54 SIDELINES JULY 2013
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
By Jan Westmark-Allan
Emma Kurtz may not own her own pony, but that hasn’t kept
her from becoming a shining star in the pony ring. The 12-year-old
from Hudson, Ohio, who started taking riding lessons when she
was fve, has become a well known “pony jock” and has piloted
numerous ponies to championships up and down the East coast.
Emma has ridden ponies for big name trainers including Scott
Stewart, Ken Berkley, Amanda Derbyshire, Peter Pletcher, Leslie
Emerson, Mindy Darst, Bill Schaub, Robin Greenwood, Jennifer
Griffths and Louise Serio. Pony owners she has ridden for include
David Gochman, Dr. Betsee Parker, Scott Stewart, Olivia Golden,
Spencer Chapin, Katherine Strauss, Nancy Baginski, Victoria
Press, Evelyn Arliss, Gayle Presson and Marigot Bay Farm.
This year, at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington,
Florida, Emma rode away as the Overall Pony Hunter Rider and
also won the WEF Small Pony Circuit Championship on Dr. Betsee
Parker’s Bit of Love and the WEF Large Children’s Pony Circuit
Championship on Victoria Press’ Chatsworth. Emma’s early
success in the ring has given her a strong love for the sport and
a desire to be a professional rider when she grows up. Sidelines
caught up with the talented rider, while she was competing in
Kentucky, to fnd out about life in the show ring.
While you ride for lots of trainers, who do you train with at
home?
I train with Mike Rheinheimer and Amanda Lyerly at Madison
Hills Farm in Gates Mills, Ohio. They are both great trainers! They
know that I am really hard on myself and instead of telling me what
I did wrong, they tell me how to fx it. Mike is always able to tell me
to make a small change that makes a big difference. Amanda is
like a second mother to me. I live with her in Florida in the winter.
What is the secret to being successful on so many ponies?
Every pony is different, so I always do my best to ride them the
way they want to be ridden.
Do you have a favorite pony that you ride?
I love all of the ponies that I ride. It would be impossible for me
to pick a favorite!
Do you miss that special bond that comes with owning your
own pony?
I love challenges so it is fun to ride
different ponies all the time. I do have a
special bond with many that I ride. I own
a horse that I did in the Low Children’s
and Children’s and just started showing
in the Juniors. I also have a couple
ponies that have been with me for a
while and I defnitely have a very special
bond with them!
Do you like ponies better than horses?
I love both horses and ponies. I just get more opportunities to
ride ponies.
What else do you like to do beside ride?
I used to do gymnastics and play soccer but now that I am riding
and showing so much I don’t have much time for anything else.
I ride six days a week and show almost every weekend. In my
spare time I love to hang out with my family and friends.
What are your plans for Pony Finals?
I am not sure who I am riding this year but I hope to have a
pony to show in each division. My best fnish at Pony Finals
was in 2011. I was Reserve Champion in the Small Greens on
Quicksilver Butterfy.
What is your biggest pet peeve?
Twisted reins
Do you have a lucky charm that you ride with?
I always wear a bracelet that has a nameplate with my horse’s
name.
What is your favorite part of the show world?
Competing
What’s the best advice that a trainer has given you?
If it’s not perfect, fake it.
Emma’s Favorites:
Movie: Pitch Perfect
Song: If I Were Your Man by Bruno Mars
Food: Bacon
Number: 12
Place to visit: My grandparents
Place to show: Devon
Class in school: Math
Singer: Bruno Mars
Weekend activity: Horse showing
Pony Up with Emma Kurtz
e
Emma and Rafael, owned by David
Gochman, at the Equestrian Sport
Productions Spring 1 show in
Wellington, Florida, winning the Small
Pony Hunter Classic.
Photo by Emily Allongo –
emilyallongophotography.com
Emma and one her favorite ponies, Grand All Over (Toby).
Photo by Kris Kurtz