Her breakthrough moment came at the London International Horse Show CSI5*-W in December 2024, where she topped out at 2.12 meters (6’11.5″) to win on home soil. That result was followed by a victory at the Bolesworth International Horse Show CSI3* in late June, where the pair cleared 2.20 meters (7’2.6″), then another headline-making performance at the Dublin Horse Show CSIO5* in August. There, Proudley not only won the puissance but also became the first woman to do so in 61 years—an achievement that firmly placed her name on the radar of an international audience.

She added another win at the Birmingham International Horse Show CSI3* in October before returning to London last week to defend her title. Thursday night’s $35,360 LeMieux Puissance once again unfolded against the iconic red wall, with 13 combinations starting under festive, high-energy conditions. Proudley briefly lost her right stirrup in the first round but remained unfazed. The only rider to advance to the fifth round, she and the 11-year-old Zangersheide gelding (Elvis Ter Putte—Katinka de Laubry, Ogano Sitte) owned by Graham Ward produced a calm, confident effort over 2.21 meters (7’3″), a personal best, to secure back-to-back victories in London’s puissance class.

Her puissance feats stand on their own, but they inevitably prompt the question of who Proudley is beyond the red wall. Last summer in Riesenbeck, Germany, she contested her first European Championship at Young Riders level and left with two medals: team bronze with Great Britain and individual gold, riding the experienced mare Quality Street. Just days after her 20th birthday, the results offered a broader snapshot of a rider whose career is developing across multiple dimensions—even as her recent dominance in puissance has made her one of the discipline’s most talked-about names.

Puissance competitions have become a defining part of your recent results. What do they represent for you, and how do you approach them mentally and technically?

I love them! They are so much fun and always create an incredible atmosphere at competitions, often with a big crowd in attendance. You just have to not overthink it, be brave, and tackle the obstacles as they come! The fact that I’m not really nervous helps. As for Easy Boy de Laubry Z—known as “Boy,” my Puissance partner—he is such a calm horse that he makes it all look effortless, almost like a casual stroll!

Last summer, you won team bronze and individual gold at the European Young Riders Championships in Riesenbeck (Germany). What did that first championship experience mean to you?

It was an incredible experience that I will remember for the rest of my life. It was my very first championship, so winning two medals was more than I could have ever dreamed of. The venue was superb and I was able to count on the unfailing support of the horses and people behind HK Horses. The whole British team supported me throughout the week, and I have fond memories of celebrating these successes together.

You achieved those results with Quality Street. How would you describe her as a partner in championship competition?

Quality Street, known as “Sweetie” at home, belongs to HK Horses. She is such a powerful and incredibly agile mare. She always gives 110%. She gave me an incredible feeling of competitiveness throughout the rounds.

After winning individual gold, what goals motivate you most going forward? Is there a particular title or achievement you now have your sights set on?

After winning the individual gold medal, I would love to win the team gold. It’s an incredible feeling to compete alongside your friends and teammates to represent your country, and I would really love to share that victory with them. As for the rest, I’m just going to continue to seize the opportunities that come my way and work hard to put the odds in my favor.

You currently ride a varied string of horses at HK Horses. Can you tell us more about your program and the horses you are developing at the moment?

I am very lucky to ride for Richard Howley and Morgan Kent at HK Horses. They have an impressive breeding program and a wide range of horses of all levels ready to compete. We currently have some very promising young horses, such as HK Stakkata, a seven-year-old with whom I won the EY U25 Cup Grand Prix in Samorin, Slovakia, in July, but also experienced horses like Quality Street. I am grateful to be able to ride such high-quality horses and to have the opportunity to ride a different horse every day!

Can you tell us about your educational background and the moment you decided to pursue riding as a full-time career?

I continued my studies until I was sixteen. I always rode horses alongside my studies and knew that it was my true passion. My family worked in agriculture and we always had ponies that my little sister and I rode in competitions. I left school as soon as I could to devote myself to riding full-time.

You did not come from a large professional equestrian operation. How did you build your path toward the top level of the sport?

I’ve been riding horses for as long as I can remember… I always knew that horses were my passion and that I wanted to become a professional rider! After finishing school, I worked at a famous competition stable for two years. It was incredibly hard work, as I had to start from scratch and work my way up the ladder. It took a lot of time, courage, and dedication. Once I returned home, I put what I had learned to good use and started competing with our own horses again in our region, Yorkshire, where I met the team at HK Horses. It’s an incredibly competitive sport that demands a lot, both in terms of training and logistics. When Richard and Morgan gave me the opportunity to work with them at HK Horses, an already well-established organization, it was an incredible opportunity. Their support in training, behind the scenes, and on the track has undoubtedly been a factor in this year’s success.

You train with Richard Howley and Morgan Kent at HK Horses. What are the most important lessons they have taught you, both in and out of the saddle?

I have learned a lot from Richard and Morgan, not only about riding and understanding horses, but also about the importance of organization, horse management, team work, and how to behave in this professional environment. These are all essential factors for a rider who wants to develop and progress in this sport.

How important is mental preparation in your day-to-day work as a rider, particularly at the highest levels of the sport?

It’s really the key to success in riding: There will always be ups and downs with horses, but you have to accept them as they come, keep a cool head, and keep working. There will always be more good days if you work hard and don’t let the bad ones get you down.

Once you’ve taken off your riding boots, how do you like to spend your time?

I’m not sure I’ve ever really taken off my boots. … Horses are a way of life for me, not just a job. When we’re not riding, we take care of the horses to keep them in top shape, or we watch and analyze the rounds to see how we can improve and how they are progressing. It’s a full-time job, but I love it and wouldn’t change this schedule for anything in the world.

Looking back so far, what stands out as the proudest moment of your professional career?

Winning the European Championships was definitely the highlight of my career so far; it was our first ever victory in this category. It’s a real challenge to jump at this level consistently for several days in a row, with the pressure mounting every day and a potential victory on the horizon. Deep down, I started to believe it would happen, but when it actually did and the whole team was there to celebrate with me, it was just incredible. The HK team also kindly organized a big party to celebrate our return home with family and friends, which made the experience even more special for me.

Finally, what motivates you each day as you continue to develop as a rider?

I just want to do my best for the horses: to become a better rider so that I can understand them better and give us the best chance of success together on the track.

Watch Rachel Proudley’s reaction following her win in the $35,360 LeMieux Puissance:

The post Mastering The Red Wall: Rachel Proudley’s Rise Through Puissance appeared first on The Chronicle of the Horse.

JJ Torano entered this year’s show season pushed by a strong tailwind, having just become the youngest ever Dover Saddlery/USEF Hunter Seat Medal Final winner in 2024, and he never slowed down. His first big equitation win came in February with the WEC Premier Equitation Cup Championship (Florida), a pressure-filled class that requires precision, strength, and composure—traits Torano showed with ease.

Torano stacked up victories in all three rings as the year progressed, including earning team gold with Zone 4 and individual bronze at the Gotham North/FEI North American Youth Jumping Championship (Michigan). His winning streak continued into the fall indoors season, including earning the William C. Steinkraus Style of Riding Award and best junior rider on a horse, 3’6”, at the Pennsylvania National, and best child rider on a horse and leading junior jumper rider at the Washington International (Maryland). He arrived at the National Horse Show (Kentucky) to deliver the performance that defined his year, winning the 2025 ASPCA Maclay Final with the poise of a veteran at just 15. 

With a lifetime still ahead of him, Torano’s motto remains steadfast: Do the best job you can on the horse you have, in the moment that you have it. As he looks toward 2026, he’s balancing equitation goals, new jumper ambitions, and the day-to-day realities of riding a large and varied string. We caught up with him to reflect on what he’s learned so far, what he’s aiming for next, and the people and horses who have helped him get there.

Do you plan on doing any equitation classes in 2026 and beyond? Any goals for the rest of your junior career, which still has years left?

The equitation part is a little undecided right now. We have a couple sales horses, so during the Winter Equestrian Festival [Florida] I will ride those to help get them all sold. My good horse “Eddie” [Favorite Edition Z] was sold last week, so right now I might try to go to the USET and the WIHS finals, but it’s not set in stone.

For now during WEF, I know I’ll be doing the equitation, but I won’t be competing on Sundays at WEF in the equitation. I would say, for the rest of my junior career, I can finally do the U25 [jumper] classes and some FEI classes and work my way up on both those ranking lists.

How do you adjust your ride depending on which discipline—hunters, jumpers, or equitation—you’re doing?

I’d say the equitation is a little bit like a set up for the jumper ring, except for any hunter phases. Equitation classes really are grand prix courses, just at a smaller level, where you learn line and track and the American style of position on the horse. A lot of time what causes rails for people is their position.

I also think that each ring asks different questions. In the hunter ring, I’m really trying to do my best to show off the horse, so everything I do helps with that in the saddle. The equitation ring, you change the focus to your own position and effectiveness. Then in the jumper ring, it’s about taking what you learn in the equitation ring and creating that jump, holding your position, and trying to get around clear. 

When you’re competing on so many horses in one weekend, how do you quickly adapt to each one?

