Washington State Rider Achieves USDF Century Club Status
When Blaine, Washington resident Diane Moon began riding horses at age 50, she knew she was unlike a lot of her peers who had begun riding at much younger ages. What she lacked in youthful pony club and summer camp experiences on horseback, she made up for with her strong desire to stay physically fit. With her horse Chimo, she competed successfully in show jumping for 13 years until he needed to retire from sport due to age related issues. Being “horseless” did not deter Diane who then decided to learn dressage on leased horses and lesson mounts. Her husband, David, supported this choice because it seemed safer than jumping and no one was getting younger!
Dressage (French) is translated and defined by Wikipedia as “the training of a horse to be ridden in exhibition and an art sometimes pursued solely for the sake of mastery.” The International Equestrian Federation describes dressage as “the highest expression of horse training.”
Diane has studied dressage with excellent instructors internationally: Monique Fraser in British Columbia and Dawn Morgan of Valley View Farm in Ferndale, WA. Now, at age 80, her most recent accomplishment on horseback was realized during a United States Dressage Federation (USDF) recognized horse show held on August 10, 2024, at Whidbey Equestrian Center in Coupeville, WA. Diane rode Vanity Fair, a Hanoverian cross mare (age 23 years) owned by Deborah Cole. It was a special milestone for both horse and rider as they went down centerline to complete a Century Ride, which is when the horse and rider’s combined ages are 100 years or more.
This achievement was recognized by the United States Dressage Foundation. Diane and Vanity Fair enjoyed a very respectable score from the judges of 69.423%. In a beautiful presentation, Diane was awarded an engraved vase and flowers from her coach and teammates, and the highly coveted Century Ride ribbon which very few riders will attain.
Many congratulations to Diane Moon for her dedication to staying actively fit and riding down centerline for dressage tests at age 80! She is truly an inspiration to those around her—in horsemanship, and in life.
See this article in the November 2024 Online Digital Edition:
November 2024
Deborah Cole currently resides in Spokane, Washington. Prior to moving there she volunteered countless hours to the riding community in Whatcom County with WCDEA. She lived onsite at Sunset Farm Equestrian Park as it was being developed. She enjoys riding, writing, and making music. Her current motto is “Celebrate Everything.”
