October 28, 2017 
Sam Pegg and Shaia de Macheco are no strangers to success in the open jumper ring.
The 16-hand warmblood mare has won so many coolers for the Pegg brothers’ Ten Sixty Stables, they use them for bathing at horse shows. But it’s the advice of his girlfriend, Vanessa Hutchinson, that may be to credit their victory at the World Equestrian Center (WEC) in Wilmington, Ohio on Friday.
“She’s been riding some of the horses and said, ‘You’ve got to flat these horses!’ It kind of reminded me,” laughed Pegg.
“I have strong basics in flatwork and, okay, you can always be better. I’ve had a little bit of time where we haven’t showed so many classes recently and I’ve been really pushing myself to focus on flat work. A lot of top riders say their flat program is the basis of their success.”
His investment paid dividends on Friday. “Shaia” and Pegg won the $10,000 Futures Prix in the Sanctuary stadium at WEC with an effortlessly quick and composed ride over Steve Stephen’s shortened track.
“She is very forward going and strong in her mouth. It’s sometimes a trick for her to go at pace and still be rideable, you may lose composure halfway through a jump off. But really the control feels better,” said Pegg.
For the Ontario-based rider, it’s one more victory for a horse that’s already close to his heart.
“She’s really put our names on the map as a competitive Grand Prix stable. I couldn’t tell you how many open welcomes, modified grand prix, or grand prix she’s won,” he says. “It’s always another win for Shaia.”
With the mare now 16 years of age, Pegg is focused on preserving the longevity of Shaia’s career and has opted to take her out of international competition.
“We looked at a schedule for her that is jumping more national grand prix and for bigger weeks, like this week at the World Equestrian Center, jumping the modified grand prix. The goal is to pick classes where she’s going to be super competitive,” he says.
“I’d never want to get the horse in over her head where she can’t do it anymore, because she tries so hard every time. She’s got a heart like no other.”
Still, Pegg admits it’s sometimes tempting to put her in the bigger classes. Last year, he and Shaia swept the open division at Caledon Equestrian Park in Ontario, winning the welcome, modified grand prix and the grand prix all in the same week.
“She feels as good as she ever has. I was riding her [Friday morning] and I thought maybe she should be going the Grand Prix instead. But I try my best to stick to the plan with her,” he says.
“The horse has really done so much for us. When I feel it’s too much for her to continue jumping and competing at that level, I think we can just respect that for the horse and stop. She’ll have a forever home with us.
“We’ll go a really long time before we find another like that.”
Presumably, his girlfriend agrees.
