“Utopik” is a moving story about a relationship between a horse and rider. Humans and horses evolved together over the millennia to form a unique and special bond. The challenging sport of Show Jumping relies heavily on the ability of a rider to form a deep connection with his horse. Based on military exercised practices over thousands of years, the duo jumps a series of obstacles in a stadium. Riders competing at the top level in show jumping seek horses that are reliable and brave as the event can be dangerous.
The horse Utopik initially had promising ability to jump well but suddenly went crazy. He flipped over at a complete stand still, crushing his previous rider’s hips. In addition, only a year later, he fell down and stopped breathing. Riders in the Southwest heard about the incidents and he quickly became a horse that was shunned. His rider at the time, became afraid of Utopik and turned him out for months in a pasture with nothing to do. As a last resort, she decided to send Pik to Charlie Carrel in Wyoming to see if he could help.
Charlie Carrel is a rider and trainer in Sheridan, Wyoming. Unlike most equestrian show jumpers, Charlie came from a western riding background. He grew up on a working cattle ranch in Bernie, Montana, 50 miles from the nearest town. His father was a well established horse trainer and cattle rancher. Charlie was introduced to show jumping by his father who worked with the Government training military remount horses.
Charlie’s passion for horses and the sport is inspiring for all people . He breaks colts, rides, trains, and takes in a lot of horses that most people would consider failures. Charlie believes in Pik, agrees to take the troubled horse in, and the story begins.
