Lakeside rider 5th at Event

For many riders throughout the U.S. and Canada, the Event at Rebecca Farm represents a major opportunity to compete on a world-class course without having traveling to Europe. Jeannine Pukas, of Lakeside, is certainly no exception.

Pukas was able to place fifth in Sr. Open Training, finishing ahead of Gina Miles, the Olympian who won the silver medal last year in China in equestrian.

Pukas' career as a rider began just a few years ago, as a result of exposure she gained as a jump judge at Rebecca Farm.

Pukas came to the Flathead with her husband and two-year-old daughter, in 2003, and suddenly found herself the owner of two horses that came with the home they purchased on Tamarack Woods Drive. She had grown up in Philadelphia, and lived in Landenberg-not far from much of the eventing activity that takes place in the U.S.-prior to her move.

While in Pennsylvania, she had little interest in event, and her only experience with horses came from helping her mother, a physical therapist who worked with Special Olympics children doing horseback therapy. Pukas' job was to help the children on and off of the horses and lead them around during sessions, in addition to grooming the horses with the children.

Although she had always dreamed of owning a horse, she never imagined doing anything as competitive as eventing, until she moved to Montana and was able to witness the sport first hand. With two horses of her own, as well as a couple of bridles and saddles that were thrown in with the deal, her husband Ted encouraged her to start riding.

She joined the Backcountry Horsemen and learned some basic horsemanship, and also began volunteering as a jump judge at Rebecca Farm, where she gained exposure to the sport of eventing and decided it was something she had to do for herself.

"I could totally feel the energy, when they were doing the cross-country courses," she said. "It just gave me goosebumps. I thought, 'That's what I want to be doing.'"

Pukas knew she would need a different horse, so she sold her horses and began looking for one better-suited to competition. That was when she met Al, a horse with years of experience and with whom she discovered the kind of connection that quickly develops into a relationship between horse and rider.

The two did not immediately hit it off, and it wasn't until the second time she tried riding Al that she knew he was the one.

"I thought the difference was like night and day," she said. "I absolutely fell in love with him, and I told my husband, 'I have to have this horse.'

"Then I started eventing with him, and I just was hooked."

Jeannine and Al did their first Hunter-Jumper show at Rebecca Farm about three years ago. That's when she discovered that Al had an issue with water, after he refused to take a water feature in a course.

"Every year, it's a question of whether he's going to do the water or not," she said. "I'm never sure if he's going to do it or not, and I can tell that he's not sure if he's going to do it."

Jeannine and Al had moved from 10th place after Dressage into eighth place, following Cross-Country. She knew that, if they did well in Stadium, they would finish in at least eighth. Fortunately, their Stadium round was double clean with no rails, moving them into fifth place.

"I was just trying to stay clam and relax," she said. "I wanted to go clean, because we're capable of going clean. It was nice to feel like I rode him well, stayed calm, and just went out there and got it done. It was incredible, and I was super-excited that we got fifth."

As for what's next, Jeannine says she would like to take Al to the Prelim division, and then do the Area Seven Championships, next year. Al, whose official show name is No Regrets, is now 20 years old, and regrets are one thing she doesn't want either of them to have. Consequently, she would like to qualify for the Area Seven Championships with Al before he goes into retirement and she starts looking for a younger horse.

However, she isn't interested in competing professionally. She simply enjoys the sport and says it slows her down. As long as she can keep doing, she's happy, and she looks forward to the day when her daughter, Annabel-soon to be nine-passes her up in her own eventing career.

That may seem like a long way off, but Annabel has been training since she was three years old and has been competing in the sport since 2007. Having already outgrown two horses-she took Reserve Champion twice in her division with her last horse, Ozzy-she entered her latest horse, Dylan 'show named Dilly Bar), in the 18-inch Hunter-Jumper competition at Rebecca Farm and took Champion with him on the day she tried him out. Not surprisingly, after taking Champion, she knew he was the one for her and agreed to buy him.

Now, Jeannine says her daughter is hooked on eventing and has her sights set on the Olympics.

"It's great," Annable said, grinning from ear to ear. "I think I want to do it forever."

To that end, Jeannine says she plans to be her daughter's cheerleader, groom and biggest supporter.

"I'm sure our roles will switch, and it will be more about her," Jeannine said. "I'm OK taking the back seat. I plan to support her all the way."