DressageDaily: Horsey Honeymoon

Friday September 17, 2004

Horsey Honeymoon - page 2

Missy Ellison and C Ventura As for his long trek to follow the woman of his dreams, the cowboy commented, “When a fella’s gonna ask someone to marry him he’s gotta make a commitment. She’s young and vivacious and quite attractive, so I thought I’d better put some effort into pursuing her.”

32-year-old Missy, who has been riding since age 21, is enjoying life in Gardner, Montana on a remote cattle ranch, though she is looking for sponsorship for her riding; when she left Omaha, she also had to leave her day job of 13 years as an accountant at a custom cabinet shop behind.

“I hope to ride in the Olympics someday,” she said. Back on the ranch she teaches riding lessons, rides several horses and helps with ranch work. Kip starts the young horses on the ranch – mostly cow ponies but a few are hunter/jumpers that are sent to the East Coast to show.

Riding her American Warmblood gelding C Ventura, (Kabaret – Miss Mac Favor by Gallat L.B.), Missy won the Midwest Finals for Five-year-old horses at Lamplight Equestrian Center this summer, her horse’s third horse show. Kentucky was his fourth show and Missy’s first championship competition. Now the couple and the horse are headed for Devon and one of the biggest dressage shows in the United States.