Most of the horses that I’m riding in a given weekend I know quite well. Every now and then, though, I do catch-ride something I’ve never sat on before. One thing that really helps is that I feel like I watch the rings a lot, so I already know something about most of the horses in my divisions. At the National, for example, I knew all of those horses very well. I got to catch ride Alice Goodwin’s hunter at Washington [where he and Disney took reserve champion in the small junior hunters, 15 and under], so I already knew that horse quite well from other shows.

Getting to know those horses, I feel like when I get on a horse we go through the same routine every time. You do the basics each way, you do lead changes, you see how they naturally want to go. Then back at home we don’t like jumping big, so getting to know them over small jumps, little gymnastics—not really pushing too much at home—that’s a big part of it too.

What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned from your dad, Jimmy Torano, about riding?

I would say position is really the one thing he probably talks about the most—the basics and fundamentals of a good position. He also is very big on the straightness of the horse; that also can cause a lot of rails in the ring. I also think, from the start, he drilled into me that not every horse is the same, and that you can’t muscle the horse—there has to be a balance between softness and being firm—and you have to figure out what’s best for the horse. The mares especially might need more time; you can’t rush anything and get the best result. 

How about from your mom, Danielle Torano? Besides your parents, who are your mentors in the sport/who are some riders you admire?

I’ve always been known to be a little bit hard on myself in the ring. I don’t like making mistakes—nor does anybody else probably. I struggled with that for a while, and for the past year and a half, I’ve worked with [sports psychologist] Mario Soto, which has been a huge help. Before that, though, my mom was always ringside helping me with the mental piece. It’s not always going to go perfect every time. I think that was the biggest thing that helped my riding, her being there for the moments when I was in my own head. 

We’ve been close with McLain Ward. He’s been a big help with the mental part of it, also. I think he was the first to introduce the idea of a sports psychologist. He’s also always there helping me out and giving me lessons. He’s always been a huge help with my riding.

Rodrigo Pessoa has also been a big help with my riding. They’ve both accomplished so much, and I really look up to them both as examples of where I want to go in the sport.

What are your long-term goals in the sport?

Obviously I’ve jumped up to the 1.50-meter level, and that’s been incredibly exciting. I hope to keep staying on that upward trajectory. I want to jump “big” jumps one day, at one point I would like to reach the 1.60 level and jump on a Nations Cup team for the U.S. 

I was lucky enough to represent the U.S. for the first time this summer in Lier, Belgium; that was a great opportunity. For now I’m looking to stay consistent and hopefully one day reach the top five-star level. 

Who are the horses that have the biggest impact on your career so far?

There have been a couple. The first horse that really brought me the most joy was Kybalia SMH/SVN [a 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood (Baltic VDL—Gin Gin Balia SMH) owned by the Toranos’ JET Show Stables]. I won Young Riders on her in the pre-junior section. Our guy that we work with, Willem Greve, I was maybe 11 or 12, and we had been looking for a jumper, and we just needed something perfect to take me around, and he sent her over without much notice. He told us, “Just ride her,” and she was a young horse, but we figured each other out. 

Our partnership in the beginning was a little rough, I even said that I didn’t want to do the jumpers after a few bad classes, considering we were both green. But we both kept going, and I remember I went to Upperville (Virginia) in 2022, and we won every class. After that, I couldn’t wait to go to Lake Placid (New York), which was my first time moving up to the 1.10-meter level, and we just kept growing with each other. 

She had an injury, and when she came back, we didn’t know what to expect, but she kept moving up with me. We were first in a WEF classic in 2024, and then another, and I had a few options for Young Riders, but I knew all along that I wanted to ride her. I brought her there, and she went clear in every class. We were second the first day, and then the first rider pulled out, so I was in the lead.

We just knew each other so well; there wasn’t a doubt in her mind about winning that year. We had such a good partnership, and I think that was the first horse that brought it all together for me.

When you’re not riding or in the barn, what do you like to do?

School is one thing. To be honest I would say, aside from that, over the summers I’m pretty much in the barn for the entire day. When I’m not, I’m usually just hanging out with friends. That’s probably the most I do. 

What’s your earliest memory on a horse?

One of my favorite memories—and one that I remember very well—was that I had this little pony named Mighty Mouse, and we were jumping her one day at the farm in Florida, and McLain came over, and we were all just hanging out in the ring. I thought it was a good idea to see how high I could jump, so my dad just kept putting up the jumps, and I kept galloping right down. Eventually, Mighty Mouse jumped so hard that I flew right out of the tack. She cleared it every time, though; she never had a rail! I was sitting in the dirt laughing; we were all laughing actually.

Is there anything in particular you would love readers to know about you that I haven’t asked?

Maybe that people on the outside looking in don’t always realize the amount of people behind all of the riders. It really is a team effort. I wouldn’t be where I am without these horses, without the vet, chiro, acupuncture, etc. A lot goes on that people don’t see. And the credit needs to be shared, not just speaking for myself, but I think a lot of it is the team behind all of these riders.

The post Precision And Poise Carry JJ Torano Through A Banner 2025 appeared first on The Chronicle of the Horse.

We caught up with her recently at the Longines Equita Lyon CSI5* (France). Married last summer to 2024 British Olympic team champion Harry Charles, she reflected on her time away from horses, why she needed the break, and what fuels her renewed drive in the sport.

How would you assess your competition season so far?

I think it’s going really well. I was lucky enough to have access to some great competitions at the end of the year, so there’s a lot going on. It’s largely about building—and learning how to fight—methodically and slowly. But I think I have a great team and I’m really excited to see where it goes.

Last summer, you married Paris Olympic team gold medalist Harry Charles. Did marriage open a new chapter for you?

Yes, it was a great year. Harry is a wonderful person. We’re so happy and lucky that we found each other, and sharing the sport together is amazing.

How and when did you start riding horses?

My parents put me on a horse when I was 2. My older sister, who was three years older, wanted to go out and ride. And I kind of just joined along and always loved horses. And then I did it a little bit when I was really young. And then when I was 6, I started actually getting lessons and jumping with very little jumps.

Having grown up in the United States, I imagine you did the equitation classes. Would you say that those shaped your riding style?

Yes, in my junior years, I did that and started doing all the juniors and the Young Riders. And I kind of came up through that. It’s definitely helpful to have that foundation. What equitation gives you is a lot of repetition on certain lines that are very helpful going forward. But once you reach 18, it does get to a point where you need to transition into jumping the Young Riders, the under-25s, and doing all of that.

Do you pay particular attention to your riding style, which is particularly polished?

To be honest, it’s just kind of the way that my balance works and the way that I’ve always done it. So I’d say now, at this point in my career, it’s kind of just how it is. But thank you for the compliment!

When you’re in the saddle, you exude a lot of calm. Are you somehow impervious to pressure?

I think you always want to do well. Everyone here is a great competitor, and you want to put your best foot forward. I think there’s always kind of that inherent self-pressure. But I try and just focus on my own job, avoid making mistakes and get it done.

What have you gained from Eddie Macken, one of the biggest names in Irish show jumping, who used to be your coach?

Eddie is a wonderful person and an amazing mentor. I have nothing but amazing things to say about him. Now, when I compete, I’m surrounded by the Charles family. In competitions, I always travel either with Harry or with Peter [Charles, her father-in-law and British team gold medalist from the 2012 London Olympic Games]. I like to bounce ideas off people. I’m working on my independence, but I do really enjoy having their help and having someone there.

At just 20 years old, you reached the highest level and joined the U.S. team in 2018 and 2019. What memories do you hold of that period?

All the best memories. And it was so much fun. I had an unbelievable horse very young in my career [Venue d’Fées des Hazalles (President—Reine-Fée des Hazalles, Alcatraz) a mare she rode from 2017 to 2021, including at the 2019 Pan American Games (Peru)]. She is still, to this day, one of my best memories in this sport. She’s now retired in England, just next to our stables, and I see her all the time.

How would you describe the relationship you built with Venue d’Fées des Hazalles?

She was unbelievable. Her previous owner Fabienne [Daigneux-Lange, a professional rider and a veterinarian from Belgium, who jumped the chestnut mare up to the five-star level] was kind enough to trust me with the mare and sell her to me. She was a very scopey mare—very careful, very brave. She was everything that you would want in a horse. She gave me so much confidence going into those bigger classes and on the American team. I was so lucky to have her. She was the best teacher in a way.

In 2019, when you were only 21, she carried you to your biggest events, with a 15th place in the World Cup Final in Gothenburg, Sweden, and a fourth individual place along with a bronze medal in the team competition at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru. Looking back, being so young at the time, were you able to enjoy those moments as much as you should have?

No, I enjoyed every moment of it. I knew I had a special, special horse at the time. And everything that I was able to accomplish with her, that meant a lot. I never took it for granted.

What are your best memories with her?

There’s so many! I have great memories from the World Cup Finals, Pan American Games. One of the last classes I jumped on her, we were second in the five-star grand prix in Hamburg [a Longines Global Champions Tour leg in 2021]. Every day it was a pleasure to ride that horse.

Would you say that the COVID-19 pandemic stopped your rise with her?

Honestly, yes. It was very unfortunate timing. We were in great form, and she obviously was at an age [14 years old] where the year definitely put us back a bit. I didn’t compete at all in 2020 [past March 15, their last five-star grand prix of the year, earning a fourth place at the Winter Equestrian Festival (Florida)].

