Written by founder Emma Mabry Alexandra Gilbertson is a fifteen year old rider from Warrenton, Virginia and has her own farm that she's grown up on, so she's been lucky enough to ride all of her life. On her farm she has about ten horses/ponies. "We have a lot of retired ponies and horses that I'll hop on occasionally to ride for fun, but my main horse would be my horse Luxurious, aka Lux. He's taught me an incredible amount and I'm extremely grateful for him." "Since I've grown up on my own farm I've been able to be around the horses 24/7 and even at the young age when I started riding which was around 2 or 3 I think, I just never wanted to stop. I love all the work that goes into riding whether it's grooming, cleaning stalls, cleaning tack, and well just all the care that goes into the horse. Getting to ride is just the icing on the cake." "This current show year (2015), I've been primarily catch riding though because I decided to give Lux a much needed break as he showed a lot and was so good to me in 2014 in the 3'3" Junior Hunters at the age of 21. But I have highly enjoyed getting to catch ride some amazing Junior Hunters this year while looking for my next horse." "In 2013 I had the honor of being 4th overall as well as the top placing 3ft finisher at the USHJA Zone 3 Tad Coffin Equitation Finals on my horse Luxurious. That same year we had multiple tricolors in the Younger Children's Hunter division including being Grand Champion Children's Hunter at the Warrenton Pony Show." She has been very successful in the 3'3 Junior Hunters. In 2014, Luxurious and Alexandra have won multiple tricolors in the Junior Hunter 3'3" Division. "We qualified and placed well at The National Horse Show that same year. In 2014 we were also Circuit Champion 3'3" Junior Hunter at HITS Culpeper, VHSA Large Younger 3'3 Junior Hunter Year End Champion, VHSA Grand Junior Hunter Year End Champion, MHSA 3'3" Junior Hunter Year End Champion, NCHJA 3'3" Junior Hunter Year End Champion, and Zone 3 Junior Hunter 3'3" Year End Champion." Gilbertson's short term goal depends on the horse she ends up with next, but overall she would eventually like to end up becoming a professional because she loves working with horses of all kinds and trying to get the best out of them. The thing Alexandra loves most about riding is trusting these animals with her life. "There's such a thrilling feeling to it and that's what keeps me riding. Having trust in your horse is a huge part in this sport and once you have trust in your horse, it can make it a lot easier." "My advice to riders would be to never give up and always work as hard as you can whether it's on the horse, or off the horse. People appreciate hard working riders and your horse will too. This sport can be easy to just give up on at times when things don't go your way or as planned but in the long run it'll be worth it." "What I appreciate most in this sport would have to be the rewarding part of it and I'm not talking about ribbons. I love when you're working on something with your horse and at first it might seem like you're getting nowhere but then all of a sudden it all just clicks together and it's very rewarding when all of your hard work comes together."
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Written by founder Emma Mabry Alexa Stiegler is a fourteen year old rider from Connecticut. Alexa owns three horses and leases one, she shows all of her horses in the 3'3 Junior Hunters. She also has a pony who is on trial at the moment but she showed her in the Medium Pony Hunters. Stiegler's biggest accomplishment was being Circuit Champion at WEF three years in a row. Alexa's goal is to move up to the Large Junior Hunters on her new horse. "My riding inspiration is Kevin Babington because he loves what he does and he always keeps moving forward." "The thing I appreciate the most is the ability to be able to ride and go to all these amazing shows," states Stiegler. Alexa's barn is twenty minutes away from her school so she goes to the barn everyday except for Monday's after school.. During WEF, she gets homeschooled. "My favorite show is WEF because I have been going there since I was two since my mom rides, so I have all of my friends down there." Her advice to anyone who has hopes of being as successful in the show ring as she is, is to "always keep moving forwards and even if you have a bad day, there's always tomorrow." |
AuthorEmma Mabry is a Hunter/Equitation rider from Sonoma County. Archives
November 2016
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