Wilmington, Ohio – This week’s Wilmington Sunday Spotlight shines on Greer Dixon of Columbus, Ohio. The 16-year-old rider of Sugar Run Farm can be found at World Equestrian Center – Wilmington with her favorite partner, Cristallo’s Carlchen P, in all of the big equitation classes. Dixon comes to the equitation ring with a background in the Quarter Horse industry and has made her first year showing on the hunter/jumper circuit a successful one. We caught up with Dixon to learn more about her journey and her partnership with ‘Carl’.
WEC: How did you get started riding?
I am from Columbus. I started riding in Quarter Horses and I just moved to the hunter/jumper shows about a year ago. I just wanted a change and to see what the other world was like. I started riding at a camp for my school. I fell in love with it and asked my mom if I could sign up for lessons and now I have been doing it for five or six years.
I ride at Sugar Run Farm now and it has been wonderful! Katie, Jen and Chris have been amazing in helping me learn and grow.
WEC: Tell us about Cristallo’s Carlchen P aka ‘Carl’.
Carl is perfect! He just wants to please. He does no wrong. I love him! I started leasing him in October from his owner, Alivia Kohus. I am very thankful for that. He doesn’t ever put a foot wrong, he is perfect. I moved up from the 3’ through the 3’3” on him. I love doing the medals on him, specifically the USHJA 3’3 Hunter Seat Medal because I like to do the test at the end.
WEC: How has WEC been influential in your riding career?
WEC is the first show that I did in the hunter/jumper world. It is so nice here. I love the facility and they offer so many great classes. The courses are all really nice and it has helped me learn and grow. It has been great with Carl because there are so many opportunities to do different classes. I have been able to play around with him and go into the jumper ring a few times and learn with him.
WEC: What are your riding goals for 2024?
I would like to keep doing what I am doing. I hope that I will make it to some finals at the end of the year. I would love to go to the National Horse Show if possible and keep on having fun with Carl. I definitely want to stick with riding long-term and do the amateurs!
WEC: What is your favorite thing about the sport?
I love the community. I love to ride, but everyone is so nice and it is so fun to make friends in the industry.
WEC: How has the transition been from Quarter Horses to the equitation ring?
It is a very different world in terms of how it runs. The courses are very different. There isn’t equitation in the Quarter Horse world, so I went from doing no equitation to solely equitation with Carl. It has been a lot of fun to learn how it all works. I had a lot of fun doing Quarter Horses, but I like doing all of the challenging twisty turns and new courses.
Thank you, Greer, for taking the time to speak with us! We wish you and Carl continued success this show season!