I came back to Florida at the beginning of 2021, and we just weren’t in the same form that we had been in. I think it was hard on everyone, the whole world was shut down. It was so much worse for so many people. That was just my personal experience.

At the time, you also rode the excellent Limbridge. Why didn’t you keep him?

He was a fantastic horse. I got him from Ashford Farm, he’s an unbelievable jumper. Immense talent. But Jana suited him a lot better than I did. [Jana Wargers, who was riding for Ashford Farm at the time, went on to place second in the Rome CSIO5* grand prix and ninth at the 2022 FEI World Championships (Denmark) with Limbridge.] What ended up happening is when we were back there, she started riding him and they clicked. So we decided that that was a better route to take. They did amazingly, I loved watching them.

Will you produce foals from Venue d’Fées des Hazalles?

I actually have two embryos for next year. I’m really excited about that. One is by the Selle Français sire Diamant de Semilly (Le Tot de Semilly—Venise des Cresles, Elf III), the other by the Oldenburg stallion Balou du Reventon (Cornet Obolensky—Georgia, Continue)—which is very special, since Harry used to ride that stallion [and notably placed ninth in the 2023 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Finals (Nebraska)].

Did the fact that you were never able to return to your best form with Venue d’Fées des Hazalles prompt you to give up riding for a while?

No. Honestly, I had just been riding for my whole life. I had always done it. I had just graduated from college [at Stanford University, where she studied science, technology, and society].

I just wanted to see if there was something else I was really passionate about doing. I thought that this is a sport you can come back to—we have that luxury that we can do it for a very long time. I thought that was my opportunity to go see if there was anything else out there that ignited the same kind of passion. I’m very happy that I had those years, and equally happy I came back to the sport.

What did you dedicate yourself to during those three years off from the five-star level?

I was living in New York. I started modeling and got signed with an amazing agency [DNA Model Management, which also represents the iconic Linda Evangelista, Doutzen Kroes, Adriana Lima, Emily Ratajkowski…]. I worked with some great brands. I was very happy, it was a great time in my life. I still do a little bit of modeling here and there, but I’m mostly focused on the horses.

It was a different world. I got to work with some amazing people, great photographers and fantastic designers. I had a lot of fun.

You recently posted a photo of yourself, your husband Harry Charles, and fashion icon Anna Wintour, former editor-in-chief of American Vogue. How did you feel about mixing the two worlds?

It was so much fun! And to see Harry at his first fashion show [Bottega Veneta, in Milan] was fantastic. Honestly, it was a great experience to be able to take it with me. We just had a blast, and it was an amazing collection. It was really cool to be a part of that, you know, this little world.

Did you teach Harry [Charles] anything about fashion?

Not much. He does like fashion, he was very open to doing it. So we went with Bottega Veneta, which is a brand that we both love. They treated us unbelievably. We had the best time.

Last year in Versailles, you witnessed Harry Charles, who was your fiancé at the time, win Olympic gold with Team Great Britain. What was that experience like for you?

It was really nerve-wracking. It was an amazing day, but I was very nervous for them. It’s always much harder watching your loved ones ride than riding yourself. But Great Britain won the gold, USA won the silver, so I was pretty happy for everybody.

Would you say that moment made you want to return to competition?

Absolutely. One hundred percent. It’s very inspiring to see your teammates and the man you share your life with. It was a really cool experience to see from the outside, and I hope I get anywhere close to that.

After a three-year break, you returned to the five-star level in 2024. What made you ultimately decide to do that?

I just missed it! My mom [Laurene Powell Jobs] was unbelievable and said that she would keep a horse for me while I was modeling. That horse was High Point VDL. I was so excited to get back and ride him, he really kept me in the sport. I was thinking, what if I just came back and gave it another shot? That’s how I did it.

Do you have a strategy in mind for returning to top-level competition?

We work on it every day. We’re training every day. I’ve got a really good group of horses, we’ll see where it takes us.

To achieve this, you acquired Zineday, silver medalist at the 2023 European Championships with Germany’s Philipp Weishaupt. What made you pick this horse in particular?

He’s an unbelievable horse. The feeling of riding him is amazing. He’s such a naturally talented horse. It’s amazing to be able to ride him. He’s a lion when he’s in the ring. But we have been working very hard and taking it slow. It’s coming.

After you purchased him, Zineday made his debut at this year’s Winter Equestrian Festival (Florida) under the saddle of your husband Harry Charles, before you started riding him back. Why was that?

Yes, we gave [the horse] a bit of time off. After that, it was an easier transition for the horse, starting again with Harry. Philipp did an amazing job, but he is also a lot stronger than I am. So is Harry. Getting to know the horse a little bit with Harry’s help was super beneficial.

In a recent interview with GRANDPRIX, Harry Charles explained that the atmosphere in Florida, where jealousy can run high, may have played a part in this decision. Do you think that’s fair?

Definitely. Starting a horse in Wellington can be a little bit intimidating. It was easier for me to start him quietly in the Netherlands than at such a big horse show, such a spectacle. That took a lot of pressure away from us. Especially because I was just coming back into the sport, and to have such an unbelievable horse, we just felt that it was better for him to start there. I started him in Peelbergen, which was very quiet and really close to our farm [the couple lives in the Netherlands]. It was a lot more relaxed than Wellington.

How do you feel about your debut with Zineday?

It’s going great. I just jumped him in two three-star grand prix in Oliva [Spain]. Now he’s done from here and he’ll go to Doha [Qatar] in January.

Do you think you’ll be able to jump him up to CSI5* level?

I mean, he definitely can. I hope I can make it work. But that’s the goal, yes.

Can you tell me about Canto Bruno?

I got him at the end of last year from Aura Vasama [a 22-year-old rider from Finland, who rode the Oldenburg gelding to 11th place in the 2024 European Young Rider Championships, and developed him to the five-star level] and he’s just a very steady, lovely horse. He’s given me a lot of confidence to jump back up to five-star. He is currently my main horse.

Which other horses in your stables can support Zineday and Canto Bruno?

High Point VDL, who I’ve had for a number of years, and who’s just coming back from an injury. He’s jumping now so I’m going to take him to a show in about a month. He’ll come back, he’ll be helpful. And then I have an 8-year-old that will be 9 next year [Robinson JW] to kind of fill in some of those ranking spots.

What are your plans for this winter? Are you going to Wellington?

We’re going to Doha this year. It’s going to be my first time there. I believe we are going for eight to 10 weeks, so I’m excited to do the circuit out there and tackle those classes. We are not going to Wellington this year, we’ll be back there in 2027.

Do you ever miss living in the U.S.?

I miss my family a lot. We’re going to go back for Thanksgiving and Christmas and see that as well, that will be really nice. But it’s been great. I love England, and the Netherlands is awesome.

What are your goals for next year?

We’ll have to see a bit how everything progresses before I can really tell. I’d love to come back on the American team. That’s the main goal of mine. Last time I rode for the U.S. team was, I believe, 2019 in Barcelona [Spain, for the Longines Nations Cup final, where Jobs posted a double clear with Venue d’Fées des Hazalles]. Riding for the team is fantastic, it’s such a great feeling. And to be able to produce a good round for your country, I mean, there’s just nothing quite like it. Team USA has a lot of strong horse-rider combinations. There’s great depth in there. They’ve been producing some younger riders too, which is awesome. So the hardest part is being selected. We’re going to try our very best to make it back onto the team.

Are you considering the World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany, in August 2026, or would this event be a little premature?

If everything comes together, I would absolutely love to be part of them!

The post Eve Jobs: ‘What If I Just Came Back And Gave It Another Shot?’ appeared first on The Chronicle of the Horse.

Based in Loxahatchee, Florida, the German-born rider has known Jane since she was a newly imported 3-year-old. Started by Tarjan, the mare progressed through the medium tour and into her first national Grand Prix classes under her owner’s saddle. The pair were undefeated in all their CDI Intermediaire A, B and Intermediaire II appearances from late 2022 until Tarjan handed the reins to Orlob at the beginning of 2024.

Orlob and Jane made their Big Tour debut that April and were soon selected to represent the United States at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. When the Chronicle last caught up with them in April 2025, they were preparing for the Aachen CDI3* (Germany) the following month, where they made a strong impression by winning both the Grand Prix (72.87%) and the Grand Prix Special (72.25%). Their most recent international outing was at the CHIO World Equestrian Festival in Aachen again, in July, where they placed 10th in the CDI4* Grand Prix (70.91%) and fourth in the Special (72.49%).

Now, after a steady climb through the world rankings, Orlob says he’s taking time to consolidate progress before returning to the show ring. We caught up with the rider after the new ranking were released to see what he’s up to—and what’s next—for the pair.

You’re now the top-ranked American rider in the world standings. What does that milestone mean to you personally, and for Jane’s career?

I think it’s exciting to have this at least on paper right now, that I’m No. 1 American. But overall, I’m happy because now I’m taking a little break from competition and I talked to Christine [Traurig, the U.S. Dressage Team chef d’equipe] and I believe that our next competition will be in January again in Wellington, Florida. So yeah, I hope that then I can show that we did some homework, and then I think we’ll aim for qualifying for the world championships next year.

