Team #630 Barbara Baboyian and Chica
Photo by Joanna Jodko
Team #630: Barbara Baboyian and Chica
From: Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
Ages: 74 & 26
Combined Age: 100
Test: Training Level Test 3
Date: April 22, 2023
My first introduction to horses was in Germany as a child of an Air Force officer. It was a strict riding school and I fell in love with horses. After leaving Germany in 1958 and with all the moving around as a military child, I did not get back into horses until I was 45 years old. My husband and I bought a farm and fell in love with the Paso Fino breed and owned four beautiful Pasos. I met my trainer, Caroline Jordan, of Good News Stables in Boyds, Maryland, and started my dressage journey on a green off-the-track Thoroughbred named Terrific Hope (Snickers). I loved every minute of learning to ride and spending time with my horses.
Many years and horses later, I met my present trainer, Heather Bender, of Treasure Coast Dressage in Palm City, Florida, and moved my three Lusitanos to her training barn. Heather’s assistant trainer at the time was Bethany Buchanan, and she had been asking me for two years to please ride her horse, Chica, when we both reached the "Century Club ride status." Bethany now has her own training business called Quiet Ride also located in Palm City, Florida.
Chica and I have officially qualified for the Century Club ride as I am now 74, and she is 26. Bethany has been extremely good to me and my horses over the years that I have known her, this was a goal that was very important to her, and I wanted to grant that wish.
Bethany bought Chica as a semi-sound seven-year-old for $1 with the thought that she could rehab the young mare, train her a bit, and sell her as a pleasure ride. Jumping irritated the old injury, so Bethany spent many years riding her on trail rides, occasionally with the local fox-hunt club, and dabbling in a few introductory dressage lessons. The longer Bethany and Chica were together, the less Chica was for sale. Ha!
When Chica was 17 years old, Bethany started working for Heather Bender and their dressage training began in earnest. Together they showed through Fourth Level in 2019 and did a little schooling of some Prix St George movements at home in 2020. Despite her age, Chica remains quite sound and active, so the Century Club ride is the perfect objective to keep her fit!
We have felt so much love and support from all our teammates at Treasure Coast Dressage, with everyone from the barn coming to the show to cheer us on! It has been such a fun journey, and I look forward to many more rides in the future. Maybe even another Century Club ride with one of my own wonderful Lusitanos when he gets old enough!
