Mojo's First Show
--By Laura Beeman
It was a beautiful spring day at Marval Stables in Lodi, California, where the Delta Sierra Chapter of the California Dressage Society held their first dressage show of the year. All the horses were clean and shining and all the riders dressed up to show their best. The dressage court was immaculately groomed and the almond trees were a beautiful backdrop to the busy show grounds. But there was one competitor warming up for his class that couldn't see all the hub-bub going on around him: Mojo, the Blind Friesian.
This was Mojo's first dressage competition and he rode in two introductory level classes: Test A & Test B. Mojo was ridden by his trainer, Cathy Abandonato. Standing on the sidelines to cheer Mojo on were his owner and best friend, Dawn Simas as well as Laura Beeman, the author of the book that tells his life story, "Mojo the Blind Friesian".
Mojo placed fourth in a class of ten riders with a score of 62.5 on Test A and was in a 4-way tie for fourth place in a class of seventeen riders for Test B with a score of 62.381. The judge never knew Mojo completed his test without the benefit of ever seeing the arena! Actually, rider and trainer, Cathy Abandonato, felt that Mojo's blindness may actually have been an advantage for them as he wasn't afraid of all the "spooks " the other young horses saw.
It has been a long road to the dressage court for Mojo, now turning five years old. Raised on a Friesian breeding farm in Canada, and sold to his first owner in Alaska, Mojo lost his sight from a brain aneurysm during a routine gelding procedure as a yearling. Mojo then faced a series of challenges that he was able to overcome to become a dressage horse today.
Many of the dressage riders at the show were amazed by Mojo's excellent behavior. They knew how difficult it was for them to prepare their horses and were amazed by Mojo's accomplishments. Many riders purchased the book, "Mojo. The Blind Friesian" signed by the author. Proceeds from book sales go to continue Mojo's training and help with his support costs. Mojo currently lives at the "Wild About Cats" feline rescue center in Auburn, California and is supported entirely by donations.
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