Your last international appearance was at Aachen last summer. What has your focus been in training since then—the ‘homework’ you mentioned?

Yeah, I mean, obviously dressage has a million things to improve, always. I’ve been doing a lot of hacking in the woods to get [Jane] desensitized more.

I think the atmosphere is still a challenge at times, but I think, you know, especially here in New Jersey [where I am training] right now, with the woods and the deer jumping around, that’s really good for her, and I hack sometimes closer to the road where trucks go by. This is one part, and then yeah, trying to get her more relaxed, and like a little bit longer in the neck … this is basically the homework. And lots of gymnastics, trying to get her more through the body, and hopefully then I’ll be able to show this in the ring. That’s always a bit of a challenge because sometimes too much atmosphere kicks in and then I get a little bit of tension.

You’ve talked about hacking to keep your horses happy and confident. What’s your approach to top-level horse management—how do you keep them mentally fresh?

I personally believe that, first, turnout is really important. A lot of people, especially in Europe—where I was in the summer—asked me like, “Are you crazy? Why would you turn her out?” You know, and I’m like, horses get hurt in the stable too. No matter what you do, they find always a way to hurt themselves, but I think the horses need to be out in the paddock, and I try to do it for as long as possible. Jane always tells me when she wants to come in.

Thank God we have a treadmill in Loxahatchee, which we use to do some walk exercises, and I can adjust the incline so that she can climb a little bit. That’s especially important in Florida because everything is so flat. Here in New Jersey, I try to go in the woods before my rides, there’s a nice little hack there, I would say it’s 20-25 minutes and includes hills up and down. You can trot up the hill, walk down the hill, or trot even a [gentle] hill down, just to keep it fun and interesting for the horse. And sometimes if I have enough time, I do it after our training session too.

I think in general, cross-training matters, because otherwise it gets so boring, especially when the horse knows the movements. You don’t need to drill the movements every day. I think it’s more important that the horse is happy, sees different things. Obviously, each horse is different, but for Jane I feel it makes a huge difference and she is starting to relax more and more.

You’ve known Jane since she was 3. How has she changed over the years, and how has your partnership evolved?

I think it is turning around the fact that, slowly, I’m getting to know her much better. She knows me, and it’s starting to turn into a real partnership. Now, I can really feel when she gets scared or nervous, and at times, not always but at times, this allows me to stop the big drama happening. I can calm her down before it goes too crazy. But I think Jane will be always Jane, and she’s a high-energy mare, very sensitive. So it’s always a little bit of a challenge.

Earlier this year, you mentioned your biggest focus was on throughness and engagement. Has that evolved toward new priorities as the season wraps up? What are Jane’s main strengths and weaknesses in the ring right now?

It’s still something to work on. I mean, the list always continues, that’s the frustrating and the good thing about dressage, right? There’s always more. For sure, among her strengths are the short half-passes, the piaffe-passage and pirouettes. For her weak spots, I think it depends how she is mentally. If she’s nervous, then at first, when you come from the passage to the walk, sometimes then it takes a few meters for her to really relax in the walk.

Many riders talk about the mental side of dressage. How do you stay grounded through setbacks and expectations—especially after Paris?

I think when you work in the horse industry, especially as a professional, you have so many setbacks. Obviously, the highlight of that was the Paris Olympics with the blood incident; that was truly terrible and frustrating. But I think at the end of the day, you need to appreciate that your horse is alive because it always can be worse, right? And that you, as a rider, are healthy.

For many years, my dad had a funeral home business, and I think sometimes you get hung up on life, on the little things. Every day we wake up and are healthy is a good day.

With that said, yes, frustrating things happen, but at the end of the day, you have to believe that hopefully next time you can make it better. I mean, you have to do your homework: stay fit, keep going, believe in your training, believe in your horse. Unexpected things will always happen because we work with animals: you will have a good show, you will have a bad show, but in the end you need to trust in yourself and in your staff, your team, your coach, farrier, vet … that everything is on the right track for success.

You mentioned returning to Wellington, Florida, in January. What are your competition goals leading up to the 2026 World Championships in Germany?

Yes, obviously we’ll need to qualify for this. That’s why I want to start early in January to get her out because our last show was in Aachen this summer. Jane has been having a little break now, then we’ll have to start building it up again, slowly, without pressure, and try to make it to the shortlist and then hopefully make it for the team in Aachen.

And finally—if you had to describe Jane in a few words, what would they be?

Oh, this is difficult. I would say, maybe, sweet, sensitive teddy bear. Because on the ground, she’s the sweetest mare. I know it’s hard to believe, but she likes cuddles. I mean, you can lie next to her in the stall, and she will give you a lick and ask for scratches. Then you get on her, and she turns into this hot, fire-breathing dragon!

The post Marcus Orlob And Jane Rise As Top-Ranked US Dressage Pair appeared first on The Chronicle of the Horse.

It was a Dutton family affair at last weekend’s Plantation Field International (Pennsylvania), as patriarch Phillip Dutton won the CCI4*-S division aboard Possante and earned top-10 finishes on two other mounts, while his daughter Olivia Dutton, coming back from a serious riding accident this summer, placed fifth and 17^th, respectively, in the CCI3*-S. 

Plantation is just 15 minutes down the road from West Grove, Pennsylvania, where Phillip and his wife Evie run True Prospect Farm. The couple has three daughters, including Olivia and her twin Mary Dutton, 24, and Lee Lee Jones, 31. 

Philip, in a quick chat while taking a break from training, said Plantation served as a good warm up for “Impy,” a 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood (Namelus R—Wendelien, Ontangelo R) owned by The Possante Group, and his seventh-placed finisher Denim, a 10-year-old Holsteiner (Dinken—Celia II, Ibisco) owned by Ann Jones, Caroline Moran, Neill Sites and Ann Lapides, before both geldings tackle the Morven Park International CCI4*-L, slated for Oct. 9-12 in Leesburg, Virginia.

“It was a great run. They were strong on the cross-country course, which is perfect preparation for Morven,” said Phillilp, 62. “When you’re preparing for something like that, there’s a balance between keeping the horses healthy, but then, you know, pushing them so they’re going to be ready. They have to be properly prepared but not babied.”

Phillip and Impy held the top spot in the CCI4*-S from start to finish, adding only 2.4 time faults on cross-country—the fastest round of the division—to win with a score of 26.9. Dutton also took ninth on Mr. Cash Van De Start, who he was riding for owner Sarah Kuhn, who will be taking the ride back over. 

Meanwhile, in her second competition back since being injured in July, Olivia piloted two of her father’s former rides to strong finishes in the 55-horse CCI3*-S division. She finished fifth aboard Sea Of Clouds, a 14-year-old Thoroughbred (Malibu Moon—Winners Ticket, Jolie’s Halo) owned by the Sea of Clouds Partnership, and 17^thon Jewelent, a 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse (Valent—Bellaney Jewel, Roselier) owned by the Jewelent Group.

Impy and Denim have gone from strength to strength this season, Phillip said. He partnered with Impy on the Defender U.S. Eventing Team that finished second in the CHIO Aachen CCIO4*-S (Germany) in July and was a close second to Will Coleman and Off The Record at in the Cosequin Lexington CCI4*-S (Kentucky) April. Additionally, Denim finished 14^th competing individually at Aachen and fourth at Kentucky in the CCI4*-S.

Congratulations on your win on Possante at Plantation. Tell me more about him and his development in the two years you’ve had him? 

We took it pretty slow in the beginning. He had a few physical issues that I wasn’t able to push on with, and I’ve taken my time to get him up to this level. 

We didn’t take it too fast on cross-country or galloping for a while. I’ve been developing his understanding of cross-country and trying to get him so that he’s really prepared that when I do want to go fast, he can. I think it’s worked out well. He’s pretty rideable now and very honest, and he has the makings of a really top horse.

The show jumping has been the hardest part for him, and we’ve had to put the most work in with that, and I’m very fortunate to have [Olympic show jumper] Lauren Hough overseeing his training and what we do with him. It’s really paid off. I was particularly pleased with his show jumping round at Plantation. It was really good. He’s naturally very gifted and takes your eye on the flat. He’s sort of a natural at dressage. He’s always scored well in it, and he can score a lot better in another year or two. 

Reflecting on your success last weekend, what makes Plantation Field a good final outing before heading to Morven Park? 

Well, the course at Morven is built, or designed, by the same course designer [Derek di Grazia], and he’s arguably one of the best in the world. It’s always a challenge when he’s building the course. And then the terrain at Plantation is quite unique. It’s quite hilly around Chester County, so that’s a fitness thing, and then when you’re galloping up and down and coming to jumps, it makes it that much more difficult, and that’s why time is pretty hard to make. 

Why did you opt for Morven over the Maryland 5 Star this year for either Possante or Denim to end the season? 

I really want to produce these two well, and obviously, I’m getting towards the end of my career, so I want to make sure I’m doing everything right by them. 

They’re going to do the four-long this year, and then, you know, maybe we can move them up next year. 

Olivia is riding two of your former horses, Sea Of Clouds and Jewelent. Is True Prospect Farm becoming a family business that she might inherit from you in the future? 

