He and Robert had an instant affinity, so Robert has been using his contacts around the world to try to find a nifty driving pony for Gary. Earlier this year, Gary's heart was broken when Boxcar Willie, a pony donated by world championships four-in-hand driver Jimmy Fairclough and his family, had to be put down. He had bonded with Willie, so it's been a tough time for 17-year-old Gary. But being with Robert has provided solace for Gary and done a lot for his mentor, too.
"The minute you meet him and know his story you see he's all smiles and thankful for what he has and having horses in his life. You have to help a person like that," said Robert, who greeted Gary with a heartfelt hug during the awards presentation.
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- Candi Aversenti and Robert Dover present ribbons to Gary Johnson and his friend Jasmine.
- © 2009 by Nancy Jaffer
"You can tell that in his character is a much older soul than this young kid. He has a wisdom about him that makes him able to have that calm attitude around horses. Horses can create all sorts of miracles for people who are disabled,'' said Robert.
The luncheon that followed the presentation was held in the USET Foundation's landmark stables, with its herringbone tile floors and brass balls on the stalls. Actually, there were even tables in the stalls!
I stopped for a moment to say hello to Gary and ask him about the amazing day, with scores of people, dressed to the nines, on hand to watch him and his friends do their thing.
Listen: Gary JohnsonThe ceremonies ended with Candi and Robert climbing aboard Lou Piancone's beautiful coach for a tour of the arena behind a gleaming four-in-hand of bay gelderlanders.
After Candi disembarked, we talked about Driving for Surviving and how she got involved. It stemmed from her long friendship with Shelley Zlotkin, the force behind the founding of the group.
"I was totally on board because I had driven Hackney ponies...so I was more than anxious to be a coach," Candi said.
She had been retired from showing when she began coaching, but doing it "instilled the spirit of riding and driving in me again. I came back to it with a whole new view of why I had been given this talent to be able to give back and share it. I think the horses work for these kids because every child would want to have a pony. There's an immediate connection there. Anybody who's in horses knows horses are therapeutic. It works because the children have an immediate bond with them."
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- Lou Piancone takes Robert Dover and Candi Aversenti for a spin in his coach.
- © 2009 by Nancy Jaffer
She pointed out the driving "really empowers them, because anything involving horses calls for concentration and dedication. Whether they're little or big horses, there's still that horse power, that feeling that as a human being you are able to contain that. It's an invaluable experience when you take that and apply it to your everyday life. You really feel you can do things you might not have been able to do otherwise."
She had mentioned in passing that riding her show horse, Cumberland Crescent (aka Red Dawg) had gotten her through some tough times, so I asked her to tell me about that.
Candi, a 1972 graduate of Endicott College who is also on the board there, has brought that school into the equation and a group of the Endicott equestrian team members came down from Massachusetts to help.
Why don't you think "ecumenical equestrianism" and see if you can do some kind of cross-over, perhaps with a rescue group or therapeutic riding organization? Harness the type of energy that Driving for Surviving has used so effectively.
Be sure to check back Sunday night, October 18 for my postcard from the Dansko Fair Hill International eventing competition.
Until then,
