Katherine Heller began riding at the age of 7. She started riding with a dressage instructor when she was 10 and quickly became enthralled with the sport. After badgering and pressuring her parents publicly and privately for at least a year, Katherine finally got her first horse at the age of 12. At this point, she took a foray into the hunter/jumper world for 15 years. In the late 1980′s a Thoroughbred named Magic brought Katherine back into the world of dressage. Magic no longer wanted to do the equitation classes, so Katherine sought out a trainer she had known and respected for years, USDF Gold Medal rider Annie Morris. Annie was her first connection to international trainer Gunnar Ostergaard.
Ten years later Katherine decided to turn her attention toward her lifelong dream of starting a serious dressage career. Katherine travelled to Europe and around the US and to purchase several horses. Seeing the incredible breeding going on in Europe at that time, Katherine was inspired to learn from the masters and begin a small breeding program of her own here in New York. She imported Casablanca, Orion Sporthorses’ foundation broodmare and began an Oldenburg breeding program focused on the kinds of horses she herself wanted to own, ride, and show.
It’s hard to begin again as a middle aged woman in a sport as challenging as dressage, and after all those years of riding Katherine started at the beginning again. Katherine met and began working with Melanie Southard in 1999. Melanie, too, was a long time student of Gunnar Ostergaard’s and it was the strength of this training opportunity that inspired Orion Dressage. Elizabeth King came to Orion shortly thereafter and has contributed tremendously to Orion.
In 2001, Katherine finally started showing training and first level with her 6 year Hanoverian, Concord. By 2006, she had almost all of her scores for her Bronze medal. She was missing one first level score. In 2007 Katherine was able to achieve this final score on her own Raphael, the second foal out of Casablanca (by Rubin Royal). This was a truly wonderful moment for Katherine, where all her efforts came full circle. Katherine continues to show Raphael, and in 2009 they won their 3rd level debut. Katherine went on to earn her Silver medal in 2009 on her Danish Warmblood, Loblight (“Beau”) and is now turning her sights to the elusive Gold. Elizabeth King’s incredible eye and unwavering insistence on correctness have been invaluable to her progress.
Katherine is incredibly appreciative for the opportunity to be involved in the sport of dressage. The beauty and artistry, as well as the sheer physical challenge of Dressage bring many things to her life. The deepening of the relationship, and subtlety of the communication with the horse requires patience and commitment. Dressage has brought deep connection and meaning to Katherine’s life in a restorative way.
