YOUTH MAKES A SPLASH
CNN anchor's daughter, 19, rallies from'mishap'towin
By SHARON ROBB

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

December 7, 2007

WELLINGTON

When Hillary Dobbs and Corlett, the first of two mounts Dobbs had in Thursday's $15,000 National Horse Show Speed Classic, went plowing through a jump instead of over it, she shook it off.

The 19-year-old from West Palm Beach regained her composure, climbed on Marengo and knocked off an impressive 31-rider field including Olympians and grand prix champions to win Thursday at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center.

"This is such a dream come true to even be competing with them," Dobbs said. "This is the dream of every little girl who started with a pony. I feel so lucky to be in a good place with my horses and be able to be competitive with this field of riders. Everyone out here is fast."

It was the Harvard sophomore's first grand prix victory in the Internationale Arena at the 124th annual National Horse Show.

Marengo, a 9-year-old lightning-quick Holsteiner gelding, covered the challenging course fault-free in 67.460 seconds to edge Olympian Margie Engle of Wellington and Hidden Creek's Calippo 12 by three seconds. St. Andrew's senior Ali Wolff and her mount H&M Oberon were eighth with 4 faults in 71.54 seconds.

Wolff, 18, who also plays lacrosse for the Scots, and Dobbs were the youngest riders in the field.

The daughter of CNN anchor Lou Dobbs, Hillary Dobbs has had a charmed season in the grand prix ranks since April.

She has won five grand prix titles and leading open jumper rider title at this year's Washington International in addition to several open jumper and amateur owner classes. She had a gold-medal performance in the Nations' Cup in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where she represented the United States for the first time internationally.

Dobbs got a close look at the course early with her first mount Corlett that slipped at the corner and "had a mishap" at the liverpool oxer.

"When I came back with my second horse, we upped the studs and he's a little more sure-footed," Dobbs said. "I gave him a little more time around the turns."

One the sport's brightest young stars and an Olympic hopeful, Dobbs is juggling school and horse shows. She arrived from Boston on Wednesday to her family's home in West Palm Beach. In her free time, she studies when not training with Missy Clark and John Brennan. Dobbs is a government major at Harvard.

Growing up around horses, it was only natural Dobbs pursue show jumping. She grew up on a 300-acre farm in Sussex, N.J. Her father, who watched proudly from the stands on Thursday, rode Western when he wasn't tooling around on his tractor. Her mother rode English and bred halter horses.

"My mom and dad have always been so supportive, I don't think they have missed a horse show or a class including Argentina," Dobbs said. "My dad loves to watch me whenever he can. Plus, it's 20 degrees up north and beautiful down here."

Tonight some of the world's top riders compete in phase one of the Rolex/USEF National Show Jumping Championship, presented by Equine Motorcoach. It is part of the Jumping Under the Stars Gala under the lights at the Internationale Arena field. Opening ceremonies are 7 p.m.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/othe ... 8858.story