• November 20, 2014
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Seventeen starters took part in the $5,000 NAL West Coast Adult Hunter Final, and it was Stephanie Goodson of Beverly Hills, CA, who came out on top, clinching both first and second places aboard her own horses Poetic and Leonetti respectively. Third place went to Clare Grady of Morgan Hill, CA, who rode Deborah Orent’s Canadian’s Kid.

“It was so special to be in Las Vegas, win this class, and have so much fun with both of my horses,” said Goodson, who was competing in her third NAL West Coast Finals. “It’s such a great opportunity to have a NAL West Coast Finals. I’m so glad we have it!”

Excerpt from North American League. Click here to read full article.

 

• October 7, 2014
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She may be just 5’2″ tall, but Kate Considine is easy to spot on the Southern California ‘A’ circuit by her ever-present wide-brimmed sun hate and spot-on style.  The successful hunter/jumper trainer who runs operations from her Willow Brook Stables in Lake View Terrace is best known for her accomplishments in guiding young riders to national championships in the hunter and equitation rings…

Click here to view the larger PDF version.

 

• February 10, 2014
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What a great start to the year! Stephanie Goodson was mid-circuit Champion, and week 3 Champion in the Adult Amateur Hunters. Ilene Kurtzman also received great ribbons! Congratulations to both of you!

Stephanie continued her success in the Adult Amateur Hunters receiving full circuit Champion on Leonetti and half circuit Champion with Poetic.  She also rode Poetic to a 2nd place finish in the $5,000 Platinum Performance Hunter Prix. Congratulations on a great circuit!

 

• October 22, 2013
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By Erin Gilmore

For some riders, the standout moments of their career are marked by memorable trips through the ingate. Some recall the best victories of their students. And for still others, a career is defined by their horse of a lifetime.

As far as Kate Considine is concerned, that horse is, was, and will always be Caretano.

The petite trainer with straight brown hair that falls down the middle of her back is a familiar face in Southern California, where she has owned and operated Willow Brook Stables for the last 15 years. When she dons her ever-present wide-brimmed sun hat and oversized sunglasses, its easy to see why others regard her as “all business” while she’s on the job at a competition, but Considine admits that perception isn’t altogether accurate.

“People don’t know how much fun we have,” she says. “We crack up all the time at the barn, and I spoil my horses completely. I think they give a little extra when they know they’re loved.”

By that theory, the big bay gelding who put Considine and her student Hannah Goodson-Cutt on the map in 2010 knows that he’s loved enough for several lifetimes. Under Considine’s guidance, Caretano and Goodson-Cutt made a record-breaking clean sweep of the Small Junior and Grand Junior Hunter championships on the Indoors circuit that year, winning at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Washington and the National Horse Show.

Caretano and Goodson-Cutt at Capital Challenge, 2010. © Jennifer Wood Media

And while the offers poured in to purchase Caretano, Goodson-Cutt and her family never considered separating their horse from Considine. Three years later, Caretano still occupies his stall at Willow Brook as a happy and sound 17-year-old.

“We call him the giving tree,” says Considine. “He made all of our dreams come true. It’s rare in this sport to say that, and for all of us, Caretano was a gift.”

For Considine, Caretano is the embodiment of why she chose the often tumultuous line of work in the horse world. Originally from Michigan, she decided at an early age that she wanted to be a trainer, and threw herself into working hard and climbing the ladder.

“I went from being a groom, to a groom who got to show,” Considine explains. “Then I was an exercise rider. Every job I got was a step up to where I wanted to go. I did want to be a grand prix rider, but then I realized my passion and skills were with the hunters – teaching riders and developing horses.”

After working in Europe and on the East Coast, Considine settled in California. She gave birth to her daughter Kata in 2006, and relishes juggling the jobs of trainer and mom. Especially when they merge together. Kata, who is a bit nervous in the saddle, has bonded with Caretano, and he’s become the only horse she rides as she learns to post the trot and sit the canter.

The program at Willow Brook is professional, with a family-friendly vibe. A trio of California’s best shows are within commuting distance for the clients, which makes a horse showing lifestyle manageable for the working professionals who ride with Considine. And while the juniors such as Goodson-Cutt grow up and go off to college, they always return to the barn on visits home.

