Saturday March 15, 2003

Palm Beach Dressage Derby Diva, Ingred Pollak

Pollak puts in great rides, and helps out with an important cause

It was a busy weekend for Loxahatchee resident Ingred Pollak. It was enough that the adult amateur was competing two horses at the Palm Beach Dressage Derby, Feb 28- March 2, on her home turf at White Fences. But she also worked hard to raise money for an important cause.

Pollak's name became familiar to all as it was announced several times at the top of the placings. With Orson GE, a 16.1 hand Lusitano stallion, she finished second in two first and second level classes, and won a first level amateur class with a score of 68.148%. With her 14 year-old Dutch gelding, Gatsby, she won a fourth level class and the Adult Amateur Prix St. Georges, ABIC scoring 66.5%.

"He's been such a pleasure, that horse," Pollak said of Gatsby. The pair started working at Prix St. Georges over the winter and are hoping to move up to Intermediare I next month. Gatsby, a former Grand Prix competitor, has given Pollock the opportunity to gain more experience at the upper levels. "Gatsby knows every movement, he loves the movements," she said. "He's the nicest, sweetest horse. You can ride him bareback, and he'll piaffe and passage in a halter."

He also finds other ways to amuse himself. "He's so smart," Pollak says. "We put a snap on the door, forget that, he can undo the snap, so then we went to two snaps, he knows how to undo both of them. He goes to the other barn, lets another horse out, and they go galavanting around the property!" Pollack laughs. We¹re up to three snaps now with another lock, and I don't know what we¹re going to do after that."

Undoubtedly Pollak will find a way. In addition to working regularly with trainer Linda Smith, she also finds time to volunteer for a critical cause. She and her husband Mitchell served on the Committee for the show's second annual Freestyle Celebration, a fundraiser for The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. A breast cancer survivor herself, Pollak knows the importance of the research grants and awareness programs that the BCRF supports.

Whether it's focusing on fundraisers or working with her horses (including several Lusitanos and an Andalusian), Pollak is forward-looking. And grateful-- whether it's in response to her health, or to her relationship with Gatsby, her response is always the same. "I'm very lucky," she says.

by Jillian K. Dunham for Dressagedaily.com

Related Links
Benefit for Breast Cancer Raises Over $80,000 at The Palm Beach Dressage Derby
Shelly Francis, Grand Prix Diva at 2003 Palm Beach Dressage Derby