The early years
I started riding when I was 7 years old at a small hunter jumper barn near my house in Massachusetts. As I got older, it was clear I would need to lease my own pony to progress further. And so I leased "Sweet Dream," a young hunter pony that was as green as I was. Soon after beginning the lease, I decided I wanted to try Eventing. We moved barns, found the local Pony Club, and gave it a shot. Sweet Dream dumped me in the field more times than I could count. And so we gave the lease over to a friend still in the hunter world and worked on finding a new pony. The next pony we found was Pumba, a little ex-dressage pony turned eventer. We soon found he was also a bolter, stopper, and spinner. I had him for about a year before I outgrew all 13 hands of him. At this point we found a mare, Quizz, who had been shipped in during Pony Club camp that year to be sold. She was safe, big, and beautiful. She helped me get my C3 rating in Pony Club, go to national championships in Kentucky, and gallop around bareback jumping things I shouldn't have.
Opportunity Knoxx
In 2018, just before my 16th birthday, I was looking for a new horse. I had decided I wanted something young to bring up the levels. A friend pointed me in the direction of Caitlin Silliman, who had a talented 6-year-old thoroughbred for sale. My mom and I drove to Pennsylvania to try nearly 10 horses around various barns, including "Mikey."
I fell in love with the goofy red horse after saying I wouldn't buy a thoroughbred or a chestnut! After getting him home, I changed his papered name from "Michaels Dream" to "Opportunity Knoxx." He gave me hell for nearly a year, using his athleticism for some crazy moves, but how could you stay mad at that face?
After graduating high school, I went to work for Liz Halliday. And she changed our lives. She believed in me and the silly red horse. Covid was a blessing for us, giving Liz the time to really help her students since her competition schedule was put on hold. I was lucky enough to ride every horse in her barn, although the young ones were always my favorite. I was also able to ride with coaches like Grant Wilson, Erik Duvander, and Peter Wylde when they came to help Liz and her horses.
Horses in college
After working for Liz and representing Area 1 at Young Rider Challenge teams at the 2* level, I left for college at the University of Maryland. I continued riding and competing, successfully moving up to Intermediate the spring of my Freshman year. Liz was often in the area for competition and remained my coach for much of college with me spending winter breaks working and riding with her in Florida. I completed several 3* shorts that year, always battling the dressage demons. I was also selected for the EA21 regional camp at Morven Park that summer. In the spring of 2023, we completed our first 3*L at Tryon International, coming well under the time, and only adding one rail to finish 8th. Unfortunately, that fall, Mikey's arthritis caught up to him and we took some time off competing to get his back and neck stronger. That winter I ended up on an environmental science study abroad in New Zealand. After coming back, I wasn't entirely sure what life would look like for Mikey, but as we came out that spring, it was clear he wanted to keep competing. Just before Morven Park's spring event I started riding with Tim Bourke and he helped me regain a lot of confidence I had lost. I went to work for him that summer, riding everything from 3 year old homebreds to his upper level horses. I also represented Area 1 on a scramble 3* team at Young Riders where the team placed second.
Unfortunately, around this time, burnout started to really affect me. At the same time, despite all the vet care he could want, Mikey's body started to fall apart again. I decided it was the perfect time to find him an easier job and ease myself out of horses full time. He is now showing one of my dear friends the ropes of eventing and having a blast with her at the lower levels.
More horses!
I promised my best friend at college I would work at a western ranch camp with her the summer after I graduated. My job looked a lot different than it did in the eventing world. Most of the horses were rescued from the kill pen. But I had so much fun taking problem or green horses and teaching them the basics. We each had project horses and I fell in love with mine. Her name was French Fry. She came halfway through the summer, so I only really had 4 weeks with her. But she grew and changed so much and it reminded me what I love about horses. She came having only been on a trail and following the horse in front of her. She could barely steer let alone neck rein, although someone had taught her her leads at some point. By week two she was leading wrangles (not confidently but willingly), steering better, and working with the flag, which she carried at the last camp rodeo.
Qualifications:
- Pony Club HB/C3
- 3* Level Eventer
- Shown up to 1.25m Jumpers
- Comfortable riding and training young horses
- Exercised flat and steeplechase horses
- Put first rides on young horses
- Can and will ride any type
- 2024 3* Young Rider Championship Team Silver