58 SIDELINES JUNE 2012
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
e
Education
Tupeker Competes on Open Circuit
Vanessa and Junior compete on the open circuit
Vanessa rides in
the hunter/jumper
program at
Stephens College
By Elsie Vieira
Young and aspiring high school riders are on the lookout for
positions on intercollegiate teams; but many may not know there
is an alternative to competing while in college. Stephens College,
based in the popular college town of Columbia, Missouri, offers a
program in which students can compete on the open circuit.
Sidelines caught up with Vanessa Tupeker, a Stephens student
and member of the class of 2013. A California native, Vanessa
has set her sights on a career in physical therapy, with the hope
for a client base composed of equestrian athletes. While at
Stephens she is completing an undergrad degree in Equestrian
Business and is one of the most notable riders in the hunter/
jumper program.
What was your equestrian experience before attending
Stephens College?
I grew up on a farm in Missouri, so I was always accustomed
to horses. I competed in 4-H as well; but it was a very small
group and while it was increasingly educational, I knew that I
wanted something a bit different. Once I had moved to California,
I bought a horse with the money I had saved up from cleaning
stalls and I worked with her on groundwork and dressage basics.
Essentially, I started out at Stephens with big dreams and very
little experience.
How did you hear about Stephens College?
I knew that I wanted an equestrian program and while I did look
into IHSA, I knew very little about it at the time. My sister attended
the University of Missouri, so I already knew that I would love the
town of Columbia. With that established, I knew I wanted to ride
dressage and at the time Dianna Rankin was teaching so I jumped
at the chance. Having done very little research, I took a bit of a
gamble but it ended up being the right choice.
Why did you switch from dressage to hunter/jumpers?
Stephens offers hunters, jumpers, reining, western pleasure,
saddle seat and driving. They do offer the dressage program but
it differs depending on the demand from students. The best part
about having
these disciplines
is that equine
majors are
required to take
at least three of
them, so I knew I
would have to try
new things. As
a freshman and
working student,
I would fll water
buckets in the evening, which just so happened to be when many
of the hunter/jumper classes took place. I would water the horses
by the arena and watch girls of differing levels evolve in their riding
from week to week.
How did your competitive career begin?
I began showing as a freshman in my spring semester at local
shows in St. Louis. It was an enjoyable experience because while
I was extremely anxious, I knew I was being pushed to a level that
I could handle.
How does the Stephens College program advance
your career?
The format of the program is set up in a way that mirrors a
professional barn. We learn to ride multiple horses, however,
many times when a great match is identifed a student will work
with a particular horse towards an end goal. In my case, the
program received “Junior” in my sophomore year and since then
our partnership has grown through clinics, shows and a daily
schedule. My developed skill set has advanced my career and
given me the chance to take Junior to Mississippi this summer,
where we will compete in the A rated hunters.
Why do you think the open circuit program is not as
widespread in colleges?
I believe that the reason is quite easy to pinpoint; but that the
remedy is a diffcult dilemma. The dilemma is lack of funding,
which of course is a prominent problem among college programs
today. Because the IHSA programs are comprised of teams,
the expenses to show are less than that of the open circuit.
Unfortunately, as individuals we have to pay for shipping, stabling
and entries, which can add up to thousands of dollars for one
show but Stephens does an amazing job of trying to cut expenses
for its riders.
Photos by: Molly Mellinger