Ocala’s Dressage III CDI3* Sunday Spotlight shines on renowned and accomplished show jumping rider Lillie Keenan. Keenan is well known for her lengthy list of accomplishments in show jumping, recently earning a short list spot for the 2022 FEI Jumping World Championships in Herning, Denmark. Keenan just started dabbling in dressage in January, making her first CDI dressage appearance this week at World Equestrian Center – Ocala for the Dressage III CDI 3* competition presented by Hampton Green Farm. We caught up with Keenan to ask her more about the competition and her dressage ambitions.
When did you start riding dressage?
I started riding dressage with the ambition to compete in the middle of January. I had sat on a dressage horse three times in my life before. I had a lot of training in dressage with my show jumping horses. Over the past couple of years, I became very close friends with Louisa Eadie, and I ended up getting an opportunity from a client that has this wonderful horse, Ferrari, who is a school master. The owner is pregnant, so she wasn’t riding and gave me the chance to go have fun. Louisa told me to go for it and she helped organize.
My original goal was the Prix St. Georges. I wanted to be able to complete that caliber of a test. I was ready to push myself in a completely different direction. I ended up falling in love with it. Louisa’s goal for me was to come do this show before I leave for Europe this summer. I just got short listed for show jumping at WEG [FEI Jumping World Championships], so this was the time of the year that I could really do both and be able to enjoy it. I thought she was crazy to have this as my goal, but we made it.
To be able to come to a facility like this for the horses and riders is just unbelievable. For me, this feels like a sweet vacation from my real life. It has been so much fun. This was actually my first time here since it has been finished. I was able to come when they were first building, but seeing it now is just unreal. I am hoping that there can be even more show jumping shows here and if I am lucky, they will have dressage the same time, so I could compete in both.
Is it challenging to go from show jumping to dressage?
It’s an interesting change. There are some things I am comfortable with and others that really stress me out. For example, the timing. The concept that there is an exact time where you have to be in the ring is super stressful, that usually doesn’t exist in my world. It’s been a good lesson for me. I am lucky enough to have Louisa as a coach, because she understands that I want to push myself. But, if I make a mistake, I can laugh about it. I just try and be better each and every ride.
The most challenging maneuver for me is the canter pirouettes. This movement requires the highest level of engagement, you have to be so brave with the collection. For me, it’s difficult because I don’t have that level of engagement with my jumpers, but that’s the goal. I really push myself to have that because if I am able to master a schooling pirouette, I can teach my jumpers and I can be the fastest in the jump off. You win in the turns, so if they can sit and turn like that, it will be a game changer.
I love one-time tempi changes. Sometimes when I do threes or fours, I get too many and start doing one or twos. It’s challenging but by far my favorite maneuver.
source: WEC Ocala