Meet Becky Holder and Comet Of the US Olympic Eventing Team

July 30, 2008

It’s been a big year for Becky Holder; not only was she the runner-up at the highly prestigious Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, she’s headed to the 2008 Olympics to compete in eventing. I think she’ll be US rider I’m rooting for because she’s riding Courageous Comet, a gray off-the-track thoroughbred. And a handful of the other top horses she’s trained and shown are also ex-racers including Highland Hogan with whom she was an alternate for the 2000 Olympics.

Becky has trained with some of the best coaches, working extensively with Capt. Mark Phillips, and David and Karen O’Connor. She was selected to participate in the United States Equestrian Team (USET) training sessions with Eventing Team coach Capt. Phillips in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2008.

Competitor, Trainer, and Coach

Becky Holder started riding when she was 10 years old because she was tired of breaking her Barbie Dolls’ legs on her Breyer horses, she says. She spent year riding with the Fiddler’s Green Pony Club in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, from which she graduated a B-Level Pony Clubber. “I was jumping wheelbarrows at the barn as a kid and someone gave me a pamplet about the USCTA-what is now the USEA-I was hooked on eventing,” she said in an interview with the USEF. She was well-prepared for the sport after spending 11 years as the whipper-in for the Fort Leavenworth Hunt.

Competing and training horses for over 20 years, Becky has many national and regional awards to her her name. To date, her biggest accomplishments have been qualifying as an alternate for the 2000 Sydney Olympics, a reserve rider for the 2006 World Equestrian Games, and riding second at Rolex earlier this spring.

Becky has been teaching since she was 16-years-old, serving as a coach and instructor for event riders at all levels. She works out of Carriage House Farm in Hugo, Minnesota.Formerly a USEA Area IV Young Rider Coach, Becky is currently the instructor for the CSDEA Junior Developing Rider Program.

Becky particularly enjoys bringing young horses up through the eventing levels. She has developed both of her current mounts herself, training the off-the-track Thoroughbreds Courageous Comet, Highland Hogan and Glorious Joy to the Advanced level. Other notable partners include Rainman, Nutzen and Van Gogh.

Courageous Comet

Known as Comet around the barn, the 12-year-old thoroughbred gelding has been Becky’s partner since 2005. Becky says he loves turnout more than food, nickering more when it’s time to go outside than for his breakfast. He also loves to have his tongue played with.

Becky Holder and Courageous Comet at 2008 Rolex Kentucky Sunken Road

Becky Holder and Courageous Comet 2008 Rolex Stadium Jumping

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Posted in 2008 Olympics, Olympic Eventing