She would like to do that tomorrow (chuckling). 

At Plantation, Olivia was back in the saddle after getting injured this summer. Can you talk a little bit about her injury and recovery, and how she’s feeling after last weekend? 

She was breaking in a horse, and the horse slipped, and landed on her. She had pelvis and hip fractures, so this is a pretty quick turnaround for her to come back and be competing at this level. Fortunately, it all went well, and she’s back on track, but she’s still got to take it a bit easy. 

The post The Slow Road Is Paying Off For Phillip Dutton And Plantation Winner Possante appeared first on The Chronicle of the Horse.

Show jumper Kyle King has long thought of Spruce Meadows, where the native Californian first competed as a 14-year-old, as a second home. That decades-long connection to the venue made his clear round and jump-off aboard Kayenne Z in the $5 million ($3.62 million USD) CPKC ‘International’ CSI5 Grand Prix on Sept. 7 an especially meaningful career milestone. King stood second on the podium beside winner Scott Brash, collecting $735,300 USD of the biggest purse in the show’s 50-year history.

King’s 10-year-old partner “Kaya” (Kannan—Alexsandria, Canezaro) had previously competed up to the four-star level in Europe before King took on the mare as a sale project in early 2025. It took only a few months of working with the Zangersheide before he realized that with every increasing challenge, Kaya got better. He made a plan to secure the mare, knowing he’d never had a horse quite like her, and moved her up to the five-star level in June.

“She’s impressive,” said King, 50, who now lives in Langley, British Columbia. “When you’re around her, you feel it. She’s got the ‘it factor.’ ” 

In Sunday’s grand prix, King felt the mare rise to the occasion once again, tackling one of the sport’s most demanding courses with her signature sense of ease.

“Honestly it felt like I was jumping a 1.20-meter course the other day,” he said. “You’re not looking at the jump cantering down to them thinking, ‘Oh, they’re big,’ when you’re on her. You really feel like you have this tremendous power underneath you—tons of ability, careful, smart. She’s got it all.”

We caught up with King to learn more about Kaya, whom his team lovingly calls “Big Momma,” and to learn more about his plans for the talented mare following their near-win at Spruce Meadows. 

Congratulations on your weekend. Can you tell me about the first round and the feeling of making the jump-off?

You know, when I walked the first round, everybody’s always so excited to see what’s going to be set out there in a class like that. We knew there would be something special. The first thing we kind of all noticed was the water jump with a pole in the middle of it. So, you know, it’s a 10- or 11-foot water jump and then, like, a 1.50-meter vertical in the middle of it. It was very intimidating looking. We don’t get to see that kind of stuff very often. So that was the first thing that got everybody’s attention, and it turned out to be a pretty good jump to jump. 

Then there was the skinny [before the open water]. It was a little bit of a question; some people were getting seven or eight to the water. When I walked it, my first instinct was to get the seven, which I thought would make the six, and then the five [to the next two fences] ride better for my mare. That’s what I ended up doing, and that worked out pretty good. That was about the time I kind of settled down. 

Kaya tried really hard. I got some really lucky rubs through the triple combination [which led into the last fence]. It was a great feeling, jumping the last jump, looking up and realizing you’re clean in a class like that. Those are the little moments you dream about. For sure, it was one of those moments—all these years and training build up to a moment like that. Then to be able to pull it off was pretty cool.

[Watch their second-round performance, which earned them a jump-off spot as just one of two riders with a single rail down.]

What did you think when you’re suddenly in a two rider jump-off with Scott Brash, the only person who’s ever won the Rolex Grand Slam?

Again, it’s one of those dream scenarios. That’s exactly what you dream up. I was pretty happy with myself—the way I conducted my head, anyway—through the whole thing. I was in a good zone. I was in there to compete, and I was going to win it. 

It was just down to us two. So I got on and they said [Brash] was heading up to the ring. I got ready and jumped; I just wanted to jump in the paddock, because I had just come out of the ring. They said he pulled a shoe. So then it was kind of like icing the kicker; I had to sit there for about five or six minutes—the longest five or six minutes of my life. But I kept it together. 

My wife [Emily King] was there, and I had Tiffany Foster on the ground. She’s been in that situation a lot, and it was really nice to have her kind of there on the ground just kind of helping me through. 

I stood in the in-gate and watched [Brash] go and saw what I needed to do. And, oh man, I thought I did it! I knew I was pretty quick on the rollback to the wall. That showed up just beautiful. And then I just caught a really good one coming around the end of the double. I knew I was ahead on time. I slowed down, got on her hocks to the planks to make the rollback [on the third to last fence] and just rubbed it behind. 

Watch King’s jump-off round, courtesy of ClipMyHorse.tv:

Honestly, I haven’t really had time to watch it. Obviously I ended up second, but like I said, it’s a career moment—what you dreamed about your whole life and to be lined up and have a seat at the table and walk in there, I was very proud of my mare’s performance and my performance.

I read that you do like to watch videos of your riding. What do you think it will feel like to watch this one?

Oh, it’ll be super exciting. I’m sure I’ll analyze it. Nick Skelton told me after that if I would have left that step out, I probably had a better chance of leaving that plank up. I’m kind of dying to watch that, because in my head, I was thinking about making the turn on the backside of it. You don’t want to go run at the planks either, but he’s obviously the master, and I’m kind of curious to watch that back and see.

Tell me about this mare. Where did she come from, and how did that partnership come together for you two?

I got super lucky. She was [ridden] by Ann Carton-Grootjans. Very good friends of mine for many years, Michael Korompis and Kirsten Rombouts, they’re partners in Europe, and they’re who I trust finding horses for me over there. I had gone over looking for a horse this time last, and they had taken me to Ann’s stables to try another horse.

I wasn’t in any position to try that mare; I was trying some younger horses. And then when I came back this winter, Michael called me and asked me if I’d be interested in taking Kayenne, and getting her sold in America.

I think she got there kind of the middle of February. She’d been in quarantine for a month, so I put her in a couple 1.30-meter rounds. Didn’t think all that much. I’d seen some videos of her jumping some 1.50-meter classes, but the rideability was a little different, and I wasn’t totally sold on her. Then I moved her up to the 1.40 meters, and she was a lot better. Then I put her in a 1.45-meter class, and she was even better. 

Then I put her in a 1.50-meter class one night in really weird conditions: a windstorm, very spooky. I almost scratched, but I’m glad I didn’t because I learned a lot about her that night. She went clear and ended up really good in the jump-off. And then at that moment, I knew that I had something pretty cool. I was sitting on a really cool horse, and was trying to figure out how to secure her for my future for myself. 

One of my very good friends, Greg Tomb, stepped up and backed me on securing her for the future, and that was just done right before we went to Spruce Meadows. We went to Spruce, and she just kind of grew and grew and grew. We got second the Queen Elizabeth Cup, and then got ourselves invited to the [Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’]. We fought hard all week and got qualified, which it was not an easy task to even qualify for the grand prix this year. She then fought her way all the way into second place in the biggest grand prix in the world. That’s pretty cool. 

It seems like you have spent a lot of time at Spruce Meadows over the years. I’m wondering if there’s a familiarity with the venue that you think kind of helped you with this recent success.

Oh, one hundred percent. Spruce Meadows, I know very, very well. I’ve been coming up here since I rode in that ring when I was 14 for the first time, which, you do the math! That’s a long time ago. I know that ring very well, and I’m very comfortable in it. 

I’ve lived in Calgary for a lot of time, a lot of summers, and it does feel like home. I feel like I have a home-field advantage, and then I also show up there all summer. So I couldn’t have had a better training grounds to get ready for what we just did.

It’s so interesting to hear you say that the higher you raise the fences, and the tougher the conditions, the more the horse rises to the occasion. What in her personality do you attribute that to?

She’s just one of those special mares. I used to always get the mares and stallions that were difficult back in the day, but I haven’t had a really good mare in a while—and maybe never quite like this one. She’s very intelligent. She’s like a bull, very strong in her body, but very willing. 

What’s next? What are your goals with Kaya?

What’s next up is pretty cool. I caught a spot on one of the Major League Show Jumping teams, the Northern Lights. So I’m going to join up with the Major League five-star tour here starting in two weeks. I go back and do Connecticut, New York and then Tryon. 

So she gets a few weeks to recover, we go back, and we do one big five-star, and then a week off, and then two more big five-stars. She’s got a lot of work ahead of her, but she does need the miles at this level and some different venues. 

We’re going to be busy the rest of the season. I gave her a really big break after the summer series of Spruce, anticipating this big push. She had six weeks of downtime after Spruce Meadows in the summer, so she should be just right for this push.

The post Ringside Chat: Kayenne Z Is Spicing Up Kyle King’s Career appeared first on The Chronicle of the Horse.

Since Cristalline’s retirement in 2023, Sternlicht has been building up her group of international horses and representing the U.S. on several Nations Cup teams with Starlight Farms 1 LLC’s Benny’s Legacy.

Now, she’s got another up-and-coming star in the barn in Origa V/H Zuid-Pajottenland, an 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding (Thunder VD Zuuthoeve—Kwinta V/H Zuid-Pajottenland, Ogano Sitte) also owned by Starlight Farms 1 LLC. 