Although Caretano is mostly retired from the big ring now, Considine hints that should all keep going well, he may make an appearance in the crossrail division next year with Kata. If it pans out, that turn around the ring will be yet another evolution in the life of a horse that Considine can mark her career by – one that she will always cherish as she continues to give her all to the Willow Brook clients and horses.

© Cathrin Cammett

 

• October 19, 2013
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In the PCHA/Equine Insurance Children’s/Adult Hunter Championship first round, 26 horse and rider combinations sought to earn top hunter scores, but it was Stephanie Goodson on her mount Levantys who delivered the right combination of style, consistency and grace under pressure to capture the blue.

 

 

• June 10, 2013
•  

Lake View Terrace, CA – June 10, 2013 – Willow Brook Stables, a premier hunter, jumper, equitation, and pony show stable located in Los Angeles, California, is celebrating its 15th year. Kate Considine, owner and head trainer, is amazed how fast the years have flown by and how her clients have grown. She’s prepared to forge ahead with another 15 years of success with a new set of clients.

“Once they become a part of the family, they don’t leave. The years pass so fast, the kids grow up and it’s unbelievable the incredible people they blossom into,” noted Considine.

From the short stirrup ring to earning championships across the country, Considine has produced some top-notch riders. Positive reinforcement, enjoying the ride, and winning the blue ribbon are all a part of the program.

Considine explained, “To celebrate the last fifteen years we wanted to think of simple words that described what we strive for – learn, laugh, love and succeed summed it up.”

In the Beginning
In the sport for over 25 years, Considine’s passion for horses started in Michigan at age four where she competed in the pony divisions, Junior Hunters and equitation until she graduated high school. To expand her knowledge, she learned more about show jumping working for Anne Kursinski and then Mark Leone. Plus she spent two years working, riding, and competing in Europe, which was an invaluable education.

“When I came back from Europe and worked in Wisconsin, I found that I loved teaching and wanted to do it at the top level. I came out to California and after a year decided to open up my own business. Nicoletta Von Heidegger started riding ponies with me and we had some solid success. From there it just took off,” she remembered.

Del Mar to Devon, Menlo to Washington, over the past decade plus, Considine feels lucky to have competed at some of the best shows the sport has to offer. She has developed a string of horses and ponies that have won and continue to win in the best company.

Considine smiled, “The 15 years have gone by like the blink of an eye. I have always had wonderful families that have come in with a dream, wanting to be the best and I worked on making their dreams come true.”

Dreams Do Come True
Major national and regional results include multiple top finishes and record breaking wins for Hannah Goodson-Cutt and her horse Caretano. The duo had a banner year in 2010 in the Small Junior Hunter 16-17 Division, earning Championships in the year end Zone 10 standings, Capital Challenge Overall Grand Junior Hunter, Pennsylvania National, Washington International, National Horse Show, the $50,000 National Horse Show Hunter Classic and the WCHR National Junior Hunter Championship.

“We broke, and created, records in 2010 with Hannah and Caretano,” Considine recalled. “In this sport, to get the ability to do something that nobody else has ever done before and to do it with a student that I raised was amazing. Plus we bought an unproven horse in the Hunter ring and turned him in to a winner, which was so special. Sure it was nice to win everywhere, but the best part is that we did it all together, Hannah and me. I taught Hannah from the beginning. We were the only ones that ever competed on the horse in the hunter ring.”

Considine has also trained top riders such as Stephanie Goodson, Corinne Miller, Olivia Kohan, Ilene Kurtzman, Paris Sellon, the Applegate family and up-and-comers such as young rider Wylie Nelson. But the training program at Willow Brook also works well with adults.

“I have a client that rides with me who is 55 years old. She came to me two years ago so scared that she wouldn’t even canter on her horse. She’s gone from terrified to showing in the ring on that very horse she brought in two years ago. And she is earning scores in the 80s in the hunter classes. She is riding great and she is happy. She told me, ‘Thank you so much for giving me the sport back,’ and that was a really nice thing to hear,” said Considine.

