Press release from Desert International Horse Park

Last time Eliza Broz (USA) and Tinkerbell came out for FEI action, it was a win. And it was only a few days ago. But they continued their stellar performance into week two of Desert Holiday, presented by Visit Greater Palm Springs, and took home victory once again in the $39,000CAD Highland Farms Ltd. CSI2* 1.45m speed Thursday morning.

“I’m thankful for Tink,” were Broz’s first words to reflect how she was feeling following another victory. “She’s so incredible and she does a really good job of doing her job. She just has so much heart and you can see that in the ring. I’m very grateful for her.”

Tinkerbell is certainly a speed demon, so she thrives in classes like Thursday’s, but she’s not speed-focused all the time, though Broz has dedicated plenty of time to learning how to best ride and exercise her.

“She definitely turns on in the show ring,” Broz said of the 13-year-old Mecklenburger mare by Chacco-Blue x Silvio I, who has carried her to many speed wins. “At home our flatwork is about keeping her together and staying in her box. The moment I’m off of her she is the sweetest, most chill creature. She definitely has that ‘on’ switch.”

Training under Cassio Rivetti (BRA), Broz has learned how to cater her flatwork sessions to each particular horse she’s riding, knowing how each ride will fully benefit the horse she sits on. “At home, it’s lots of flatwork because it keeps her strong and that helps me contain her and keep her in her box,” she said of her fitness routine with Tinkerbell. “At horse shows we always do one class before any competitive class to settle her down so I can turn her back up when I need to. Casio definitely emphasizes the flatwork portion at home.”

Of all the lessons she’s taken away from Rivetti, consistency is the one that rings the loudest.“Consistency is a really big thing and also [he’s taught me] each horse is different,” Brox explained. “You have to work on your horse’s strengths and weaknesses. I think that’s why the flatwork is so important.”

Heading into another weekend of more big classes, Broz is cruising on confidence, also knowing there’s still hard work to be done. “Winning a class always gives you confidence, so now it’s about knowing we’re doing something right and staying with that,” she explained. “It gives me the confidence that I know how to do my job and can let my horses do their jobs. That will hopefully carry over to the other horses as well.”

In second place in the $39,000CAD Highland Farms Ltd. CSI2* 1.45m speed was Cornwall BH (Con Air x Cambridge) with Amanda Derbyshire (GBR), and Paul O’Shea (IRL) came third with Hellcat (Cassander van het Bremhof x Conan), owned by Eye Candy LLC.

Show jumping continues Friday with the $15,000 FarmVet 1.45m Open Classic and the $221,600CAD Visit Greater Palm Springs 1.55m Classic.