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FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE SIDELINES JUNE 2011 67

Eq over the next few years. I would love to place at an equitation fnal during my junior years.

After my junior years, I hope to ride professionally and compete at the grand prix level.

Sidelines: What do you do when you aren’t riding?

GH: When I am not riding I spend time hanging out with friends and family, doing homework, watching movies, listening to music, talking to friends, and wishing I were riding.

Sidelines: What has been your most memorable horse show up to this point?

GH: It was defnitely the Atlanta summer show in 2010. It was the show that I frst showed 3’6” and I won my frst Maclay class. I also won the USHJA Hunter Classic. I enjoyed showing in the Equitation Challenge class as well, where we rode to music.

Sidelines: Do you have an idea what you would like to do when you grow up?

GH: When I grow up I would love to be a professional rider. As with all juniors I would love to progress and be good enough to ride in the grand prix ring and represent the United States. I also would like to train students. It would be great to share my passion for the sport with others.

Sidelines: If you could compete in another riding discipline, what would it be?

GH: It would be eventing. I think riding cross-country in felds over cool log jumps and water would be exciting.

Sidelines: Did you have a pony career?

GH: Since I did not start riding until I was almost 10 years old, my pony career was not that extensive. I spent most of my time riding my pony Destiny in the children’s hunter division and eventually

in the USEF pony medal. Destiny and I had many division champions together. We also fnished ffth at the Massachusetts Medal Final, second in the Pony Commotion at HITS Saugerties, and we were Best Child Rider at the Saratoga St. Clements Show and Classic Company Horse of the Year in 2009. Last winter during HITS Ocala I was lucky enough to show Windfall Caroline in the medium pony hunter division and Franklin’s Tower in the large pony division.

Sidelines: What did riding ponies teach you?

GH: Ponies taught me to be determined and that I need to work to have a good ride and success. They also taught me how to stay on and recover from mistakes. Ponies can be very naughty and I do believe that riding ponies made me a better rider.

Sidelines: Do you have any good stories about mishaps that occurred while showing?

GH: My most memorable story happened at the Skidmore Horse Show in Saratoga, New York. I was riding my pony Destiny in the Marshall and Sterling Pony Medal class. When I frst started riding I had the good fortune to participate in a few clinics with a trainer and judge named Fran Dotoli. I really enjoyed working with her and learned a lot in her clinics. She happened to be judging at the show in Saratoga and I was hoping to have a good round. I was also at the show alone because my mom had left the show to go home because my sister had to have emergency surgery on her appendix. I was nervous and distracted and wasn’t really paying attention and I asked Destiny for a really long distance, which he couldn’t make, and he stopped and I went fying over the jump!  It was really embarrassing.

Sidelines: If you could meet anyone, horse person or not, who would it be?

GH: I would like to meet McLain Ward because he is just amazing.

Geoffrey and Versace compete

Geoffrey and All That jump their way to the circuit championship in the Large Junior Hunters at HITS Ocala