54 SIDELINES DECEMBER 2012
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
Beth and Nike riding
dressage at the
AEC’s in the Beginner
Novice Horse division.
Photo by Sarah Reed
Photography
astonishing career, Jamie Mitchell, now a junior at the
University of Georgia, would fnd herself also entwined with
Nike’s story. She was looking to get more involved with
horses outside of the university’s program and happened
to come by a fyer for Wishing Tree Farm.
That’s when she met Nike. Beth offered for Jamie to
half lease him and a few months down the road, after
seeing how well they did together, Beth offered Jamie the
opportunity to buy him. “It was one of those things that took
me by surprise,” Jamie said. “I never went into this thinking
I was going to buy a horse.”
For Jamie, the decision was diffcult. She adored
everything about Nike – his incredible past, spirit and his
ability to teach her to event – but she was freshman in
college and didn’t have the means to purchase him on her
own.
Enter the parent talk. “It took a lot of planning because
my parents didn’t grow up around horses themselves and
they only know horses from me riding so it took a lot of
research from me and my dad to be comfortable buying a
horse.”
But her parents came around. For her 19th birthday
she received a card. All it said was “Happy Birthday,
Congratulations.” And Jamie knew exactly what that meant.
Nike, a world champion horse, was hers. “I danced around
my dorm a bit and, that afternoon after my classes, I got to
go to the barn.”
For her, Nike is perfect. “He has the best personality
in the world,” she said. “You know that he loves his job
because he will do anything to please you. While he listens
to you…he gives you a playful buck. The best thing about
him is he wants to work with you…he takes care of you.”
And with the continuing support of Kathy and Beth, Jamie
and Nike have steadily progressed. “She [Jamie] has made
great strides in her riding,” Beth said. “It’s been really fun to
watch and it’s been fun to watch him, who came to me with
some confdence issues over fences to going cross-country
with his ears pricked and having a blast.”
Jamie has also overcome some confdence issues.
“When we started, the cross-country phase terrifed me,
but as we’ve continued and done shows, now it’s mine and
Nike’s favorite part.”
Their hard work has paid off. Jamie and Nike have
recently moved up from beginner novice to novice. The
19 year-old Warmblood gelding with an incredible past in
driving who came to Wishing Tree Farm with soundness
issues has turned his life around. Now, His Highness
(Nike’s very ftting show name) is sound and enjoying
life as a novice-level eventer. “Coming from a horse who
wasn’t supposed to be able to event, to teaching a junior
rider to event is what I love most about watching him and
Jamie,” Beth said.
If you ask Jamie how it all happened, her answer would
be fate. “For whatever reason, I came across that fyer in
a random class… and for whatever reason Beth decided it
was time for her to sell Nike and everything came together,”
Jamie said. “I feel incredibly blessed that I met Beth and
Kathy. They’re the reason Nike and I have been able to do
so well.”
For these three women, fate brought them together and
gave them a gift none of them will ever forget – a gift named
Nike.
About the writer: Dani Moritz is a senior at William Woods University and
is a writer/producer and creative director for RateMyRiding.com. She is also
the 2012 American Horse Publications Student Award Winner and a staff
writer for Sidelines Magazine.
Jamie and Nike
warming up for cross
country at the AEC
Beginner Novice
Amateur division in
2012, showing Nike’s
signature move –
sticking his tongue out.
Photo by Holly Breaux
Beth and Nike on the
stadium course at
River Glen in 2010 in
the Beginner Novice
division.
Photo by wncphoto.
com©2012