VHHS grad competes at international equestrian show

The final class of the Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper division took place in November with the crowning of the division champion. Caroline Michele Dugas of Birmingham rode her own Skyfall to the championship title. For this achievement, Dugas was presented with The Foxbrook Perpetual Trophy donated by Joy Slater in honor of Space Citation. Sydney Myers of Plantation, Florida, piloted Myers Equestrian LLC’s Skara Glen’s Signature to the win in the $7,500 Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic.

Dugas and Skyfall won a class earlier in the week and then secured the tricolor ribbon with a second-place finish in the classic with a time of 35.739, which was less than a second behind the winner.

The 20-year-old rider has been developing her relationship with Skyfall for the past six years. Although the gelding was not initially what Dugas was expecting when she was looking for a horse, the match ended up being perfect.

“When I first saw him, I thought he was crazy,” admitted Dugas. “I thought, ‘No way am I going to be riding this horse.’ But he is the kind of crazy that’s not scary. He just is a little bit wild, but that’s what we love about him, that he has that little extra spunk.”

Dugas is currently a student at the University of Alabama and mostly meets Skyfall at competitions. The pair trains with M&M Sporthorses and hopes to move up to the Medium Junior Jumper division.

“He is just the kind of horse that you don’t want to sell,” said Dugas of the 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood by Vigaro. “He’s in it with you. He has a big heart, and he never wants to let you down. I never have to doubt if he’s going to do his job. He’s the best. He got hurt a few years ago, but now he’s back and better than ever.”

– Submitted by Tracie Dugas, written by JumpMedia.