Welcome to Trainer Tuesday! Each week we ask trainers a question and gather their answers for you. These trainers have a range of experience, backgrounds, and focus points of their programs, so the answers have as much variation as you would expect and also probably much more similarity.
This week’s question posed is: Who is someone you would say is a role model in this sport for young equestrians?
Here are their answers:
“I always tell my young riders to emulate Skylar Wireman.
She’s a wonderful role model for the kids in this sport as she is not only young and a brilliant rider, but also an incredible horsewoman. She can care for her own horses, wrap, groom, drive her rig, and ride sunup to sundown. always kind and polite at the ring to both humans and horses, and is an overall shining example of a good person that works extremely hard and has much well-earned success!” –Brittany Massey
“Laura Kraut. She’s been at the top of the sport for decades. She’s had the same owners for decades. Her clients peak at the right times. She has a good attitude and understands horses. Laura came up through the pony ranks and did all of the American hunter divisions, too. She does not ridicule other sections of our discipline. She is focused, pro horse, and handles everything in stride. Literally.” -Jane Earhart
“I would have to say there are multiple riders that come to mind as role models for young equestrians, but the one that stands out to me is Lillie Keenan. She is closer to the younger generation in age and someone they have followed from the pony ring, to the equitation ring, to now, the biggest stage, FEI show jumping. She always puts her horses and grooms first and is a class act while attending any horse show venue. That horsemanship and sportsmanship are something young equestrians should aspire to have. At the end of the day, it’s all for the horses and being a kind human.” -Haley Eagan
“There are many in our sport that are good role models for young equestrians. The person that comes to mind, though, is Anne Kursinski. The passion she has for horses and coaching riders, along with her self-discipline, is exemplary to our young equestrians as to what it really takes to succeed in our sport.” -Heath Gunnison
“I’d have to say Peder Fredricson. To me, he’s the perfect example of what our sport should be about—someone who genuinely puts the horse first while still performing and winning at the very highest levels. He’s not just talented in the ring, he’s thoughtful about every aspect of horsemanship, from training and management to mental preparation. You can see that his success comes from a place of respect for the animal, not just chasing ribbons.
If you’ve read his book, Six Feet Above, you get such a clear picture of how his eventing background shaped his approach to show jumping. That foundation gave him this incredible adaptability, and I think it’s part of why he’s so consistent under pressure. He’s got this ability to stay calm, stay connected to the horse, and still be fiercely competitive—it’s such a rare balance.
What I admire most is that he’s proof that you don’t have to compromise horsemanship to be at the top. In fact, the better your horsemanship, the better your results. For me, that’s exactly the kind of role model the sport needs, especially for young riders coming up.” -Priscilla Godsoe
“I don’t feel as if there is one role model I can single out. I believe the industry is full of amazing individuals who want to share their knowledge with each and every one of us. We all just need to be willing to watch, listen, and learn with open eyes and an open mind!” -Patti Boland
“I view myself as a role model for young equestrians. The example I aim to set demonstrates the number of ways a professional may choose to be involved in the sport. Our passion and talents are much needed.” -Rob Van Jacobs
“There are so many excellent role models for young equestrians, but one of the greatest is Megan Wexler. She is able to successfully balance the role of being a top Grand Prix rider, business owner, and fierce competitor while also placing equal value on being a mother and wife.
Young equestrians should take note that family and who you come home to at the end of the day is more important than hanging a ribbon on a banner. Megan is able to jump clear in a FEI 3* Grand Prix and then go home to make sure her two daughters have homework completed and lunches packed for school the next day.
Megan has worked extremely hard to get to where she is today, riding everything from unbroke, green, straight off-the-track Thoroughbreds and extra quirky horses to representing the U.S. on Nations Cup teams. She treats every horse as if it were a prized Olympic champion and is able to get the most out of each horse. Megan has taught me that there is always another horse show, and that family always comes first!” -Jodie Camberg
“When I was a little girl, Margie Goldstein-Engle was one of the riders I looked up to the most! I even did school projects on her in elementary school!” -Mackenzie Gwin
“That person for me is Michael Matz, who was my role model as a teenager and is back in the show jumping world through his son Alex Matz. Michael took a period of time to train race horses, including Barbaro, who won the Kentucky Derby.
In his days as a rider, Michael was the best I’d ever seen anywhere in the world. Not only did he win Olympic medals and the World Cup, but if a horse had an issue with something, he would fix it before the next big class and fix it better than anyone.
Riding and training are only part of his legacy. In the Sioux City, Iowa plane crash of 1989, he went back in a burning plane after escaping to rescue three kids traveling by themselves, then went in again a second time to rescue a fourth child.
Not only a great horseman, but a great person.
I haven’t spent time around him since I was a kid, but I cherish the memory of a night spent playing horseshoes with him at Lake Placid with humor and genuine niceness that can be rare.” -Mark Aplin
“I want my more senior and experienced riders to be role models for my younger IEA and IHSA riders. When they have someone in their circle that they look up to, it makes turning into a good role model themselves much more attainable. We try to spend a lot of time on cultivating a strong team culture on our teams so everyone buys in and wants to be better personally for the team as a whole.” -Emily Miller
“Skyeler Icke Voss is a wonderful role model for young equestrians. Skyeler has built an educational and supportive business centered around teaching young riders and adult amateurs. She is kind, dedicated, and enthusiastic. I spent a summer with her as a teenager; It was one of the most memorable summers of my childhood!” -Emily Szokol
