Practically raised in the dressage saddle, Cassie Benson grew up riding alongside her family members at Hilltop Dressage, located in Heber City, Utah. Eventually, Benson took over her grandmother’s role in the business as a trainer alongside her aunt, Margo Gogan. As a child, the farm was a haven for Benson. Whether she was frustrated or sad, horses were her safe space, and you could always find her down at the barn.
“Being with them, hearing them eat, their smell, and their general presence is something I’ve always sought out for a sense of comfort,” Benson explained.
When not doting on the horses, Benson spends her time checking water buckets, adjusting blankets, and maintaining the footing. More often than not, Benson is the last to leave the barn at night. Centered on providing a warm and welcoming environment for all types of riders, Benson and Gogan have created a “barn family” environment with those who call Hilltop Dressage home.
“We have a great partnership, and it's really fun to bounce things off of each other,” said Benson. “It's nice to train with other people; you can challenge each other, and sometimes when I'm on my own it feels good. But [Gogan] will encourage me and tell me I can get a little more out of my horse. We’re so fortunate to have a beautiful facility, and I love all of our clients. They're all such wonderful people with great horses, so I’m very grateful and lucky.”
Outside of maintaining a thriving training business, Benson is a serious competitor herself, and she is returning to the U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions after an 11-year hiatus. It’s a special return, because the horse she brought is her longtime partner, Halegro, a 2018 Oldenburg gelding (Harvard x Dorie), whom she’s had since he was a yearling.
“I did all the prep stuff and taught him all the basics. How to lunge, hack out, clip; I even ponied him behind some horses as well, but I did not start him under-saddle. I had someone do that for me.” Benson laughed.
“Starting horses isn’t my expertise, so it was nice to have someone knowledgeable work with him for me. He had a lot of spice as a baby, so one of our team members that works for us rode him throughout his 4-year-old year, and I took over the reins at 5.”
In the 7 years Benson has owned “Hal” or “Halbert,” as he’s known in the barn; the pair has developed their partnership and worked towards goals Benson has always dreamed of accomplishing.
“It was always my dream to do the Developing Prix St. Georges level, and when I bought him, I hoped for the best, and he’s turned into such a good horse,” she said.
Hal hasn’t lost the spice he had as a 4-year-old, and the now 8-year-old is known to be a ‘sassmaster,’ as Benson explained, “He's really funny, sweet, and is like the cocky jock in a way. He knows that he's the ‘Mr. Cool Guy,’ but he can also flip a switch and be really sassy.”
Benson is excited to be returning to the HITS Lamplight Equestrian Center, and the pair will be competing in the FEI Prix St. Georges as part of the Markel/USEF Developing Horse Dressage National Championships and are ready to show the judges what they’ve got.
“I’m so lucky and grateful to be here. I’ve always dreamt of it, and now I want to enjoy it and soak in every moment,’ Benson exclaimed. “I feel like we have a great partnership, a lot of talent, and I hope that we can display that.”