Chatting with Brooke Mancussi

Canadian FEI U25 Grand Prix dressage rider and trainer Brooke Mancussi, based on the South Shore of Montreal, Quebec. and in Wellington, Florida is building a reputation as one of Canada’s brightest and successful dressage riders. Brooke has won numerous provincial championships including FEI Juniors. She was awarded the Equestrian Canada Silver Medal, a Gold Medal for Equitation, the Captain DeKenyres Junior High Point Award, as well as Dressage Winnipeg Year End High Point Awards. Brooke was also awarded the Manitoba Horse Council Youth Athlete of the Year for 2018 as well as nominated for the Sport Manitoba Female Youth Athlete of the Year. Brooke was awarded the Sport Manitoba “Women to Watch” Grant for 2018.

In 2018, Brooke represented Team Canada at the North American Youth Championships where she led her team to the Bronze Medal as the highest placed Canadian Rider of the day. As a FEI Junior rider Brooke remained on FEI world Standings as the highest ranked Canadian and second highest North American rider for many months throughout 2018. Brooke is now an FEI world ranked rider in the Young Rider division and was named as part of Team Canada for the 2021 FEI North American Youth Championships in the Young Rider division. More recently she was a member of the victorious, gold medal winning Team Canada at the inaugural 2023 North American Under 25 championships.

Tell us about your horses.

  I currently have three horses, although one is only 3 years old and living in the UK. Kalisto Sollenburg is nine years old this year. He came to me as a 6-year-old. He is by Eyecatcher x Rousseau.He is currently showing Small Tour.   DeJohn Ymas is my U25 Grand Prix horse. We are a new partnership. Johnny is by Johnson x Sandro Hit.  

 

How did horses come into your life?

  I started riding when I was nine years old, riding at a local Winnipeg riding school during Summer Camp. I fell in love immediately.

 

When and where do you ride?

  Riding is my full-time job. I ride five days a week. I spend half the year in Wellington, Florida and the other half on the South Shore of Montreal, Quebec.  

Who do you train with? 

  I assist and ride with Canadian Olympian Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu. I have been with Brittany since January 2020. It is great to have such an accomplished mentor.  

What are you and your horses currently working on?

  Johnny and I are getting to know each other since I have only had him for a couple of months. We are working on the U25 Grand Prix. We are hoping to attend NAYC this summer.   Kalisto is showing Small Tour and working on learning the Grand Prix. Kalisto is still young, and we are learning together to get him to the top of the sport.  

What do you love about riding?

  I love this sport because I am a detail-oriented person. That combined with my love of horses makes dressage the perfect sport for me. Being able to be one with the horse is a feeling that one cannot express in words.

 

What would you like to be doing in the future and do you have any goals?

  Of course I would like to be able to represent my country, Canada at the highest international levels.

It takes a team to do dressage, who is in your support team?

  It really does take a village. I know I will forget someone, but here it goes. My parents and grandparents are my biggest supporters. This would not be possible without Brittany. My horses are supported by the best in the industry: farriers Dave Farley in Florida and Ed Kay in Quebec, vets Jose Naranjo and the Quebec team at Beaudoin, Sal Salvetti, Micheal DeLuna, Usha Knabe, and dentist Mike Lawrence.  

 

 

Have you ever had to deal with nerves in riding? 

  I do deal with nerves. Putting oneself in the show ring to be judged by up to five judges, and spectators can be stressful. You want to be at your best, but it is not only you, it is your equine partner as well.  

How do you deal with them?

  I try not to focus on my nerves, but rather my partner.

Do you have any rituals before competing?

  Before I show my ritual is consistency. I get ready in the same order, with the same things every time, right down to the same belt.

 

Your Top Tip

  My top tip is to never give up.   Dressage can be a lifetime sport. Every day you can work at improving your riding and that of your horse. Enjoy the journey. ​

 

What is the best piece of advice that you have ever been given?

  The best advice I have received was just recently from Brittany, after a bad show. She said, “horses are humbling and to not give up.”  

 

Down the Centre Line

   

Who would be your dream horse to ride?

  My dream horse would have been Uthopia. This was the dressage horse that I first really fell in love with.  

Who is your equestrian hero?

  I have been fortunate to have ridden with or have stabled my horses through the years with some amazing top dressage riders, including currently riding with Brittany. That being said I fell in love with dressage by watching Carl Hester. He was and continues to be my equestrian rider hero.

 

If you could have five people to dinner, who would they be?

  Five people I would enjoy dining with would be:                There are too many to pick just five!  

Favourite colour horse?

  My favourite horse colour is black, but I’m full of bays!  

 

Favourite horse event?

  I was fortunate to attend Aachen as a spectator a few years ago. That is my favourite show by far. I hope one day to be able to show there.  

Favourite food?

  My favourite food is authentic pasta Bolognese; but eating it while in Bologna, Italy.  

 

Favourite way to relax?

  My favourite way to relax is to curl up in a blanket with a snack and a good Netflix series.  

Favourite film?   My favourite film is Star Wars.

 

Want More?

If you enjoyed meeting Brooke you might like to view more dressage rider “chatting with” interviews here .  You can keep up with Brooke’s progress and check out her instagram page here