“I enjoy riding, but teaching and creating a great horse and rider combination is the most rewarding and I just want to keep doing it,” Considine noted. “I love to bring kids up in the sport. From the pony finals to winning at the best shows in the country, making the dream come true. I have done it a couple of times and want to do it again and again.”

Learning the Language
“I really like to ride and know every horse that I have and teach every customer that I have. I want to be there when they walk into the ring,” Considine noted. “We are a small business that trains the horse and rider at an intimate level. Riding horses is like a relationship, but you have to learn to communicate in a new language. Part of my job as a trainer is to help the riders communicate with the horses and also to work with the horses to communicate to their riders. I try to work as a liaison between the two with the goal of being the best competitor in the ring for the short time that we perform. Every horse has their own sort of spirit and I try different avenues to recognize each one.”

Creating that bond between horse and rider, Considine’s clients have received many awards at top levels. Some notable ones over the years include 2010 WCHR Southwest Region Adult Amateur Reserve Championship for Stephanie Goodson & Concorde, 2006 WCHR Southwest Region Reserve Champion Pony Rider Olivia Kohan, 2003 WCHR Southwest Region Champion & Reserve Champion Pony Riders Sofie and Gabby Applegate, 2002 WCHR National Champion Pony Rider Sofie Applegate, 2002 WCHR Southwest Region Champion Children’s Rider Gabby Applegate, and 2001 WCHR Southwest Region Reserve Champion Pony Rider Nicoletta Von Heidegger.

With building strong roots and growing to your full potential as a goal, the tree in the Willow Brook logo is fitting. ‘Come Grow With Us’ is a motto that Considine continues to offer at Willow Brook Stables.

Reprinted with permission from Jennifer Wood Media. 

• January 30, 2012
•  

Kate Considine and Caretano took top honors at the first major hunter test of the 2012 HITS Desert Circuit season, winning the $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix on Sunday, Jan. 29.

A trainer at the Lakeview Terrace-based Willowbrook Stables, Considine topped the field of 39 starters, riding for Hannah Goodson-Cutt, now studying t at Georgetown University. “I am so thankful to have such a great horse owner,” Considine said. “Not only did I have the pleasure to train Hannah throughout her entire junior career, I now have this wonderful horse to ride. This is a once-in-a-lifetime horse. I am truly blessed.”

The class was the first of six desert circuit opportunities to qualify for the Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final scheduled to take place at HITS’ 2012 Championship Weekend, Sept. 7-9 at HITS on the Hudson in Saugerties, NY.

Course Designer John Manning of Shelburne, MA, set a unique track where exhibitors had to ride in two different rings. “In one ring the course was set like a traditional show hunter course. Then they had to jump into another ring where I set some more natural obstacles with long approaches,” he explained.

Considine and Caretano scored an 83.5 in the first round, which put them in fifth place heading into the round two, which featured the top 15. Their second-turn score of 87 brought their total of 170.5 to secure the blue.

Northern California’s Hope Glynn of Penngrove notched second and third, on Perfect Pleasure (owned by Dennis Sisco) and Bel Canto (Sabrina Hellman), respectively. Glynn had a top-20 finish in last year’s inaugural Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final and is well positioned to earn her ticket to ride in 2012.

Rounding out the top five in the class were Emanuel Schroeder of Mill Valley, California aboard Serendipity (Kaile Rudy, owner) and Nicole Kane of Newport Beach, California aboard Victoria Farms’ Vaunted.

“I was honored to compete in a class with such great riders. My plan right now is to bring the horse to Saugerties and show in the big class in September,” Considine said. With Goodson-Cutt, Caretano was  champion at Devon and all four big East Coast indoor shows in 2011.

The high performance hunter classes on the HITS Desert circuit culminate in the $25,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix Sunday, March 11.

French sellerie Devoucoux is the title sponsor across the HITS circuits of each qualifying Hunter Prix leading up to the Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final. The Desert Circuit takes place at the HITS facility in Thermal, CA.

Reprinted with permission from The Equestrian News.