Sternlicht first paired up with “Rigi” in fall 2022, about a year after he’d moved up to the five-star level with Sweden’s Jonna Ekberg. A freak accident where he broke his hip at Sternlicht’s farm in Wellington, Florida, meant he was out of jumping at the top level for almost a year.

The pair spent the latter part of 2023 and most of 2024 campaigning at the five-star level in Europe and the U.S. before a leg injury last fall meant Rigi had to sit out the winter season. Since coming back to competition in June, he and Sternlicht have been working up to the five-star level again, and they topped the $340,000 Grand Prix CSI5* at the RBC Ottawa International Horse Show on Aug. 17 in Ottawa, Ontario. Sternlicht also won the $35,000 1.45-meter Grand Prix CSI2* the same day on Starlight Farms 1 LLC’s Corablue Z, a 9-year-old Zangersheide mare (Corydon Van T&L—Linsey, Los Angeles).

We caught up with Sternlicht, 32, of Greenwich, Connecticut, to learn more about Rigi’s journey to his big win and her plans for the future.

Congratulations on your weekend! Tell me about winning the big grand prix with Rigi. You were one of only three riders to make the jump-off.

It had rained earlier in the day, and it was the last class on the field after having been jumped on all week. So, I think [the small jump-off was the result of] a combination of the ground and Marina Azevedo built a very difficult track. She built a proper five-star grand prix. Even though the entries were limited [there were 24 that jumped], she was not messing around, which personally I love.

I love when the course is difficult, because I also think it’s really important that the level in the [North America] stays as comparable to five-stars in Europe as possible in order for us to feel adequately prepared when we go over there for championships and Nations Cups, and not just in Florida.

You’ve had Rigi since 2022. What’s his journey been like with you?

I thought he was a horse to jump any class in the world. And then, my third ride on him, he broke his third trochanter, which is basically his hip. 

He’s really sharp. He’s a funny horse because he seems quite relaxed—a bit like a golden retriever—but then he actually has a lot of blood, and he’s quite sharp outside of the ring. I remember in that ride, he had actually broken a draw rein bucking after a cavaletti. … I could feel that I was about to get hurt, so I jumped off, and he ran back into the barn, and at that point there were still some stone pavers, and he slid and slipped and fell on stone pavers when he took off. He ended up being on stall rest for about 45 days, then I spent the whole winter in Florida just rehabbing him.

[When he came back], he moved up really quickly during his 9-year-old year, I think in six months he went from jumping 1.45 to 1.55 meters. I think as any partnership does, it ebbs and flows a bit, especially as horses move up the levels. 

In the fall of 2023 he was already doing four-star grand prix. And that was not only because of his character—he’s incredibly brave and scopey—but also just my horse situation. I haven’t traditionally had three or more horses; I’ve traditionally had one or two horses to jump the bigger classes, because I’m always trying to produce horses a little bit up to the level.

[After his leg injury in the fall of 2024], he feels actually better than he did before. It’s been a bit of an off year for me, really. The past couple of years I haven’t been jumping so much on the world stage. I’ve jumped some five-star classes and things like that, but not in a super competitive manner. This winter I really took my time bringing him back.

Watch their winning round from the RBC Grand Prix CSI5*, courtesy of Horse Network:

What’s he like to ride, and what’s he like in the barn?

He’s lovely on the ground. He’s probably the sweetest horse I’ve ever had. He will lick anything. He’s kind of like a golden retriever to ride. He has a fair amount of character. He’s quite opinionated, and he knows how strong he is. He’s built like an ox. He’s not huge, but he’s quite stout in how he’s built, and he’s a horse who, honestly, I’ve had trouble connecting with at certain moments. Sometimes it’s hard to read him and what he wants.

In the past year, I did the majority of his rehab myself. I think any time that you take that down time to spend with a horse, and also whenever a horse is out from sport, [it is valuable].

I always go back and watch videos and reflect on previous rounds. And during that time, I know I also grew a lot as a rider, because I learned new fundamentals from working with [Dutch Olympic gold medalist and former world champion] Jeroen Dubbeldam. Being able to apply those now, I feel like I have so much of a better understanding of the horse, and I’m able to serve him better in the ring. 

He’s always a bit distracted—like he often lands on the wrong lead. He’s not a horse who’s super focused and honed in, because I think everything is quite easy for him that he’s been presented with thus far in his life.

My mental approach to him has been that I don’t really like to grind on the horses. I ask him a question, and then when he does it, I leave him alone. Like, I rode him for 10 minutes before the grand prix just to make sure he was listening to me. And once he was listening, I give him his peace. Every horse has their own way. Many riders would work their horse for 40 minutes before the grand prix. But for him, I found that’s not what works.

McLain Ward has been an important mentor in your riding career, but you’ve made a change in trainers fairly recently. Tell me about working with Jeroen Dubbeldam.

McLain and I stopped working together the end of 2021. It was very mutual. We had been together for many years, and he and I both felt it was important that I went on my own for a bit. I think as riders, it’s one of the most amazing things about our sport that you never stop learning, and I was eager to learn from somebody else. I think when horses are your life, you spend so much time at the shows, and you kind of get glimpses into other systems and other methodologies. I knew that it was important for my own personal growth that I go out on my own. 

I was on my own for a year and a half, then during the fall of 2023, I wasn’t training with anyone specifically, and I ended up reaching out to Jeroen Dubbeldam. Obviously, he’s one of the most respected horse professionals—he’s a legend, and I have an insatiable quest for knowledge in every aspect of my life. I really wanted to learn a new system because I felt like I knew the American system quite well. 

When I moved to Europe in April of last year, [Rigi] was my only horse jumping big classes at that point in time. I stayed there for four or five months. During that time, I learned the nuts and bolts of Jeroen’s system, which as I was there, I realized how much different it was from what I knew.

What are your goals for the rest of 2025 and looking into the future?

For the remainder of the calendar year, my focus is really on getting my [FEI] ranking up so that I can ride on teams again. I will definitely make a bid for the world championships next year, but I believe in breaking down a goal. 

I have one horse who hasn’t jumped a five-star grand prix yet. His name is Los Angeles De La Cense [an 11-year-old Westphalian gelding (Los Angeles—Lancley, Lancer III) owned by Starlight Farms 1 LLC], and I think a lot of him, so to move him up to the five-star level this fall, just to be consistently jumping at the top level and be quite competitive, so that I set myself up to have a big year next year.

You are a 2016 graduate of Brown University (Rhode Island) with a degree in public policy, and you earned a master’s degree in human rights at Columbia University (New York). As an equestrian, how important is education and a broader worldview to you?

I do a bunch of things. I don’t just ride at the minute. I’m working on a political project that isn’t something I can speak publicly about yet, but I’m really excited about, and that’s quite a serious time commitment. So, I spend a fair amount of time working with a small group of other passionate, kind of young, politicized people. I also work a bit in finance. I keep myself super busy, which I feel incredibly lucky to be able to do. I know how privileged I am to be able to ride the way that I do. And I know that I always want to lead a multi-dimensional life, and I don’t feel that that interferes with my commitment or my dedication to my sport. And I’m really, really lucky to have a really good team around me.

The post Adrienne Sternlicht Is Back In The Big Leagues With A ‘Golden Retriever’ appeared first on The Chronicle of the Horse.

As a three-time Olympic medalist, Guenter Seidel has spent his entire career pursuing competitive excellence in dressage. His next chapter will be no different. 

Seidel, alongside Olivia LaGoy-Weltz, was appointed as a U.S. Equestrian Federation dressage assistant pathway coach last month. He will support the coaching efforts of Chef d’Equipe Christine Traurig and USEF Dressage High Performance & Pathway Development Advisor George Williams, as the entire team works to identify and prepare riders for the podium at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and beyond. 

Meanwhile, the Cardiff, California-based professional has not abandoned his own competitive ambitions. He intends to stay a familiar face in competitions on both coasts. Of his string of horses in training, two are currently competing at the Grand Prix level: Jack (Johnson—Dimensa, Dimension), a 13-year-old Rhinelander gelding, and Equirelle (Florett AS—Orchidee T, Donnerhall), a 16-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare. Louise Leatherdale owns both horses. 

We recently caught up with Seidel to learn about this next step in his career, his horses, and what he does in the fleeting moments he’s away from them. 

How are you feeling about taking on a new role as a USEF dressage pathway coach? 

I’m excited about it. You know, I’m still competing myself a little bit. So I didn’t really think I was going to try to get into this role so quickly, but it just all worked out well. And I still can ride and compete myself a little bit, which is great because I ride some beautiful horses owned by Louise Leatherdale. I’m super excited about helping, especially with having Christine [Traurig] in the program as well, because I’m good friends with Christine and the whole crew.

Christine is pretty much the main person, so I’m more in charge of developing people coming up to the Grand Prix level, including the under-25 Grand Prix riders, which are the kids coming out of the [FEI] Young Riders. They’re just starting their careers, which makes it a great, great division. I love working with those kids.

Why did you decide to take the job now? 

Right now, we’re gearing up toward the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028 and really trying to scout and make sure we’re getting a strong field coming up to the Grand Prix that’ll be ready when the time comes. And I think that it takes a lot of work, and it can’t be done by one person. I wanted to help.

