United States Eventing Association

When 75-year-old Annette Reals is asked why she is still riding horses after six hip replacements and a lifetime spent in the saddle, her response is simple.

"Well, what am I supposed to do?"

For Annette, horses have never been just a hobby. They have been a constant throughout her life, from childhood summers spent riding in Denmark to decades of teaching, training, and competing across the United States. And on October 3, Annette added another special memory to that collection when she and her 25-year-old gelding Knight's Tale, better known as "Willy," completed their USEA Century Ride at the WindRidge Farm Fall Horse Trials in Mooresboro, North Carolina.

Not only did the pair achieve the milestone with a combined age of 100, but they also won their Starter division, finishing on their dressage score of 32.7.

For Annette, the accomplishment was the fulfillment of a goal she had carried with her for years.

"It's always been a goal," she said. "Nobody even suggested it to me. It's always been a goal. So I just knew I wanted to do it."

Annette's love of horses began long before she discovered eventing. Although she was born in the United States, her family is from Denmark, and she spent her childhood summers visiting relatives on the island of Broholm, where she learned to ride under the guidance of her grandfather. An accomplished horseman, Annette's grandfather believed in developing a strong foundation before allowing his granddaughter to progress.

"He never learned how to drive a car," Annette recalled. "He could ride anything, but he wouldn't let me have a saddle until I could do everything without the saddle."

Those summers left a lasting impression on Annette, who went on to build a life centered around horses while also pursuing a career in education. She spent 30 years teaching school in Colorado, where her husband, Greg, worked as a high school principal. Alongside her teaching career, Annette owned and operated Desert Sky, an eventing barn that was home to 26 horses. Managing both careers required an extraordinary amount of dedication, with Annette caring for the horses each morning before heading off to teach school.

Throughout those years, she competed numerous horses, including her former Preliminary mount Springtime, and developed relationships with trainers and fellow horsemen who would become lifelong friends. Her introduction to eventing came through Lynn Klisavage, and she later worked with trainer Amy Barrington and dressage instructor Janet Brown-Foy, who taught regularly at her Colorado facility.

It was during those years in Colorado that Willy entered the picture. Annette purchased the then-6-year-old stallion from dressage judge Emmy Detloff. A Thoroughbred/Clydesdale cross, Willy was not necessarily what one might picture when imagining a competitive event horse.

"He looks like a Thoroughbred in a Clydesdale costume," Annette joked. "He never got the memo that he was Clyde. He's always been Thoroughbred mentality."

Willy was gelded shortly after Annette purchased him, and the two began developing a partnership that would eventually take them across the country to competitions ranging from Novice through Training level. Despite his unconventional appearance, Willy proved himself a talented and competitive partner, particularly in the dressage arena.

Their USEA competition record reflects years of success together, including numerous wins and top placings at events across the country. Among their accomplishments were appearances at the USEA American Eventing Championships (AEC), including a fifth-place finish in the Novice Amateur division in 2017 and a ninth-place finish in a field of 52 competitors in 2019.

In fact, Willy even had his own moment in the spotlight when a photograph of the pair was selected for a USEA membership card in 2011. Annette had no idea the photograph had been chosen until her membership card arrived in the mail. The photograph, which captured the pair competing at Open Training level, became a special keepsake. Willy was also featured alongside Annette in a 2012 issue of Eventing USA as a USEA Star of the Month.

Eventually, Annette and Greg retired from their careers in Colorado and relocated to the Carolinas, bringing Willy along with them. Although Annette continued competing for several more years, the pair's last USEA-recognized event before their Century Ride was the 2019 AEC. But even as the years passed, Willy never stopped being an important part of Annette's daily life.

Now 25, the gelding is still ridden regularly, something Annette believes has contributed to his continued soundness and enthusiasm for his work.

"I still ride Willy every day, and I am convinced that he's as sound and good as he is because I ride him so much," she said.

When the opportunity finally came to accomplish her longtime Century Ride goal, Annette knew exactly which horse she wanted to share it with. And if she had any concerns about whether Willy would remember his old job after seven years away from recognized competition, they disappeared as soon as he realized what was happening.

"When he got in the start box, oh my God, he perked up, and it was like 15 years came off of that horse," Annette recalled.

With Barrington and several other longtime friends there to cheer them on, Annette headed out on cross-country with a very specific plan. Willy had spent years galloping around Training-level courses, and convincing him to maintain the slower pace required at Starter was going to take some creativity. Annette opted for a deliberately winding route around the course to help manage his enthusiasm.

"I did the most meandering course that you've ever seen," she laughed. "I took long turns and long [routes] because you know you can't circle the last two."

Her plan apparently caused some confusion among the volunteers stationed around the course. "I heard two of the jump judges say, 'Where's she going?'"

But Annette knew exactly where she was going, and the strategy paid off. The pair completed cross-country without jumping or time penalties, adding nothing to their dressage score of 32.7 after also jumping clear in show jumping. When the final results were posted, Annette and Willy had claimed the win in their nine-entry Starter division.

For a horse who had spent much of his career competing at Training level, and a rider who had spent decades traveling the country with multiple horses in tow, the victory was a fitting addition to an already remarkable partnership.

Annette was particularly amused by the fact that they had managed to win the division while accomplishing their Century Ride goal. "I think that's pretty funny," she said.

Although Annette has faced her share of physical challenges over the years, including six hip replacements and ongoing back issues, she has never seriously considered giving up the activity that has brought her so much joy. At 75, she still rides two horses and remains involved in helping other riders develop their skills and confidence. Her philosophy, shaped by decades of experience and her background in Pony Club, is that riders should finish every outing feeling capable of taking on a little more.

"I always tell my Pony Clubbers, you should always come back from a clinic or an event thinking, you know, I could have done more," she said.

And while the Century Ride was a goal Annette had long hoped to accomplish, the greatest reward remains the partnership she shares with Willy.

After nearly two decades together, countless competitions, and a lifetime of memories, Annette knows just how special her longtime partner is.

"He has given me everything," she said.

For Annette and Willy, their Century Ride was more than a milestone measured by their combined ages. It was a celebration of a partnership that has endured through changing seasons of life, a reminder that the joy of eventing doesn't have an expiration date, and proof that sometimes the best victories come long after the ribbons and championships that preceded them.