Collier Wimmer is a U.S.-based dressage musical freestyle designer with more than fifteen years’ experience creating bespoke freestyles for riders at all levels blending music and movement in a story for combinations to compete around the globe.
Collier double majored in Business and Communications at High Point University, and music and movement have always been central to her life: She is a classically trained singer (received the highest order from the Royal School of Choir Music) and is also a nationally ranked competitive dancer with 20+ years of experience. The multi-talented Collier says “riding has always been a part of my family—my mom, Ashley Wimmer, is the big dressage rider in our household (USDF Gold medal, Nation’s Cup), and I rode throughout high school and college (IHSA).”
By day she works on Deloitte’s Global Audit & Assurance Marketing, Brand, and Communications team. Outside of the 9–5, Collier runs Three Wishes Freestyles, which she started somewhat by accident. Collier explains: “Years ago, my mom’s coach at the time needed a fourth-level freestyle and I’d been experimenting with digital music editing. Given a choreography video as a blank canvas, I put together music that helped the combination win regionals that year. Since then, Three Wishes has grown into a recognised freestyle design house, with Kurs that have shown and won at Regional and National Championships, CDIs, CPEDIs, Nations Cups, the Bolivarian Games, and World Cup Finals (Anna Buffini’s Top Gun freestyle). I am fortunate to work with riders of all levels and nationalities, and as of two years ago, Three Wishes is the official partner of Tom Hunt Dressage Music, a UK composer whose freestyle holds the world record. Tom’s been an incredible mentor and collaborator over the years so this partnership felt like the natural progression – riders can now opt to work with 2 designers for their freestyle! My approach is simple: listen to the rider’s goals, support them on their journey, honour the horse’s movement, and craft music and choreography that tell their story.”
How do you help dressage riders?
Three Wishes offers custom music and/or choreography for any level where musical freestyles are offered for both dressage and western dressage. Whatever story you want to tell, I’m here to help tell it.
And, as I always tell my riders, I’m coming on to their team as an asset in their toolbox. However I can support them using my background and experience, I’m there! I’ll review or go to practice run-throughs, walk through how we remain ‘in the pocket’ of the music (i.e. musicality), how to compete with music, be there at shows, and generally be part of their team for the lifetime of that freestyle. For a lot of people, freestyles are a highly personal thing. We’re using music that’s a part of them and making it public – so how do we bring out the artistry for both the audial and visual to create a story that immerses the audience and judges?
What should a rider consider when creating their freestyle?
When you think about your favourite freestyles, at the heart of those, they’re stories. Similar to a narrative arc, you have the opening (entrance), rising action (1st half), climax (highlight), falling action (walk), and resolution (ending). No matter what music genre a rider selects, we think about how to build that narrative arc within the freestyle, through music build and choreography build. And to parallel the audial story, riders should think about how to gamify the choreography components to build a floorplan that highlights their horse while setting them up for the best possible executive of any weaker elements.
When those two pieces combine, generally we get a very effective freestyle in competition.
Take us through the steps you and the rider take?
We always start with music demos (either in person or virtually), where we start putting music with the combination and see what resonates with the rider, what elevates the combination in the ring etc. In parallel, I’ll sit with riders and their coaches and diagram out the floorplan. Each floorplan is custom to the combination, highlighting their strengths, bringing in any difficult combinates the pair can do well, and setting them up for the best possible execution of any weaker elements, all while adhering to the level requirements.
Once the music is selected, and the choreography locked, I’ll get a video of the combination riding the floorplan in a regulation – sized arena and get into the freestyle build. From there I go back and forth with clients, sending through video drafts and iterating back and forth – refining until the freestyle is ready to be “locked”. From there, I don’t go away! I work closely with riders and continue to support them for the lifetime of the freestyle. I truly enjoy being part of my riders’ team and helping them reach their goals.
When it comes to music, does a rider need to know the music genre upfront?
I have a 50/50 split between riders who come with ideas and riders who don’t have any musical direction– both are OK! I have discussions with riders early on around their goals for the freestyle, what music moves them etc. And based on those discussions, the direction of music is set.
What are some common preconceptions about creating freestyles?
The most common preconceptions I get are that freestyles are only for CDI riders and that they must be to classical music. Not true! Freestyles are for everyone, and I cherish working with riders of all levels. The stories behind each combination are so precious and something I love creating stories for.
In regard to common themes, I’ve had so many freestyles to pop music and the 70s/80s has been really popular the last few years. While I love orchestral music, these genres of music absolutely have a space in the freestyle ring! I believe that no matter the genre, if it’s built to tell a story, it will resonate.
What advice can you offer when contemplating freestyle for the first time?
Talk to potential designers before you commit. Make sure you are comfortable with the designer and their working process. There are so many great designers out there, and each has their own way of working. Take time and chat with your designer and see if the way you work gels with their process.
Any tips for achieving those extra freestyle marks?
It depends on the freestyle rider – if you are consistently scoring over 7 on a majority of the technical requirements, then you can consider having a higher degree of difficulty in your arena. If you’re still growing as a pair, then I would focus on the technical components and not degree of difficulty. The technical scores will never weigh more than the degree of difficult score and if you try to do a high degree of difficulty and miss the mark, not only will you have a low degree of difficulty score, but you will have a low technical score as well for those elements.
Memorable moments?
Ah so many! Every single time my riders compete it’s a moment I’m so proud of.
I was there in person to watch Anna Buffini and her Top Gun freestyle go at World Cup Finals (I cried the entire time). Last November, Laura DeCesari was invited to compete in the U.S. Open Final in California and once the crowd realized her music was Gladiator, the arena went silent (goals). She scored a personal best that night! Josh Albrecht and his partner, Goldenboy, continue to rock the arena with their Coldplay U25 freestyle that I’ll never get tired of watching – and then I just had the privilege of supporting an FEI pony rider this past weekend on her first ever freestyle ride! And whenever mom shows a freestyle, it cements itself as a core memory of mine.
While freestyles are only one part of the dressage equation, I firmly believe they are the heart of dressage and it’s an honour to help every combination get to the freestyle ring.
If you were to do a dressage freestyle, what do you think your story and music would be?
You know, no one has ever asked that!! Oh gosh, it’s so hard. I would probably do something from Hans Zimmer or the Rings of Power soundtrack (by the incredible Bear McCreary); Big and bold with brass and tympani and trumpets. Or I’d let my freestyle partner, Tom Hunt, have free rein and compose something!