (Sophia) who all ride competitively. Gabriela’s mother, Sara, is even involved and is actively competing in the Adult Hunter divisions.
To pull the entire competitive effort together, the family relies on a team of professionals at Ashland Farms including Ken and Emily Smith and recent addition, Caitlyn Shiels. Mershad adds: “Caitlyn has done a great job at developing my horse, Van Gils Gust, from preparing him for a class to helping me to select the right type of bit depending on his demeanor, she has been a great help.”
When asked about her future plans, Mershad stated that she would like to progress through the summer show season and gain valued points in order to compete in Washington. “I’d also really like to compete someday at Spruce Meadows (in Calgary, Alberta), and spend some more time in Europe if given the chance to compete at a higher level.”
The competition circuit has put a lot of demands on the 15 year old and there is always pressure to get good grades while pursuing a sport which requires such a great amount of travel. Mershad spends the winter months travelling from Ohio to Florida to compete at the Winter Equestrian Festival. The pace is hectic, to say the least, with flights every Thursday to Sunday for two weeks in a row, followed by an off-week.
The entire family will travel to a show in Lake Placid during the first two weeks of July, where Mershad is hoping to continue her winning ways aboard her horses in the Junior Jumper division.