Tell us about your current string. 

I have two main horses right now, but the newest one is named Jack. I’ve had him for probably two or three years now. I’ve shown him a little bit at the Grand Prix the last couple of seasons but not that much. I feel like it’s taken me a long time to get to know him and figure him out. But I feel like I’ve finally gotten to that point where we click. Hopefully this coming season, we can be a little more competitive in the Grand Prix. 

And then my longtime partner is a mare named Equirelle. She’s older, as she’s 16. But because she had a tendon injury a while back, she’s been off for a year. She’s coming back into work now, and she’s doing quite well. I think she should be ready to be competitive this year and be in full work at the Grand Prix. I also have a couple of young horses going in the Prix St. George right now. But they’re still coming up.

You were injured not too long ago yourself. 

Yeah, unfortunately, I had to have a couple of back surgeries recently, which threw me back a little bit. It wasn’t a horse injury at all; I just started having sciatic pain. I had a really good friend who is a very famous back surgeon; his name is Dr. [Robert] Bray, and he took me on. The problem ended up being a cyst in my lower back. It had to come out and be operated on, because it pushed into the nerve and caused a lot of sciatic pain.

There were some complications with the cyst, too, as it got a little infected. So there was a little bit back and forth, medically. We had to go in twice again and clean it out and stuff. It’s been going on for eight months, off and on. But I’ve ridden in between procedures, so it’s not like I’ve been off the horse the whole time or anything. Even when I competed in that time, the pain really was not too bad.

Now that you’re fully back in business, how will you balance your competitive goals with your responsibilities as an assistant pathway development coach? 

That’s why we have multiple pathway coaches. Let’s say I’m at a competition, and a student’s ride times interfere with my rides. Then, someone else on the team—Christina, Olivia or George, probably—would step in and help a little bit. But most of the competitors I will be helping with also have their own coaches with them at these competitions. So it’s probably not going to be too big of a problem to coordinate everything and make it work. 

I think everything has its plus and minus. Of course, since I want to compete, it takes away a little bit, time-wise, because it can interfere with the show. But I also think that if you’re competing yourself, and you’re going down the centerline yourself, you stay sharp yourself. You know what someone is going through, going down the centerline. Not that other people can’t do that or don’t have that; the other coaches have all shown and competed themselves. But I think sometimes if you yourself are right in the middle of it at that second, your heart is a little more in it right now. And you know a little bit more how it feels in the moment.

What are your plans for the upcoming winter season? 

I’ve gone to Wellington [Florida] a few times, but I haven’t been in the last couple of years. I’m not quite sure whether I’ll go this year. I’m in the process of talking to Louise, who owns the horses, and she has a ranch in Wellington, so I think this coming season, I might like to go there again to compete.

I’d like to go because I think the horses are in a different place now. They are actually competitive now. Being down there, where they can show because there are more shows there, would be good. And the horses need to show more in Florida, because you have a little bit of a better atmosphere there, in the way of spectators. Then the horses will get more used to the crowd. You don’t have that as much here in California, and [there are] just more shows in general. Also, because Louise has a farm there, it’s easier for me to travel there. I don’t have to make a lot of arrangements. It’s pretty easy to pick up the horses and go there. All of those kinds of things.

When you’re not at the barn, what do you get up to? 

I surf. Mostly because I live close to the ocean. I come home, grab my stuff, and just go down the beach and get in the water. But unfortunately, I haven’t gone in a while, because of the problems I’ve had with my back. I’m doing better now, so I will start back up pretty soon. And just generally staying active, working out a little bit on the side, and cooking dinners—those are all a big part of what I do outside of the barn. I have a very, very blessed life.

The post Guenter Seidel Has A New Job But Same Dreams  appeared first on The Chronicle of the Horse.

It’s hard to believe Alessandra Volpi just turned 25 when you look at her international show jumping record. After a young rider career that included two FEI North American Youth Championships experiences, she graduated to the senior level with a bang in 2022, making her first five-star Nations Cup team and her first FEI World Cup Finals appearance that year, both aboard the talented mare Berlinda. 

Now, after spending the past year training in Germany and Florida with Marcus and Meredith Beerbaum, Volpi is back at the top again, this time with a pair of mares—Gipsy Love and Candy Luck Z, both owned by Cedar Fox LLC.

After an impressive appearance earlier this year with “Gipsy,” an 11-year-old Slovakian Warmblood (Guidam Sohn—Cholula L.A.T., L’Esprit), at the Longines FEI World Cup Finals (Switzerland), where they finished third in the second round of competition before withdrawing with a minor injury, Volpi has been competing on the European circuit with both mares and her string of younger horses. Last week, she was part of the U.S. team that finished fifth in the Longines League Of Nations Rotterdam (the Netherlands), along with Aaron Vale and Paris Olympians Karl Cook and Laura Kraut. 

Volpi was born in California but spent a few early years in London. She fell in love with horses on pony rides in Hyde Park before her family moved back to the San Francisco Bay Area. She trained with Max Amaya and then Harley Brown before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Then, while school was fully online, she decided to chase her dreams to the Florida winter circuit.

She graduated in 2022 from Stanford University (California), where she majored in science, technology and society, and minored in civil environmental engineering, but returned to horses full time after college.

We caught up with her after Rotterdam to learn more about her love of mares, what she learned from the Beerbaums, and what’s next for her.

Tell me about your team experience at Rotterdam with Gipsy Love. It was your first time there?

After the World Cup Final this year, which went well, I really wanted the chance to jump on a team, and [Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland] suggested to us that I jump this one, which I think was a really good fit for my horse. It is obviously an important Nations Cup for the U.S. because we needed to qualify for the [Longines League of Nations Final, taking place in October in Barcelona]. It’s both intimidating and exciting to have that pressure on you, but I always find being on teams with the more experienced athletes and horses to be inspiring. 

I guess you can see it as a lot of pressure, but I think you can choose to see yourself as, like, this is proof of all the work: I’m here on this level now with these people. I’m jumping on a team with them for a reason. It’s really exciting. It’s really fun, and it’s also an honor to learn from them, watch them and get a chance to do it myself.

It was my first time at Rotterdam. I think when I go into a Nations Cup week, the team class is always my focus. My main goal was to do my best try and jump clear rounds for the team. 

I jumped two three-star [Nations Cups] in the past month and a half, as preparation to jump on that team, and both of those I would categorize as rocky experiences. I’m working with my two best horses [Gipsy and Candy Luck Z] now; one is 11, one is 10, and so they’re a bit newer to the level. I haven’t had them all that long—both of them about a year and a half—so it was a lot of learning. We had a few bumps in the road. I was nervous, but I was excited. And to be honest, I think sometimes I do my best performances under pressure. 

We managed to jump clear in the first round, which was super exciting, and it let the team move on to the second round, where we had two down, but my horse still jumped really well. I think we have a lot of things to work on back at the barn for our next team appearance. But I was super happy with her, and it was a challenging class.

Tell me about your partnership with Gipsy.

I got her at the end of the last Florida season. She was bred in the Czech Republic, which is quite unusual, and Christian Kukuk [the 2024 Paris Olympics individual gold medalist from Germany] saw her as a 6-year-old and bought her along with Ludger Beerbaum. When she was 8, she was sold to another American, Anna Dryden, who rides in Ludger’s program. Marcus always had eyes on the horse. I was looking for a potential grand prix horse, and Anna was willing to sell her at that moment in time. I think we got lucky with her, and Marcus always saw the potential in her, and she’s turning into a really amazing partner.

I always say she’s a very special horse. I don’t think we understood each other very well at the beginning of our relationship; she’s very sensitive, and you need to really work with her in the way that she wants to be ridden. You have to agree with her—she’s a mare—so it doesn’t feel like I’m telling her what to do. It’s me and her working together always and trying to bring the best out of each other. It’s listening to her. And I feel like when we make a mistake, I think, “How can I understand her better?” not, “How can I make her better?”

You had an incredible start to the FEI World Cup Final this year in Switzerland, finishing third during the second round and sitting seventh before the final round, but then you withdrew. Tell me what happened and what you learned from the experience?

That was an amazing experience. I actually didn’t think I was qualified to go. I hadn’t had incredible success in the qualifiers, and somehow I managed to have enough points to qualify through the Western League. Lizzie Chesson [USEF managing director of show jumping] came up to me toward the end of the Florida season and was like, “Any chance you want to go to World Cup Finals?”

At that point, Gipsy and I were starting to kind of understand each other more and perform more in the big grand prix [classes] in Florida. I talked to Marcus, and we decided to give it a shot. 

I had no expectations. I’ve jumped this horse one time indoors. We tried to prepare the best we could, of course, but you never know. A championship is a completely new, different environment, even from jumping a five-star grand prix. I kind of went in just focused on doing our best and growing as a partnership from the week.

We were clear the first day, and I was over the moon, and then had a double-clear in the jump-off class, which, I think there were only six clear rounds that day. It was very special feeling. And it was just one of those moments where you’re like, oh my gosh, all this hard work finally comes together and shows you that you’re doing it right. 

