By Jessica Grutkowski
Portraits by Shawna Whitty
On the heels of her jumping CSI1* classes all over Europe last year, 28-year-old Alexandra Crown has a bright future. Like many talented athletes, Alex is incredibly disciplined, resilient and focused; but her road to the top took a serious detour when she suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI), leaving her bedridden and unable to speak.
A freak riding accident in December 2019 landed Alex in the hospital, where she stayed in intensive care for four days, suffering from a concussion and multiple brain bleeds. Her three-month recovery included speech therapy, strength training and sports psychology sessions. “I had to learn to speak again,” Alex said, something one would never guess when chatting with her now.
In the months following her accident, Alex remained in Florida. “Everything was shutting down because of the pandemic,” she said. “It was time to get back to basics.” The shutdown became the perfect opportunity for Alex to focus on strengthening her body and mind.
This reflective growth period led to a huge shift in her overall mindset. “Quitting never crossed my mind,” Alex emphasized. “I had to do everything I could to stay in this sport as long as possible.”
She learned to find joy in the small wins. “Walking around on my horse Donut was the highlight of my day,” Alex recounted. Nearly four years later, it’s as if she never missed a beat. Alex’s Instagram feed boasts videos of her jumping impressive tracks at iconic venues across Florida and Europe, countless photos of her smiling alongside her horses, adventures with her rescue dog Truffle, winning moments, and a beautiful engagement on the beach in France.
Quest to End Safety Stigma
Following Alex’s accident, her family and friends wondered if there was any way to improve her safety in the saddle. She began researching helmets featuring Multi-Directional Impact Protection System (MIPS) technology, a low-friction layer added to the inside of a helmet that is designed to reduce the chances of concussion and TBI resulting from angled impact in a rotational fall. Athletes competing in other action sports like snowboarding, bicycle racing and motocross have benefited from this technology for years, but the equestrian industry has only recently seen MIPS becoming more widely available in riding helmets.
There was a time not long ago when many professionals rode without a helmet. Luckily, the industry has seen a shift toward improving safety awareness in our sport. “Always wear your helmet,” Alex advised. “The cost of having an ill-fitting or outdated helmet isn’t worth the risk.”
Safety vests are becoming more standard in equestrian sports, but some riders remain concerned as to whether it detracts from the overall picture, such as in the equitation ring. “My parents told me to get over it,” Alex said. “I used to feel self-conscious in my vest, but now it gives me confidence. Hopefully it will become standard for riders in every ring.”
From Pony Rides to the Grand Prix
Growing up in Manhattan, Alex attended Nightingale-Banford on the Upper East Side. It wasn’t until she experienced a pony ride at a friend’s birthday party that she realized her passion for horses. Alex immediately fell in love, and her parents signed her up for riding lessons at a barn in Easton, Connecticut.
At age 11, she began her horse show career with Suzanne Fisher and Tashua Farm, out of Ox Ridge Stables in Darien, Connecticut. “I spent a lot of time losing,” Alex joked. “My father used to say that I was the ‘queen of the brown ribbons.’”
Despite Alex’s wall of eighth-place awards, which still hang proudly in her childhood home, her parents continued to support her passion. She eventually grew out of the ponies and moved on to horses. Alex had her heart set on a career in the hunter ring, and began training with Scott Stewart and Ken Berkley. What started as a few weekends of horse showing in Wellington, Florida, over the winter quickly turned into a season-long experience.
After Nightingale-Banford, Alex studied at Columbia Preparatory School, but she sought a more flexible education partner to help balance her demanding competition schedule. She transferred to the Professional Children’s School, a preparatory Manhattan-based school geared toward helping busy child athletes, artists and actors through optional distance learning.
As a Junior rider, Alex also enjoyed much success in the hunter ring with her beloved horse Garfield, a chestnut Holsteiner by Coriano out of Love Touch. “Garfield was true to his namesake. He was a big, lazy orange horse,” Alex laughed. “He made me look better than I really was.”
Together, they earned accolades most young riders only dream of, including Large Junior Hunter Champion 15 and Under at the Pennsylvania National in Harrisburg. “Qualifying for the WEF Hunter Spectacular was probably the most memorable moment of my Junior career,” Alex said. The pair jumped to tri-colors and high-point awards at iconic venues up and down the East Coast such as The Hampton Classic, Capital Challenge and the Washington International Horse Show.
Alex didn’t actually set foot in the jumper ring until she was 16 years old. “My mom arranged for me to ride her friend’s former Grand Prix horse, Serval, in a jumper class,” Alex explained. “At first I was slow and terrified, but then I learned how to go fast.”