• May 23, 2011
•  

There aren’t many junior hunter tricolors Hannah Goodson-Cutt has failed to capture, after winning championships at all four Indoor shows, as well as the West Coast Junior Hunter Finals with her horse Superman last year. So it was no surprise when she turned in her usual stellar performance during Hunter/Jumper Week at the Del Mar National Horse Show, May 3-8.

With a win in each large junior hunter, 15-17, class, Goodson-Cutt was the clear cut grand champion junior hunter winner, earning the Stash The Cash Perpetual Trophy with Superman, a 9-year-old Holsteiner gelding. She also took home the small junior hunter, 15-17, championship with Caretano.

“She got [Superman] a bit over a year ago, and he’s just blossomed into a wonderful horse,” said trainer Kate Considine.

“He’s pleasant in the morning; he’s a happy hack and lands on the leads. Also, my 6-year-old daughter walk-trots around on him, and if a horse could smile, he would. He’s just super happy to be part of the family, and I think that’s helped him mature into being the horse that he is.”

This show season will wrap up Goodson-Cutt’s junior career, and she plans to make the Devon Horse Show (Pa.) her final event before she heads off to college at Georgetown University (D.C.).

“It always feels good [to win],” she said. “I still get really frustrated if I don’t win, and it’s my last year, so you don’t want to go downhill as you get older. I actually had never won each class before, so that was pretty cool. Sometimes you can win all the jumping classes but not the flat, so I’m lucky to have a horse who’s a good mover.”

Goodson-Cutt has trained at Willow Brook Stables in Lake View Terrace, Calif., with Considine for the past eight years. They’re like family, and Considine said it will be difficult when Goodson-Cutt leaves for college.

In order to help her student win so consistently, Considine keeps an open line of communication with her about the partnership between the rider and horse and how to approach each day and each round fresh. Goodson-Cutt’s fiercely competitive attitude is also in her favor, according to Considine.

Still, she’s managed to keep a sense of humor when the occasional flub happens in the show ring. Goodson-Cutt laughed off a “full-on chip” to a hand gallop fence in the handy round with Caretano, as she described how she must have made a funny face over the jump.

“It happens,” she said with a shrug.

Reprinted with permission from The Chronicle of the Horse.

• November 4, 2010
•  

Cazenovia, NY – November 4, 2010 – Hunter divisions at the 127th National Horse Show concluded on Thursday afternoon with the presentation of championship awards followed by a special $50,000 National Horse Show Hunter Classic, held to honor Charlie Weaver. Hannah Goodson-Cutt rode Caretano to victory in the $50,000 Hunter Classic and was also named Best Child Rider on a Horse for her excellent success over the two days of hunter competition. Lisa Williams rode Sanmorino to the prestigious National Horse Show Grand Hunter Championship and Jennifer Alfano received the Leading Hunter Rider prize.

The $50,000 NHS Hunter Classic was held in a two round format with the top twelve horses and riders competing over a second round handy course to determine top standings. With a two round total of 177 points, junior rider Hannah Goodson-Cutt and Caretano came out in first place, just half a point ahead of second place finishers Molly Ashe-Cawley and Back in the Game with a score of 176.5. Maggie Boylan and Poetic finished in third place, Hasbrouck Donovan and Quality Time earned the fourth place prize, and Jennifer Alfano rode Jersey Boy to fifth place.

After also earning a junior hunter championship and Best Child Rider award this afternoon, Goodson-Cutt was very excited to get her first big open classic win. “This is the first overall classic that I have won and it feels pretty amazing because I am not just competing against juniors,” she stated. “You are competing against a whole slew of riders that have been around for a really long time so you really have to show yourself and ride very well. It is definitely the most exciting award that I have gotten this entire indoor season.”

Caretano has now earned the Small Junior Hunter 16-17 division championship at all four of this year’s indoor finals. “He is the best jumper I have ever ridden in my entire life. I don’t think there is a horse out there that rides as good as Caretano,” Goodson-Cutt smiled. “This was just a great way to end all four weeks of indoors and it was really nice to be in a class that was held for Charlie Weaver. He was such a great horseman, so I feel very honored.”

Reprinted with permission from Phelps Media Group.