Billy Donovan's daughter rides to championships on Final Four weekend
Monday, April 2, 2012 | Men's Basketball, Chris Harry
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- OK, so it wasn't at the Final Four, but the Donovan family brought home a championship over the weekend.
Two, actually.
Hasbrouck Donovan, one of the top equestrian riders in the country, captured both the small and large Junior Hunter Championships during the opening weekend of the Tampa Bay Classic at the Florida State Fairgrounds.
The events served as preliminaries to the American Invitational, one of the nation's most prestigious show-jumping competitions, set for Saturday night at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.
Donovan, a high school senior who will ride collegiately at Auburn next year, rode Fidelia for the first time Saturday and navigated the mare through a difficult, bending Large Junior course that featured a two-stride rollback combination and a trot fence.
[Note: Yes, it's equestrian lingo, but it sounds hard, especially on an animal a rider is unfamiliar with.]
“She was really fun, super smooth and very adjustable,” Donovan said. “Sometimes I get nervous, but there isn't time to worry about much.”
Apparently, she didn't have to worry too much on Sunday, either, that time riding Lyle to the Small Junior crown.
"I enjoy showing multiple horses, because it gives me more practice, and allows me to form to each horse," Donovan said. "Lyle is really sweet and has great movement over fences and on the flat, so showing him is honestly such a pleasure. I think that this show allows exhibitors to have more fun, and actually enjoy the day, rather than focusing on the work aspect of it."
Hasbrouck takes after her mother, Christine Donovan, who was a star rider as a youth growing up in Long Island.
Congratulations to her and the rest of the family.