At 17 years old, Alex competed in her first Grand Prix at Vermont Summer Festival, and at 19, she rode in her first two-star competition. When she decided to focus solely on the jumpers, she began training with Kent Farrington. “I’ve been lucky to ride so many special horses,” Alex recalled. “My mare Von Cim will always hold a special place in my heart.”
Von Cim helped Alex to win her first two International Grand Prix competitions, including a two-star at the inaugural Longines Global Champions Tour at Miami Beach. “I was lucky she didn’t care about the ocean and spectators,” Alex added.
While Von Cim sadly passed away in the summer of 2022, Alex owns two of her grandchildren. “If they can even be somewhat like her I will be so happy,” Alex noted. She hopes to breed and source sport horses for amateurs as part of her business moving forward.
A Bright Future
After high school, Alex took a gap year, and went on to earn a bachelor of science degree in public relations with a minor in psychology at the University of Miami in Florida. Together with her advisor, they devised a schedule where she attended class on Monday through Wednesday, allowing her to drive to Wellington for the remainder of the week. “Everyone was so supportive and helped me to make it work,” Alex said.
After her time with Kent, Alex trained with Lorenzo de Luca for three years. “He played a big role in my riding career,” Alex said. “We keep our horses at the same stable in Belgium, so I’m still able to watch and learn from him.”
Currently, Alex trains with Maggie McAlary, who notably won the ASPCA Maclay National Championship and the USEF Hunter Seat Medal Final. Alex credits Maggie for instilling the confidence she needed to successfully compete at this level. “Alex is a true fan of the sport,” Maggie said. “She watches everything, asks thoughtful questions and shows up every day ready to work. For me, Alex’s goals are my goals, and I want success for her just as much as she wants it for herself. I think that’s what makes us such a strong team.”
For most of the year, Alex’s horses are stabled at a barn just outside of Antwerp, a city in Belgium that’s rich with history. “I love showing close to home—the fewer hotels the better,” she said. From December through April, she shows primarily in Wellington, but also enjoys showing in Ocala for Live Oak and at the World Equestrian Center (WEC). “WEC is incredible,” Alex said. “The main arena is impressive, and there are fewer barriers to entry at the higher levels compared to Wellington.”
When Alex is in Florida, she is lucky to have her mother join her for most of the season, while her father and brother visit during high school break. Her primary horses include Doumont, aka Donut; Dorothy DH Z, aka Dory; and Tiger Lily, or Tilly. “I am a sucker for horses with cute names and an emoji to match!” Alex laughed. “I also have a few young horses, including a 7-year-old named Twick Star, who goes by Twix. I am hoping one of them will eventually become my five-star mount.”
When asked what advice she would give to Junior riders hoping to climb the levels, Alex replied, “Find your competition within, and don’t compare yourself to others.” Of course, that’s easier said than done with perfection constantly on display via social media. “Not everyone is jumping the Grand Prix at 16 years old, but that’s OK!” Alex said. “Everyone’s situation is different. Just never give up.”
This past winter she competed in her first 1.55m class. “I never imagined getting back to the 1.40m after my TBI,” Alex said. “It was a surreal moment; we had one rail down but Maggie and I cried tears of joy. It felt like winning the Olympics!”
Balancing Family and Horses on the Road
Five years ago, Alex’s friends set her up with Marco Carli, a professional equestrian who works as a trainer for Vanessa Hood. “My parents also met on a blind date—a funny coincidence,” Alex recalled. “Marco cooked me pasta alla matriciana, a traditional Italian pasta sauce. It’s easy to win my heart with food.”
Eventually the couple plans to marry, but they haven’t set a date. Alex and Marco enjoy spending time with Truffle and their horses and are focused separately on their riding goals. “Our schedules sync up sometimes. We may go to different shows, but we always come back to our home base together,” Alex said.
Alex dreams of one day competing at CHIO Aachen in Germany, CHI Geneva in Switzerland, and the Global Champions Tour in Mexico City. She remains obsessed with childhood idols Beezie Madden and Laura Kraut. “To this day I still get so starstruck around riders like Beezie,” Alex said. “She is incredibly kind and welcoming, and I still get so nervous to say hi!”
She hopes to continue riding and jumping at the top level, while running a sales business at the same time. “No journey is linear,” Alex said. “It’s a lifelong sport; take your time and focus on your own journey.”
For more information, follow Alex on Instagram @alexandracrown
Photos by Shawna Whitty/SAS Equestrian
Styling by Shawna Whitty. Hot pink gown and ruffle cream dress from The Farm Stand/Ella-Rue. Tan linen blazer from Garden Label. Necklaces are from Curated by Ariel Bluman and pants are Ella-Rue.