I had to withdraw from the final because she had overreached and just wasn’t fit to compete in the final round. She was totally fine body soundness-wise, just couldn’t compete on that foot. She was back to being all good in a week’s time. A lot of people were like, “Oh, how sad and unfortunate,” and, “What a bad ending to this week.’ ” And I was like, “Are you kidding? I came here with no expectations. My horse jumped three clear rounds in this championship!” 

I was so happy, and it gave me a lot more confidence in myself and her and our partnership. So that was really an amazing week for us.

What’s it been like training with the Beerbaums over the past year?

I think [Marcus] is incredibly proven in his training. I mean, if you look at the roster of, especially American women, that have come through his program and had a lot of success, it’s pretty incredible, which is why I kind of sought him out in the first place. 

Part of what I appreciate so much about him is that he gives me a lot of confidence in trusting my own instinct. Like, if I think that I should try something or do something, he’s like, “Alright, give it a shot.” And that’s, in my opinion, the best way to learn. 

I think he also puts a lot of emphasis on flat work, and the work at home that goes in—you’re not changing everything at the show. If you look at Meredith and the work he did with her, you know, it’s a very different type of horse or riding style than you would maybe expect from a traditional German-style instruction. It’s traditional theories applied to a more modern style. 

You’ve got more mares than geldings or stallions in your string right now. Why do you think you connect with mares?

Actually, it’s pretty bad! Like, now, if I’m looking at a horse to buy or try or whatever, I’m [jokingly disappointed] it’s a gelding, which is not how I should act! [Laughs.] And I’m trying to get rid of that prejudice, but I am a big fan of mares.

I think that when they want to fight for you, they really fight for you. Not to say geldings don’t or stallions don’t—I also have a really talented stallion—but Berlinda was my first, most amazing mare, and I always just tend to have a good relationship with them.

What are your plans for the future? Do you want to do the horses full time?

I never say never to anything. Every time there’s a kid that’s like, ‘I don’t know if I want to go to college,’ I tell them, ‘Definitely go to college,’ because you never know. College was the most amazing experience. I did like the academic work and the internships that I had through school. 

Right now, the horses are my passion, and luckily, I have the support to pursue that at least for the undetermined future. But I can definitely see myself also working with my education.

We just bought a farm in North Salem [New York] in an effort to get a home base, because I was just floating a little bit [between Florida and the Beerbaums’ German base].

I’ve been working hard to build a younger team of horses that I can bring through the development phases into grand prix horses. I think that process really works for me. A lot of them I have are 7, 8, 9, so that way, when we get to the grand prix age of 10, 11, 12, 13, whatever, you know them so well, and they’re more tailored to your program and your riding. I enjoy that process a lot, so that’s how I try to build and keep the team going.

My goal for the next couple years is to try and get as much team experience as I can. It’s a whole different feeling jumping for the team than it is for yourself. I’m trying to learn by doing and just put myself out there and be OK to make mistakes. I’m focused a little bit less on hard and fast results and more on just building this year. Not to say I don’t enjoy good results, but I try not to make it my main focus. I don’t think I’ve always felt that way, but I’m learning that that is the better way to be, at least for myself.

The post Alessandra Volpi Jumps Onto The World Stage With A Pair Of Mares appeared first on The Chronicle of the Horse.

In that time, she made her five-star debut with Copper Beach at Pau (France), where they were 16^th, and last year they contested the “Big B’s” of Badminton and Burghley (England) before that horse’s retirement this year at 19. This year, Green headed to Longines Luhmühlen CCI5*-L (Germany), June 12-15, for the first time, bringing with her two horses she’s brought up to advanced.

She finished fourth with Highly Suspicious, a 15-year-old Irish Sport Horse by Russel owned by her parents, Edie and Clay Green, in their second attempt at the level. They traveled back to the U.S. last year to contest the Mars Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill, where they led the dressage on Day 1, but were eliminated cross-country. This spring they were 13^th at the Bicton International CCI4*-S (England), where they were part of a young U.S. team that finished second in the FEI Eventing Nations Cup. At Luhmühlen “Puff” added just 0.4 show jumping time penalties to their dressage score of 34.6 and were one of four pairs to make time on cross-country.

It was a five-star debut for Jos UFO De Quidam, a 17-year-old Argentine Warmblood (Lobby Des Fortes—Remonta Guinea). “UFO” was brought up to three-star by Heather Morris before she gave Green the ride in 2022. In 2023, the pair finished 25^th at Boekelo CCIO4*-L (the Netherlands), where they were the top-placed rookie pair. At Luhmühlen, UFO was just over the time on cross-country and added a rail and time in show jumping finish eighth on a score of 44.2.

“It’s amazing when it pays off and comes together, and when the team is proud and everyone’s happy and pleased. That’s what makes me the happiest, as well as when the horses are happy and enjoy themselves,” she said.

We caught up with Green to hear about her European plans and the experience at Luhmühlen.

You originally only planned on staying in England for a couple years, what made you decide to stay abroad longer?

It was always my plan that I’d come home after a year or two. I feel like I’m still not done yet, and I wanted to be more competitive, have bigger dreams and goals, and I feel like the best place to do that would be in England, just in the sense of horse quality and support system and the lifestyle. It seems like the obvious answer of how to make my dreams come true. Hopefully I’m here to stay for a good while.

What have you been working on this season?

This season’s been an interesting one. There’s been a lot of growth in it. I have really been starting to ride a lot more horses and growing my string and establishing myself as a professional over here. I’ve done lots of competing, all different levels, all different types of horses. That’s something that I’ve been working on, just being able to diversify myself as an athlete, competing everywhere, all types.

Then on another note, I’ve just kind of been focusing on getting the horses to peak when I need them to peak. And then thinking about the older horses’ goals, and then the younger horses’ goals, and just quietly producing the younger ones. … I’m just trying to be very methodical this season and this year [in regard to] “This one needs to go here and not there,” and just trying to have a better idea of what it takes to get to the top levels and trying to spread that out accordingly.

What made you decide now’s the right time to take these horses to a five-star, and what made you choose Luhmühlen?

Puff obviously tried his debut at Maryland. I really thought he was ready and prepared for that, but to be honest, he felt not himself a couple of the days of the competition. I still have no idea what happened or what went wrong necessarily, because he was on such good form, other than he just felt not himself. Whether that was the travel or not, I’m still not sure to this day, but ever since then, he’s been on incredible form. He’s come out this year feeling amazing. So just kind of in response to that, I thought Luhmühlen would be a good pick for him, because they say it’s not as big in dimension, which is true, but it definitely had its own different kind of difficulties to the other five-stars. I knew that he would feel, hopefully, nice and confident around there, which he definitely did. If anything, he was a little bit too keen, but we’ll take that.

Then for UFO, I’ve always thought that kind of track would really suit him, because he’s tiny and he’s so easy to turn and so quick on cross-country, that I thought he would just really, really kind of thrive in that twisty type of track, and he really did.

How do you feel they went this week?

I was really just so proud of both of them as a whole. To have both of them go so well and come through so well and perform, as I had always dreamed or had hoped, was amazing. I think the only thing that I could really have tidied up on Puff’s performance was his couple of flying changes. He is so solid and so incredible at those, so I was pretty devastated to have messed up a couple of those, just because that kept him from a really top, top performance.

But otherwise, I just couldn’t fault him for a single thing. I thought it was the best he’s ever gone. He was with me and tried his best the whole entire time. That’s been a really long kind of partnership, and one that’s had ups and downs, so it was really nice to feel it—especially in the jumping phases—really come together.

UFO was out on injury last year, so we had to really think about how we were going to get him to Luhmühlen. It had to be a little bit light on runs, but we had a great fitness plan. For him to have come through it so well is amazing. To have done the cross-country so full of running was also incredible. The dressage with him, he’s limited in his ability, just from his conformation and his movement, he wouldn’t be so flashy, and his changes are really not confirmed. It’s a little bit harder because he’s older with those, but we do what we can, and he put down a solid effort. I don’t think he could have done too much better.

Cross-country, he was the perfect horse for me to go run around that track on for the first time. He was so good to me and so confident and absolutely flew around it. The show jumping I thought he was trying his guts out. He had that one unfortunate pole, but he really tried his best to not touch anything and had a nice, smooth round and a really good, tidy performance for our first five-star attempt.

Your first five-star horse, Copper Beach, had lots of experience with Buck Davidson. How does it feel to have brought these horses up to the level and finish in the top 10?

It makes me super proud and super happy and relieved to know that the system works. It’s just really comforting to have horses that I know so well. “Sean” was always a little bit what Buck had him to be and wanted him to be. And these ones I could make a bit more myself. It’s just super special. And I felt like I’m able to add the things I learned from Copper Beach as well and pass it along to them. I learned how to deal with the pressure of five-star and the expectation, and I was able to pass that knowledge along to them.

What did you learn about yourself this weekend?

I learned that I can do it—basically that it’s possible. Sometimes as an athlete, you get one horse around and you think, “OK, maybe that was a fluke, or that was lucky.” But to have both of them perform so well, and very similarly, I think that really gives me confidence that I am able to do the level, and they’re ready, and I can put in a solid performance. … It’s just nice to know that I can have multiple horses at the five-star level.

The post Cosby Green’s Investment In Education Pays Off At Luhmühlen appeared first on The Chronicle of the Horse.