TRAVERSE CITY -- Success runs in the family at Casalea Farms.
Karen Duell, manager of the horse farm in Traverse City for 21 years, and her niece, Brittany Perry, both parleyed their Western Pleasure showing skills into national competition.
Each rider shone at the Regional 13 Championship Horse Show last June, netting invitations to their respective national events.
Perry, a junior at Traverse City West Senior High, participated in the Canadian Nationals in late August in Saskatchewan.
Riding her 6-year-old Arabian, MSU Stolichnaya -- Stoli for short -- Perry competed there for the second time.
Facing off against 1,000 other horses shown by both adults and youth, Perry ranked in the top 10 Western Pleasure for ages 14-17.
As for Stoli, his performance all season was great for his first year of serious competition.
"Stoli's a baby, coming up," Perry said.
Making it to an elite level of competition required years of training, devotion and support from family members, including her aunt.
Perry and her family have also managed the logistical hurdles of fitting in training and competitions around school and sports obligations.
"My family supported my desire to compete at shows that would prepare me for my ultimate dream of competing in the National event," said Perry, who has been riding and showing Arabian horses since she was five years old. "As with any sport, you must be dedicated, showing horses is no different."
Acknowledging that national competitions are a big jump from regional events, Perry draws on a foundation of confidence -- in her training, preparation, horse and potential.
"I just go there basically with an attitude knowing that I'm going to do pretty well," she said.
Perry's aplomb in the face of challenges on the national stage is grounded in the hours of daily care she puts in at the barn.
Five or six days a week every summer and three to four days during the school year, Perry is doing more than riding and training. She is hands-on in the care of her horse and others at the stable.
The cleaning, feeding and nurturing duties for such a large, beautiful animal are humbling. They illustrate in part the mutual dependence of a successful riding team.
"It isn't about competing and winning it, it's about loving an animal and taking care of it," Perry said.
Later this month, Duell will head to Tulsa, Okla., to compete in the United States Arabian & Half Arabian National Championship Horse Show. A veteran of many national events with 20 national titles to her credit, Duell will also compete in the Western Pleasure class.
"It is quite a thrill to compete at a national level, although you have to enjoy the entire experience of the show environment as not everyone can win the big prize," she said. "I'm definitely getting excited about it, even though I've been to the nationals many times it's a thrill to go."
Teamwork is key between horse and rider, noted Duell. Her current horse is RB Menesson, a 12-year-old Arabian stallion she called one of the gentlest horses and most honest she has ever owned.
Despite building a foundation of trust through training and caretaking, showing a horse always has an element of unpredictability. Even with Menesson, Duell is always prepared to work with or around any quirks that arise.
"You have to remember when you are showing a horse, you are a team and some days are going to be better than others," Duell said. "Everything needs to be kept in perspective. I cherish the days when Menesson and I can shine together because I know that I can expect (and have experienced) those rainy days, too."
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