A busy winter for eventer Bortmas

It's the second consecutive winter Marina Bortmas has spent in Aiken. The Ohio-based eventer, who recently turned 18-years-old, has three rides this weekend at the Paradise Farm Horse Trials. The horsewoman took two horses preliminary, and the other went novice level.

It was the first time Woodlands Silver Star, a 14-year-old, 14.3 hand, gray Welsh Pony-Thoroughbred cross gelding has gone preliminary. The Illusionist, a Thoroughbred gelding owned by Bortmas also went preliminary and Woodlands Silver Dollar, a 14.2 hand, 15-year-old gray Welsh Pony-Thoroughbred cross gelding is going novice level this weekend. Woodlands Silver Dollar won the 2008 Teddy O'Connor Award.

"Believe it or not, they're two (Woodlands Silver Dollar and Woodlands Silver Star) that we brought from Ohio for people that are good friends of ours," said Melanie Bortmas, Marina's mother. "They're boarded at our barn in Ohio, and they said, 'You know if we're going to pay board, we might as well ship them down and let Marina ride them and keep them fit because they're for sale.'"

Woodlands Silver Dollar was described by Melanie Bortmas as a very nice, super steady, little pony. Woodlands Silver Star is a little more energetic, she said.

The Illusionist is a horse Marina Bortmas has brought through the levels. Marina Bortmas is making the transition from being a junior event rider to competing in the open division, and is sharing a place with another young rider this winter, said Melanie Bortmas.

"I just fly down here for the events," said Melanie Bortmas.

It was a prescient and prudent decision to purchase The Illusionist four years ago.

"Someone said, 'I just rode the safest horse on cross country I've ever been on," said Melanie Jones. "And at that time, my daughter was kind of riding a maniac horse that wasn't safe. We said, 'Let's start with that, and we can work on the dressage.'"

Marina Bortmas purchased The Illusionist's full-sister, The Countess for $500 recently. The Illusionist is very scopey and careful when jumping, and the rider/horse combination competed at Poplar Place earlier in the month. Marina and Woodlands Silver Dollar placed first at novice level at Poplar Place,

The 18-year-old returned to competing after sustaining a broken leg in a fluke accident last spring. Woodlands Silver Star was moved up from training to preliminary for the Paradise Farm Horse Trials.

"She (Marina) has done a lot of work with him (Woodlands Silver Star) in the Hitchcock Woods, and at a number of other places around here," said Melanie Bortmas. "He doesn't take anything seriously. He needs to be pushed to the next level. Even though he's a pony, he's just like a machine. He's amazing."