At Rocco's first Dressage outing, at Alexander Park with trainer Jeremy Janjic, he caught the eye of photographer Peter Stoop.
He started his eventing career with young Aussie 3-Star eventer Kate Chadderton and caught everyone's eye with his exhuberant jumping style, clearing Intro and Prelim jumps by the proverbial mile. (Onlookers protested that he was in the wrong class, as he cleared all jumps with ridiculous ease; huge power off the back end!) At his first Prelim outing, at Coffs Harbour ODE, 2007, he came 3rd, close behind Boyd Martin and Silva Stigler! At his 2nd Prelim outing, he came 2nd, at Anambah ODE... at the outbreak event of EI.
Kate then purchased a partnership and took him to the USA to set up her training/riding business in Maryland.
He went to the American Eventing Championships at the equivalent of our Pre-Novice level in 2008. The cross-country was rained off so the event, in Chicago, became a Combined Training Event, at which Rocco was the fastest clear in the show-jumping phase.
Then to FairHill International CIC1* where he was, as usual, clear show-jumping and cross-country; shown above in the vertical drop and at the trot-up before the S-J phase.
He was then sold to Lisa Kurr who has proceeded to develop a partnership, under Kate's guidance, which has taken her from Beginner Novice classes through placings in Novice Rider, Senior Novice, and now Training level classes, Preliminary to 1Star level.
Kate's comment "he's the best horse cross-country I've ever ridden"; honest, game, finds it easy, loves it!
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