Welcome to Pivo Meets, a series where we get real and chatty with the faces of Pivo. This November, we had a tête-à-tête with Gail Matheus, the passionate force behind Spotlight Horse Shows.
She combines a lifetime of horsemanship, judging expertise, and dedication to rider education. A USEF “R” judge in Western Dressage and USDF L graduate*, Gail’s journey began in the Arizona desert, where one unforgettable ride inspired a lifelong pursuit of knowledge and excellence. Today, she channels that experience into creating welcoming, well-run competitions and empowering riders to shine, both in the show ring and in their everyday training. Whether she’s training her horses Rockwell and Reatta or encouraging riders from the judge’s booth, Gail brings heart, precision, and a touch of sparkle to everything she does.
Here’s a look into her successful journey, and how she sees Pivo becoming an integral part of online competitions.
Tell us about yourself and your journey into the horse world.
When I moved to Arizona, I was amazed at all the horses there and I decided to give it a try by renting a horse to ride in the desert. A few months later I attended an international 3-day horse trial. The elegance, beauty, and athleticism of the horses convinced me that I wanted to learn more. Fast forward a few months and I purchased a 3 year-old Thoroughbred from Turf Paradise.
Since dressage has been your foundation, what drew you to dressage specifically, and what made you fall in love with the discipline long-term?
As you can imagine, an absolute newbie with a Thoroughbred racehorse created a lot of learning experiences. I needed to start at the foundation, which was dressage training. Together we grew into a terrific partnership. That horse could read my mind and gave me all his heart and soul. I was hooked!
You currently compete with your horses Rockwell and Reatta. What are each of their biggest strengths, and how do their personalities differ?
Rockwell and Reatta share the same sire and they both have fantastic minds. Rockwell has a bigger scope and a bit more “go” in him which is a blast to ride. Reatta is more laid back but has more training. Together we earned the USDF Silver Medal. At 25 she is still going strong.
You’ve lived in 2 countries and 8 states — that’s quite a journey. How has that sense of movement and exploration shaped you as a horsewoman and judge?
I have moved quite a bit for my career and found that I had a readily accepting horse community wherever I roamed. There are regional differences in best farm practices, feed, and professional services and I am glad that I was able to experience that variety as it grew my knowledge base. Beyond the camaraderie, dressage training principles remained consistent. It developed my eye for a horse that is perhaps at the start of its training versus one that has been carefully developed.
As a USEF “R” Western Dressage judge and a USDF L graduate, how does your judging experience influence how you train and ride your own horses?
If you read through the Dressage and Western Dressage tests, they support the training cycle of the horse. Each level challenges the horse and prepares horse both mentally and physically for the next level. I tend to follow that development pattern with my own horses as well as my students.
How did the idea of Spotlight Horse Shows come into being? What inspires you in the online showing business?
Even before I started with horses, I knew that I wanted to be involved in a sports-related business. Life took me through the corporate world where I developed business skills to make that happen. When the COVID pandemic hit, I saw it as an opportunity to take the leap of faith and start the business. Spotlight Horse Shows is more than just showing online. I see the progression of the horse and riders, I hear the stories of people overcoming obstacles, I know the dedication people put into their horses, and I love bringing top experts (digitally) to local arenas far and wide. Seeing the rider smile after the final salute and hearing their stories is what inspires me.
The Pivo Challenge encourages riders to record, review, and share their progress. What excites you most about riders participating in something like the Pivo Challenge?
Pivo brings the latest technical training advances for people to participate in and enjoy horse sport. By utilizing Pivo’s technology, they can record their training, practice their tests, and obtain terrific feedback from our group of top-rated judges.
As Western Dressage continues to grow rapidly. From your perspective, what is the most exciting change or trend happening in the sport right now? How do you see Pivo help riders in this discipline?
Western Dressage develops the horse regardless of their background discipline. We see a wide variety of breeds, who are utilizing the Western Dressage training wheel, progress through the levels. It is very exciting to see more riders improve their understanding of the biomechanics of the horse. We see a growing number of riders being well prepared and moving up the levels of difficulty. Those horses maintain their level of fitness and extend their competitive longevity.
From a judge’s perspective, how can filming rides with Pivo help riders better understand accuracy, geometry, and the overall harmony judges look for in a test?
Regular and consistent use of Pivo during training and filming for online shows improves the rider’s feel and riding technique. Reading through the judge’s scores and comments from an online show while watching the film helps improve the competitor’s eye and understanding of what the judge is looking for. Whether you get a comment of what you did well or what could improve, it greatly aids the rider’s progression. If you do multiple shows, you can look for trends in judge’s comments.
You have a diverse journey in horses, judging, and competition. When you think about the next chapter, what goals or dreams are still on your horizon?
Oh, I so many hopes and dreams! I continue my judging journey by testing for the small r USEF Dressage license next year. As for riding, I hope to earn my USDF Gold Medal and obtain the scores needed to progress with my Dressage license. Wish me luck!
Connect with Gail Matheus and enter the Pivo Challenge – https://www.spotlighthorseshows.com/
Read More: Coaching Without Borders: How Remote Lessons Are Transforming Rider Training