Callan Solem and Magic Cruise
Callan Solem will be competing on two horses
at the Indoor Circuit this year: Magic Cruise,
a 10-year-old Selle Francais mare owned by
Collin and Virginia McNeil, in the open speed
classes, and VDL Torlando, a 10-year-old Royal
Dutch stallion owned by the VDL Torlando
Group, in the Grand Prix.
Callan has been successfully competing these
and several other horses throughout the East
Coast bringing home top ribbons from shows
such as Lake Placid, Vermont Summer Festival
and the Hampton Classic.
About Magic Cruise, Callan says, “She is
extremely talented and getting better and better
with every show.”
As far as VDL Torlando, “He is a really good
listener and he does whatever you tell him to do.”
With the support of Collin and Virginia McNeil, Callan recently opened the new hunter/jumper/equitation operation, Callan Solem Show Stables, on the 90-acre Upland Farm in Chester Springs, PA. This is a dream come true for Callan and it is here where she welcomes riders of all levels and brings them along to success on the A Circuit.
One of Callan’s students is Virginia McNeil who has been successfully competing in the High Adult Jumper division with Will Stop. Among their victories were tricolors at HITS Commonwealth, Lake Placid, and other top shows.
Another riding member of the McNeil family is junior rider Lee Lee who shows Grayfield’s Steamy Windows in the pony division and Sparky, owned by Michael Hughes, in the Pony Jumpers. Lee Lee won a huge Pony Medal class at HITS Commonwealth as well as a reserve championship on Sparky in the Pony Jumpers at Lake Placid. Callan believes, “It is so good for juniors to ride hunters and jumpers so they can become well rounded.”
Another junior, Rose Borzillo, shows Flying Dutchman in the High Children’s Jumpers where she was in the blues at Commonwealth and Vermont. Elle Turner shows Walk On in the Children’s Hunter 15-17 and brought home a championship from Lake Placid.
Callan has been successful around the country, winning numerous grand prix classes at HITS Saugerties, HITS Ocala, the Fairfield Hunt Club, and Old Salem Farm. She has been on the Nations Cup Team in Rio de Janeiro, Rotterdam, Lummen and Falsterbo, and was a member of the winning Super League Team in 2005. She was also named the Leading International Rider at the 2008 Syracuse Sport Horse Invitational/National Horse Show. After the Indoors, Callan is heading down to WEF Florida and welcomes riders in all divisions to join her.
October 2010
