We are so thrilled to share an interview with, now Olympian, Nina Ligon of Esmont, Virginia. Nina represented Thailand in the 2012 London Olympics this summer. You can read all about her experiences here: http://ninaligon.com/wp/language/en/.
Congratulations to Nina for a tremendous performance and best wishes for future competition and college!
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VHCF - Tell us a bit about how you got into eventing. Did you always envision competing at such a high level?
Ligon - I
was introduced to eventing through the US Pony Club. I am a graduate B of Deep
Run Hunt Club in Manakin Sabot VA. I started out in the Hunters at age 5,
but preferred the 3 phases of eventing and switched when I was 10. My goal has
always been to compete in the Olympics, but growing up, I never
understood what it might take to get there.
VHCF - What words would you use to describe eventers on the whole?
Ligon - Tough and dedicated.
VHCF - What do you think makes you a great competitor across disciplines?
Ligon - I'm
Calm. Pretty much all the time. It helps me keep the horses relaxed in
dressage, stay focused on XC, and manage my nerves for SJ.
On the other hand, I often hear (from my mom and
coaches) that I'm too calm and quiet and therefore don't demand enough from my
horses.
VHCF - What do you think is your favorite - jumping, cross-country, or dressage?
Ligon - XC has always been my favorite and was the
reason I was drawn to eventing in the first place. It is both a scary and
exciting phase of the competition, and the reward of crossing the finish line
is unparalleled. It doesn't naturally suit my personality, but in
order to keep myself and my horses safe on course I've had to learn to be more
aggressive and decisive. In turn, it's helped me avoid silly mistakes in the SJ
and produce more impressive Dressage tests.
VHCF - To reach a certain level, you have to have a fantastic partner in your mount. Tell us about your horses over the years.
Ligon - The
partnership is crucial. I've been very fortunate to have had the chance to ride
many different types of horses and they all have played a part in getting me to
this point.
Cuddle
Me Cous-Cous was my first hunter pony. She was willing to do just
about anything (swimming, bareback racing, vaulting, eventing) and was the
reason I fell in love with riding.
Pacific Storm won double Gold at the
Southeast Asian Games in 2007.
Chai Thai is a horse that I
brought along from age 5. He has incredible dressage but isn't particularly
brave on XC and requires a really positive and confident ride.
My
Olympic Qualified Horses:
Fernhill Fearless brought me up the levels from
1* to 3*. He is an amazing, brave little XC machine.
Butts Leon- My Olympic horse, what more is
there to say:)
Jazz King- Jazz is a jumping machine. He
is so careful and safe and gave me the most xc confidence of any horse I have
ever ridden.
Tipperary Liadhnan- Paddy is a seasoned
upper level eventer who gave me great mileage at the 3*
VHCF - What coaches have helped you get to where you are today?
Ligon - Daphne
Wigg was my first coach and gave me an really strong foundation on which to build my
riding career on. Jon
LaForce was my first Eventing Trainer who brought me up to the 1* level. Kim
Severson coached me from 2008 up to the Olympics. She really helped move me up
the levels to become a 3* rider. Gerd
Zuther my primary Dressage trainer and a very wise horseman. And Katie Prudent- I was able to get a few lessons with
her during 2010-2011 and I saw a huge improvement in my show jumping.
VHCF - You have had countless successes. Can you offer a few examples that you are most proud of?
Ligon - Qualifying
for and competing in the 2012 Olympic Games!!!! I was so proud of my
performance and felt I handled the pressure really well. Given all the falls on XC day, I'm proud that I was able to bring Leon and myself safely home.
Also - Receiving the 2011 FEI HSBC
Rising Star Award Team and Individual Gold at
the Southeast Asian Games
VHCF - Tell us about your Olympic experience. What was the most challenging aspect? How were the courses? What was it like to compete against the best in the world? What was your favorite moment?
Ligon - Even
though it was intimidating to compete against the top riders from around the
world, I found everyone was really supportive and encouraging. The morning of XC, Team New Zealand (our barn mates) and I were crowded around the live video
feed on my sister's iPad in the tack room. We were watching fall after fall and
it was getting extremely nerve wracking. Caroline Powell was really helpful in
keeping me calm. She kept telling me "Don't panic, you'll be fine."
That little bit of reassurance went a long way.
The XC course caused a lot more problems than we expected. It wasn't the biggest
and toughest course in terms of the fences and combinations, but I think the
hilly terrain and tight turns, combined with slippery footing, made a big
impact. My favorite moment of the Games was galloping through the finish flags
of XC with a clear round.
VHCF - Who is your support team?
Ligon - We
call ourselves Team Thailand. I am very fortunate to have such a dedicated and
knowledgable support team including:
My Mom- we call her the
"CEO" of this entire operation
Family: Mom, Dad, my brother,
Aaron, and sister, Nisha (as well as my extended family who came out in full
force to support me a Greenwich)
Laura Hitchcock- She takes
incredible care of my horses and I trust her completely
Trainers- Kim Severson, Gerd
Zuther
Dr. Keith Brady my Vet
David Watson, Farrier
Amy Gentry- assists Laura
with caring for the horses and is our packing master
Hannah and Emily Gentry (her daughters)
Thailand Equestrian
Federation
Thai NOC
VHCF - What obstacles do you face competing for Thailand from across the globe?
Ligon - I
first started competing for Thailand in 2007 with the help of Col. Fuangvich
(Sam) Aniruth-Deva (the current Secretary General of the Thai Eq. Fed.). The
Thai Eq. Fed. and the NOC (National Olympic Council) didn't even know that I
existed and were understandably skeptical about my abilities. Khun Sam got me
to Thailand to compete in the '07 Southeast Asian Games where we won both Team
and Individual Gold. Since the Thai NOC has a limited budget, a Gold medal at
the SEA Games is a requirement in order for them to even consider sending a
team to the Asian Games (where, in turn, a medal is required for consideration
for the Olympics). With my performance at the SEA Games and later the Asian
Games (Team Silver), I gained the full support of the Thai Olympic Council to
send me to the Olympics.
Throughout
this entire process, the Thailand Equestrian Federation have given me their
full support while also allowing me the freedom to dictate my own program with
the horses. I couldn't have made it to the Olympics without them.
VHCF - What is special about Charlottesville that keeps you in Virginia and enhance your riding career?
Ligon - I am based in Esmont, which is just south of
Charlottesville. It is the perfect training facility for the horses. There are
plenty of rolling hills (great for fitness work) with lush green grass (great
for nutrition). We are in the center of East Coast eventing and can easily
drive a few hours north or south to hit the major competitions.
VHCF - Have you competed at the Virginia Horse Center and can you speak to the importance of high quality competition grounds like ours for Virginia riders and beyond?
Ligon - I've
competed at the VA Horse Center many times - whether it's Hunters, Jumpers,
Dressage, or Eventing. It's an incredible facility that hosts a wide range of
equestrian competitions. The struggle for Eventing is finding the enough land
to run be able to run the cross country. We need great competition venues such
as the Horse Center to keep the sport thriving.
