Eleanor Kunsman and Electrico on the map after Saturday Night Lights
Eleanor Kunsman and Electrico come back down to earth at the Winter Equestrian Festival [WEF] this week. The pair will be showing in two smaller classes having taken a breather after their debut Saturday Night Lights performance in week two got the combination noticed amidst top competition.
“It was the biggest and most technical course that we ever jumped,” Eleanor said after finishing 8th, having reached the jump off while more than one top horse rider combination had a rail.
“To be out there in the schooling area with some of the best in the world was surreal,” Eleanor said, who rides the horse for owner Elena Brody and runs her training business Glen Eden Farm with her mother Kathy Kunsman from New Jersey.
Her friend Seth Vallhonrat, who has been part of the journey – with Eleanor and Electrico commuting to Pennsylvania to train with him – had made the drive from Ocala for the occasion. “For him to be there and to make it worth his trip was special,” said Eleanor. “He’s friends with some of the top riders and some people were asking him, what are you doing here and who are you helping – and they had no idea who I was. And then to jump clear he was like that’s why I came – I knew the horse is amazing and I knew that she would ride well.”
The long term plan for Electrico, a 10-year old grey Oldenburg gelding, owned by Elena Brody and her daughter Emma, is for Emma to take over the ride. Until then it is up to Eleanor to develop the horse to his highest potential. After smaller classes this week, they are looking at the National Grand Prix in week 6 and a debut in an FEI 2-star at WEC in Ocala once again under the lights.
Electrico has spent his week off enjoying turn out and trail rides with Elena. “He goes by himself,” Eleanor said. “He’s the best trail horse.”
As the dust settles on Electrico’s momentous Saturday Night Lights performance, Eleanor reflected on their 15 minutes of fame.
“My phone was blowing up after the jump off,” she said. “And it was on like five percent and my friends from home watching the live feed in New Jersey calling me, and texting me and my Instagram blowing up with follow requests… it was fun, it was good to feel like a little bit of a celebrity for a night.”