Tag: Sissy Wickes
Straight From the Judge’s Booth: Strategies for the Under Saddle
BY R JUDGE SISSY WICKES
The more I judge, the more I am surprised that riders do not think more about how to ride an under saddle class. Yes, a good mover is a good...
The Perils of a Shifting Landscape
BY SISSY WICKES
As I watched the Breeder’s Cup races at Santa Anita Downs, the tension I felt was not just excitement about the contest or my usual visceral response to watching races. I felt...
The Legacy of Rox Dene
BY SISSY WICKES
It is 1994 and the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida is in full swing. Horses everywhere- hunters, jumpers, equitation, ponies. Horses walking down the path that cuts through the show grounds-...
USHJA President Mary Babick Speaks Out on Rob Gage and Concerns Over Safe Sport
USHJA President Mary Babick answered questions pertaining to the recent suicide of equestrian Rob Gage and the possible unintended consequences of SafeSport. Babick spoke with USHJA Board of Directors member Sissy Wickes about the...
Sergio Grasso: Boots & The Art of Craftsmanship
BY SISSY WICKES
Sergio Grasso boots inspire the same visceral reaction as a work of art. Contoured lines, perfect balance, and beautiful texture are the hallmarks of the Sergio Grasso line of Italian leather products....
Devin Ryan: 15 Years Later, An Overnight Sensation
The Winding Road to the Red Coat
BY SISSY WICKES
Devin Ryan of Long Valley, NJ, barged on to the International Show Jumping scene with the beautiful grey gelding, Eddie Blue. The tall, handsome rider and...
Fountain Valley School: Reading, Writing, Riding, & The Rockies!
BY SISSY WICKES
Imagine a high school student finishing a rigorous academic day, grabbing their backpack, and heading out into the blue sky and mountain vistas at Fountain Valley School of Colorado in Colorado Springs....
Vinissa Blann’s Day Dream Farm: Best of Wellington Year Round
BY SISSY WICKES
Vinissa Blann is a familiar face at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida. With a breadth of expertise, she can be found in the hunter, equitation, and jumper rings. As a...
Kendall Meijer Finds the Perfect Partnership
BY SISSY WICKES
The story is not unusual. Kendall Meijer’s family planned a summer vacation at a dude ranch out west and decided that she should take a few riding lessons to prepare. At the...
Throwback to Gold: Will Simpson Rides On
Gold.
BY TIMOTHY WICKES
“So, I finish my warm-up and all of a sudden, George and McLain coming running up and say, ‘All you gotta do is jump clean and we got the gold!’” Just another...
RiverCross: a Modern Breeding Program
BY SISSY WICKES
Much has been made by this author and many others of the hardships faced by the sport horse breeder in North America. How do breeders in the U.S. and Canada compete with...
Young Professional Spotlight: Jennifer Bliss and Harris Hill Farm
BY SISSY WICKES
Although 34 years old, Jennifer Bliss seems to have been around the horse show world forever. She was one of the most successful pony riders of her generation and consistently at the...
Show Your Stripes: Products to Empower
BY SISSY WICKES
Everything Herd of Zebras stands for is designed to give you that warm fuzzy feeling on the inside and out, empower you, and stand alongside you.
Forest Franzoi, founder of the Herd of...
Ponies & Palms: What Could Be Better?
BY SISSY WICKES
The name Ponies & Palms brings a smile to all who invoke the image of warm weather and beautiful ponies. Further illustrate the picture with smiling young riders, encouraging trainers, and multi-colored...
Rob Jacobs Builds the House of Opportunity
BY SISSY WICKES
Rob Jacobs first crossed my screen few years ago in relation to the Gochman Grant and Pony Finals. Kids participating in Pony Finals under the grant named him specifically as one of...
Eurequine: Sporthorse Stallions for Every Ring
BY SISSY WICKES
Edgar Schutte is a respected name in the world of Hanoverian breeding from the United States to the heart of Germany, the birthplace of the breed. Hanoverians are a breed known for...
Charleigh’s Cookies: A Labor of Love
BY SISSY WICKES
“When you’re going through a difficult time – regardless of age, gender or status – there is nothing like the healing power of horses. They give everything and ask for little in...
The Long Reach of Langer Equestrian Group
BY SISSY WICKES
The name Langer has been synonymous with California horse shows for almost half a century. Picture the horse show scene on the West Coast in 1970: a few scattered venues, sand or dirt footing,...
American Made: Is Importing Sport Horses the Answer?
BY SISSY WICKES
For decades, horse shoppers in most disciplines traveled to Europe in the hopes of finding a hidden gem, that diamond in the rough standing in a remote barn in the Netherlands- undervalued and underpriced....
Caroline Weeden’s Merryburn Farm Continues a Tradition...
BY SISSY WICKES
In the changing paradigm of top riders and trainers, there is a group of professionals who maintain a steady presence at the top levels of the sport. Caroline Weeden is one. Carl, as she...
AIG: Insuring a Lifestyle
BY SISSY WICKES
How does an insurance company become more personal than a recurring monthly payment? How does an insurance company become a perfect fit for the equestrian lifestyle? How can you protect all that...
Sweet Briar College: Better than Ever
BY SISSY WICKES
Private education is a challenging and changing landscape in the age of skyrocketing tuition and online options. Sweet Briar College in Sweet Briar, VA found itself in the same difficult conundrum as...
