Kevin McCarthy Charts a New Path in the Horse World

By Lindsay Brock When you catch the bug, it’s hard to get rid of it. That’s what Kevin McCarthy’s father used to tell him about horses. Those wise words, however, did little to dissuade the scrappy young rider from falling head over heels in love with ponies as soon as he was old enough to
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Karen Polle: The Olympic Hopeful With Wings 


By Tafra Donberger Portraits by Shelby Phillips When the Olympic Games roll around, there aren’t many athletes in the world who could say they haven’t imagined what it might be like to compete there. As the ultimate expression of athletic ability and pinnacle of achievement for so many, there are untold numbers of children who
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Elli Yeager Can’t Be Stopped

By Britney Grover Portraits by Shelby Phillips Catching the “horse bug” is as unpredictable as a lightning strike — and just as impossible to contain. Elli Yeager first saw a horse when she was 18 months old, and her passion for horses became a force of nature. “The Ventura County Fair was near my house
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Tamie Smith: Fearless in the Face of Uncertainty

By Britney Grover Portraits by Lori Ovanessian As a top eventer in the U.S., Tamra “Tamie” Smith had just as much reason as anyone to be disappointed when the 2020 Kentucky Land Rover Three-Day Event — along with so many other competitions around the world — was cancelled and the Olympics postponed. “After my horse
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Georgina Bloomberg Is Living Her Best Life and Making a Difference in the World

By Britney Grover Portraits by Shawna Simmons In the show jumping world alone, Georgina Bloomberg’s list of accomplishments is impressive — and nowhere near completed.  She’s both the owner of and rider on the Global Champions League team New York Empire, has a slew of top placings in grand prix and has been instrumental in U.S.
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Isha & Raina Swani: Enjoying Sisterhood and Horses Together

By Britney Grover Portraits by Shelby Phillips To the casual observer, sisters Isha and Raina Swani seem to be a lot alike. When it comes to horses, they are both passionate, dedicated and extremely good junior riders. Between them, they’ve amassed an impressive collection of ribbons and championships, including from Pony Finals, the Washington International Horse
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Kressa Peterson Jumps From the Show Ring to Success On Shark Tank

By Tafra Donberger Portraits by Lori Ovanessian What do Spartan competitive obstacle course races, and horses have in common? For one thing, an inventive entrepreneur named Kressa Peterson.  Kressa is a Spartan Race competitor and sporthorse sales businesswoman who has taken her knack for business to the “Shark Tank” stage and walked away with a
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Augusta Iwasaki: Small Horses, Big Victories

By Ruby Tevis Portraits by Shawna Simmons Augusta Iwasaki is no stranger to a fast-paced lifestyle. For Augusta, success comes with commitment, and her dedication to riding horses has brought her to competitions in every co rner of the United States. In 2019, at 15 years old, she captured the championship title and her first
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The Big Impact of Gentle Giants Draft Horse Rescue

By Britney Grover It only took one ride on a Clydesdale for Christine Hajek to fall in love with draft horses, and one trip to a local auction to realize how many were in need of help. Since then, she’s dedicated her life to rescuing as many draft horses she can. What started as buying
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Jordan Allen: A Powerhouse in the Ring and the Classroom

By Carter Anderson Jordan Allen hopes to match her academic and athletic experience at the University of South Carolina to the success of her junior career. She’s currently studying exercise science and pursuing a career in the medical field like both of her parents. Although her education comes first, horses are a very close second.
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