Cathrin Gutmann of Austria purchased the great hunt seat mare, Al Be Graceful (Allie), from Adria Smith last year at the Congress. Late last year, the Reserve Congress Champion hunter under saddle mare was shipped to Italy. After arriving in Europe, Allie won almost every event she entered and also was unanimous European Champion Junior Hunter Under Saddle with Gutmann’s trainer, Karin Prevedel. Then, Gutmann got qualified for the AQHA World Show, and Cathrin and her husband decided she should make the long trek back to the States to show her at the AQHA World Show.
Below is Cathrin talking about the experience in her own words.
From Cathrin Gutmann-– (October 24th) Al Be Graceful has left Italy this morning for Amsterdam. Horse Service International is flying her over to New York and from there she’ll be shipped via quarantine-truck to Oklahoma City where she arrives on the 31st to be stalled at a special quarantine stall during the entire show. Darily Prevedel (who’s my trainers daughter and also the owner of “Piccola Rosa show clothing”) and I are flying to OKC on Saturday 27th, my trainer Karin will join us on November 1st as she’s still busy showing at the Q12 show in Aachen,Germany.
The last weeks were very busy for us. Organizing our late entries, going through all kinds of forms, going through all health tests with the horse, packing, booking flights, hotels, everything…Now I’m on my way to Italy where I can spend some last days with my family and then our journey can begin!
We already have huge support in the States–all the people that helped us over the last weeks. I especially want to thank Johne Dobbs and David Avery-both supported us in every situation that was difficult- and all the AQHA clerks that worked with us.
We also appreciate the support of Trisha and Carl Yamber who immediately told us that they will help us at the show. In addition to that, there were lots of people who called and wrote to us from all over Europe and USA to wish us luck. I actually didn’t plan to do that at all. When I received my World Show invitation I was really proud, but I didn’t even think about taking my horse and going to the states to show. A few days later, my husband and I just had dinner when he suggested that I should go.
“You got a great horse, you can do it, go for it!” At first I was speechless but then I thought about it and he was right. From that evening on, we started to plan on our journey- and there was only three weeks left.
This was a crazy year for us: All the construction at home; the first show season with our new horses and trainers; all the going back and forth between Italy and Austria for training; my first year showing in the hunter under saddle at all. All our horses had great success in the show pen this year, but my personal highlight this year so far surely was my European Championship title in the Amateur Hunter Under Saddle with Allie.
I bought “Al Be Graceful” at the Congress last year where she was Reserve in the Three Year-Old Hunter Under Saddle with Trisha Yamber. She’s a great horse with a big heart, and I love to show her as she always wants to do her best and gives everything for the rider. Now we’re on our way to compete against the world’s best horses and I’m so proud of my team, and my horse and I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to do so.
The hardest thing about showing at the AQHA World Show was to decide to go on this journey alone, without my husband and my little daughter. However, they are going to watch and my husband is even hosting a public viewing for friends at Gut Jaidhof, our home.
I want to thank my incredible husband and my family as well as the whole KPR-team and every person involved. Also a big thank you to all the people showing their support and cheering for us, we really appreciate it!
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GoHorseShow will be rooting for Cathrin and Allie in the Amateur Hunter Under Saddle and Karin Prevedel in the Junior Hunter Under Saddle! Click here to view her GoMag World Show November ad!
Photos © Art & Light Photography
