Rider status: Junior
Hometown: New York City and Palm Beach, FL
Trainers: Scott Stewart and Stacia Madden
• As a horsewoman, I am most proud of: all the things I have learned through the horse world and the connection I can have with the horses.
• As a horsewoman, I would most like to improve on: my knowledge on care of horses.
• I’d be lost without: backup show boots or a rain jacket and rain pants in my tack trunk, and my lucky stick in my ring bag.
• I think the biggest misconception about our sport is: that it is easy, or that riders just sit on top of the horse, because riding isn’t just about sitting on the horse. Riding has so many different factors that summing it up to sitting up there takes away the real reason most equestrians ride.
• My best piece of advice for young riders is: have fun! The sport is competitive and can be challenging but it is about having a true love of horses.
• I cope with pressure in the show ring by: making sure I have a plan, and concentrating on what my trainer has said.
• When I’m nervous at a show, I tell myself: this show is like any other show, or I even think about the exercises practiced at home to remember that what is in the ring is doable. My trainer wouldn’t have let me compete if they didn’t think I could do well.
• My favorite horse book is: The Eighty Dollar Champion.
• My favorite non-horse book is: The Name of the Wind.
• The part of riding I struggle most with is: keeping my reins short.
• The part of riding I’m best at is: staying calm in the ring and having a natural feel from hand to mouth.
• I’m a sucker for a: cuddly horse that loves its job.
• On Mondays, you’ll find me: relaxing, swimming, looking for new adventures, going to the beach and reading, or hanging out with friends.
• I sometimes wish I had the time to learn: how to dance or sing well.
• I’m afraid of: letting myself and other people down.
• The horse person I most admire is: Beezie Madden because of her ability to ride any horse and the way she can connect with a horse and become a team with them.
• One of my greatest show ring victories was: My National Grand Prix win at Tryon on Gigi’s Girl BH.
• One of the best horse names I’ve ever heard is: Explosion W because of how accurate it is to his personality and jumping style.
• My absolute favorite show is: Devon because of the community that comes to watch and how truly interested they are in the competition, plus the fair makes it unique.
• My motto is: just keep swimming.
• Riding Catch Me feels like…flying through the sky on a unicorn, and his trot is like floating on air.
*This story was originally published in the April 2021 issue of The Plaid Horse. Click here to read it now and subscribe for issues delivered straight to your door!
