07/13/2025
Meet Zoffany or “Austin,” the winner of our special award for the oldest horse to finish on their dressage score! Twenty-one year old Austin, a thoroughbred and warm blood cross is owned and ridden by Jessica Dallow. The pair placed first in our open starter division this year.
Jessica got Zoffany “Austin” as a three-year-old in Alabama, in 2006. She hoped he’d make a hunter, but he turned out to like the jumpers more and she showed him in the jumpers across the South. Jessica is from Colorado and came back in 2021; Austin came too. She wanted to try something different so they started eventing. She thinks he loves cross country (although he knows when she gets nervous); dressage not so much. They are working to move up to Beginner Novice this season.
She writes that he’s quirky: he jumps in rather unorthodox form, has always been a bit of a spook, and can still be hard to catch. And he is the pickiest eater ever. He loves night check time, when we give everyone apples and carrots before bed. He lives with a crew including her husband’s elderly trail horse, 4 mini donkeys, and three goats. She feels lucky to have had him as partner for as long as she has.
Congratulations to both Jessica and Austin. You have an incredible partnership and we look forward to seeing it grow.
The prize for our oldest horse is a custom painting by Colorado artist and equestrian, Jenny Slade.
Picture credit: JJ Sillman (1st picture) and Sadie Thorpe (2nd picture)
