Mother-Daughter Team Diane Creech And Vanessa Creech-Terauds Enjoy Wintering In Wellington
Vanessa Creech-Terauds was learning to ride almost before she could walk. She had a good teacher in her mother, Diane Creech, an elite professional dressage competitor.
Some 15 years later, they are still training and riding together, busy competing during the winter months at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival in Wellington.
In the last week of December, they left their home on a small private farm in Caistor Centre, Ontario, that they share with three dogs, two mini horses, one broodmare, two youngsters and Vanessa’s very first competition mare, who is now 19 years old, to spend four months together in Wellington.
“My mother and I have a very open and honest relationship, which is very important, since we do spend a lot of time together,” said Vanessa, who turned 20 years old on Feb. 7. “We believe this helps us as both riders and family. By being able to discuss everything, whether horses or personal life, we can come up with strategies and solutions together. We will always support and respect each other and know that we can count on one another.”
Diane’s plans for this season are focused on qualifying for the Canadian Olympic team while also guiding Vanessa’s journey in the Under 25 classes. Both ride horses owned by Leatherdale Farms.
“This year is a very exciting year for many riders, trainers and owners as it is an Olympic qualifying year,” explained Diane, who was a reserve team member for the London Olympics in 2012. “I have also entered myself into that ‘race,’ and with the incredible support from Mrs. Louise Leatherdale and my family, I will try to prepare and present the best I can.”
Vanessa is approaching the Olympic level, working her way through the ranks with numerous top three finishes at prestigious Under 25 events in Wellington and around the world.
“My goals for the season are to show in the U25 Nations Cup in March and go for the Orion Cup back home in Canada,” Vanessa said.
The prestigious Orion Cup is presented to a rider age 16 to 25 with the highest average of three scores in U25 Grand Prix events. Creech-Terauds received the Orion Cup in 2018.
On a typical day of training, Diane is the first to ride her three horses in the morning, and then Vanessa rides her four horses while under the tutelage of her mother.
“Naturally, every horse has their respective strengths and weaknesses, so we decide day to day what would be best to focus on,” Vanessa said. “Once the riding is done, I help finish up the rest of the barn chores and make sure all the horses end the day content and comfortable.”
“Working our horses to become fit, elastic and happy athletes dictates our whole day,” Diane added.
Being in Wellington for the entire winter season is almost like attending college.
“It is an incredible environment filled with learning opportunities for you and your horse,” Vanessa said. “By being surrounded by some of the best riders, you hold yourself to a higher standard and constantly strive to be better. Everyone has their own style of riding, and it is so interesting and educational to take bits and pieces from what you see and hear and be able to encompass it into your own riding. You constantly get the itch to try out new things and develop your horse to a whole new level.”
No matter what they see and learn, they still have to execute in the ring, keeping themselves in harmony with the horses.
“Besides having great horsemanship, Vanessa also has the gift of great showmanship,” Diane said. “She can make riding through a problem look so easy, that even the horse believes that there is actually no problem, and over time the issue disappears. She can make horses believe they can do it, even if they haven’t done it before, and before you know it, they can. Sometimes riders overthink, which can create a loss of confidence. She can create that pretend confidence until it becomes real confidence. I have seen this happen with a few horses now during training sessions, and it creates a much happier horse, being allowed to keep their own individuality.”
Neither rider is superstitious, preferring to rely on years of training and experience as the key to success.
“I believe that luck is when hard work meets opportunity,” Diane explained. “On the days leading up to competitions, I make sure I do all my homework to the dot, so I can go into my class not having to rely on luck. I want to make sure that my horse and myself feel comfortable and prepared. Whatever happens after that is life and will either end up a great learning experience or a great moment you can celebrate with people close to you. Either way, it is a win.”
For Vanessa, it is more of following a routine instead of having a special pair of socks or a lucky bracelet.
“I find braiding to be a very calming time and allows me a couple of minutes to breathe and run through the test in my head,” Vanessa said. “Once I am on the horse, my nerves go away, as I am focused on the horse and our partnership. In the end, I know whatever happens, happens, and I rely on the trust built with my horse rather than on a lucky item.”
Although there isn’t a lot of free time after training and competing, the pair enjoy being in Wellington, where they can also watch high-goal polo and international show jumping competitions.
“However, we do love our sushi and will take any chance we get to go out and eat until our stomachs ache,” Vanessa said.
Vanessa added that she learns from her mother on a daily basis, both riding-wise and personally.
“She is a one-of-a-kind problem-solver and won’t give up until a new plan is in place,” Vanessa said. “However, the advice that always sticks with me is ‘learn to laugh at yourself.’ While I am sometimes still learning to master this piece of advice, I believe it is so important to remember. Everyone has embarrassing moments or a bad ride, but the important thing to remember is to not take yourself so seriously in those times. If you are constantly hard on yourself, you can take the whole enjoyment out of the sport. Learning to laugh when you’re having a bad day can be a total lifesaver.”
