United States Eventing Association

Allison Springer Has Found 'Her Horse' in 2024 USEA 7-Year-Old Leaderboard Winner Monbeg Zebedee

When Monbeg Zebedee came to Allison Springer’s barn nearly three years ago, she wasn’t sure where he might end up or how far his talent would take him. The Irish Sport Horse gelding (Dignifed van’t Zorgvliet x Bolacreane Dolly) had been purchased out of the Monart sale in Ireland by British five-star rider Kitty King as a sales prospect when he was 3, and King had started him but never competed him.

Springer wasn’t able to cross the pond to see “Z,” so she had her friend, Canadian Olympian Rebecca Howard, go see him. King sent several videos of the gelding jumping various cross-country elements, and he seemed to be brave enough and had a kind personality, so Springer took the chance and imported him.

Z was small, just topping out at 16 hands when he arrived at Springer’s farm in Virginia, though he's now grown a bit taller. “He came over, and I'm like, you know, for the price, it sounds like with his demeanor if he doesn't end up being good enough for me, I would be able to certainly sell him and make money on him,” she recalled. “But he [became] my horse. I love him. He's turned out to be fabulous.”

Once Springer decided to keep Z, she put together an ownership group, The Zebedee Syndicate LLC, which includes longtime owner and friend Nancy Winter, Natalie and Glen Epstein, and Louise Whittet.

“It's just a nice thing,” said Springer. “Those three ladies are very dear to me and good friends of mine, and [Z’s] just really gone from strength to strength.”

Springer and Z had a strong 2023 season at the Preliminary and two-star levels, but it was 2024 where Z really stepped up. He topped the 2024 USEA 7-year-old leaderboard with several top-10 placings at the Intermediate and three-star levels.

They finished in the top-10 in the CCI3*-S divisions at Virginia Horse Center Eventing (Lexington, Virginia) and Fair Hill (Elkton, Maryland) before completing Z’s first CCI3*-L at Bromont (Quebec, Canada) in seventh place.

Springer didn’t have Bromont on her radar for her horses, but after a strong spring season, she took Z and her Advanced horse No May Moon, who won the CCI4*-L there and was named Standlee USEA Horse of the Year, Bates USEA Mare of the Year, and topped the Advanced leaderboard at the conclusion of the 2024 season.

“It wasn't really my intention to take those guys in the longs, but they had such a good spring season, and [Z] really stepped up. His damn sire is Cult Hero, so he's got nice Thoroughbred blood in there. And he really just kept going along happy as Larry.”

They had a slight blip at the USEA American Eventing Championships presented by Nutrena Feeds (Lexington, Kentucky) in August when Springer broke her hand while landing from the first fence on cross-country in the Intermediate championship, but Z jumped around clear and finished 13^th. They ended the season with a fifth-place finish in the CCI3*-L at Maryland, although Springer was still recovering from her hand injury and subsequent surgery.

“I think he's actually a fast horse, but it's felt like his immaturity is still as you go at speed—registering the jumps, like skinnies off a turn and all that. I’m just kind of waiting for him to really pick up on that. And I would say Maryland last year, he really impressed me, because I was obviously operating with my hand not great, and so my steering was still not awesome.”

Springer describes Z as a total sweetheart. He can be a little funny about his muzzle, enjoying kisses and pets, but he can’t wear a Flair Nasal Strip or "he freaks out."

Springer, 50, has got a strong group of horses coming up and is hoping Z could be one of her greats as she looks towards five-stars again.

“He's really scopey; he's really careful. Out of the gate looking at his paces, you wouldn't be like, oh, he's got this big, fancy trot or anything, but he also doesn't exactly know what his body is capable of yet,” she said. “He's just really learning how to lift his abs and change his pelvis and do all that. I think he's a top, top horse. He's got good Thoroughbred blood. Even as a young horse, he's been incredibly reliable in the ring. He’s handled so much atmosphere so well. I have really high hopes for this horse.”

Springer is eyeing an Advanced move up this year, but she’s not setting any firm goals for a four-long. “I never like saying anything out loud, because horses have a funny way of breaking your heart. The three-star level is just so educational. That’s what made [No May Moon] so well, because she wasn't fantastic moving up to Intermediate or three-star but just hanging out at the level for a while [until she got it was good.] And when she moved up to Advanced it felt easy for her. That's exactly how I want it to be for him. I've always been a big believer in the horses telling you exactly when they're ready. If you make that move up too quick, and they're not really, really ready, and you lose their confidence, it's really hard to get it back at the highest level. It's almost impossible. And right now, I have a horse that doesn't have a lot of worries in the world, so I want to keep it that way.”