Team #789 Diane Moon and Vanity
Team #789: Diane Moon and Vanity
From: Blaine, Washington
Ages: 80 & 23
Combined Age: 103
Test: Training Level Test 1
Age is just a number until it adds up to 100! Local Rider achieves Century Ride Status! - by Deborah Cole
When Diane Moon began riding horses at age 50, she knew she was unlike a lot of her peers who had begun riding at much younger ages. What she lacked in youthful Pony Club experiences on horseback, she made up for with her strong desire to stay physically fit. Together with her horse Chimo, she competed successfully in show jumping for 13 years until she retired from the sport due to age-related issues. Being “horseless” did not deter Diane who then decided to learn dressage on leased horses and lesson mounts. Her husband David supported this choice because it seemed safer than jumping!
Diane has studied dressage with excellent instructors internationally: Monique Frazer in British Colombia, and Dawn Morgan of Valley View Farm in Washington. Now, at age 80, Her most recent accomplishment on horseback was realized during a United States Dressage Federation-recognized horse show at Whidbey Equestrian Center in Coupeville, Washington.
Diane rode Vanity Fair, a Hanoverian cross mare owned by Deborah Cole. It was a special milestone for both horse and rider as they went down centerline to complete a Century Club ride. Diane and Vanity Fair enjoyed a very respectable score from the judges of 69.423%. In a beautiful presentation, Diane was awarded an engraved vase and flowers from her coach and teammates, and the highly coveted Century Club ribbon which few riders will attain.
