Portraits by Melissa Fuller
Before she wore the pinque coat to represent Team USA at international show jumping competitions at incredible venues across the globe, Alise Oken Crooks was simply a young girl in Charlotte, North Carolina, with high hopes of getting to spend time with horses. Obsessed with all things horse, Alise had to satisfy her obsession with a barn full of Breyer model horses until she was 11 years old and sat on a real horse at summer camp.
“After taking my first lessons at camp, I returned home hooked on riding and begged my non-horsey parents to find me lessons near our house,” Alise said. Those local lessons continued for two years until Alise was ready to own her first pony.
“My dad didn’t really understand the reasoning behind why I needed a pony of my own. So, my mom actually bought my pony, Professor Plum, with her own money,” Alise said. “It’s a funny start to our horse ownership journey because now my dad is super involved, loves supporting the sport and enjoys watching me compete.”
That unwavering support from her parents has helped propel Alise from ponies to podium finishes and the professional ranks. Today, Alise is at the helm of her family’s Hi Hopes Farm where she focuses on developing young horses at the top of the sport.
Alise made her first trip to Wellington, Florida, at age 13. From that trip forward, everything changed. “I was shocked by the magnitude of it. That’s when our involvement in the Pony Hunters really took off,” she said. “Suddenly we were showing almost every weekend and traveling a lot.”
To support Alise and her sister Lucie’s dreams, her parents purchased a 20-acre farm in Charlotte, North Carolina. “We have a house in the North Carolina mountains named Hi Hopes, so we ended up naming the stable after that. It’s actually a fitting name, as we work towards our high hopes and high goals,” Alise said.
With a home base in place, the family hired trainers Steve Heineke and Jeff Wirthman. “Not only did they train me and Lucie, but they also had several other clients training out of our stable at the time,” Alise said.
Until age 21, Alise focused mainly on the hunter ring. “Under the guidance of Steve and Jeff, I had some fantastic Junior and Amateur horses. We showed a lot and got a lot of good results. They found me a wonderful hunter, Take Away, who won everywhere with me including Devon and indoors,” she said.
Alise admits that riding Take Away kept her in the hunter ring longer than she expected. “He was such a great horse and had such a lovely way of going. I think if I didn’t have him, I probably would have moved into the jumpers full time when I was 18,” Alise said. “I started getting frustrated with the subjectivity of the hunters and really enjoyed the precision and speed of the jumpers.”
Having early success in the hunters gave Alise a bit of culture shock when she transitioned full time into the jumper ring. “In the hunters, you get ribbons every week and come to expect a lot of placings. The consistency of results is a lot different in the jumpers, so it was a bit of an adjustment period,” she said. “But I think that was very positive because it proved success isn’t always in the placings, it’s in the consistency of your rounds and improving each time.”
It was while Alise was in college at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill that she fully embraced her jumper dreams. Always one to have “Hi Hopes,” Alise jumped all-in and began working with Olympian Laura Kraut.
“In my early 20s, I lived with Laura and Nick Skelton in England. Laura got me deep into the jumpers, helped me find some incredible horses and win at amazing venues. She had a huge impact on my career,” Alise said. “As young and hungry as I was, it was a really fun part of my life.”
Under Laura’s tutelage, Alise competed at her first senior Nations Cup CSIO3* in Lisbon with her mare Teirra in 2014. “These three-star development tours are so important to young riders. They gave me opportunities to really jump into the deep end and get that European Nations Cup exposure,” she said.
While Alise was riding the high of jumping at the top of the sport, her parents encouraged her to figure out a way to make horses something sustainable. Alise packed her bags and headed to Stal Hendrix in The Netherlands to dive into the business portion of the sport.
“Moving to Europe, selecting young horses, bringing them along and selling them was the best option to make a business out of horses and my riding. Working with Emile Hendrix and the family really taught me about the dealing side of show jumping,” she said. “That was a very informative and important part of my career.”
As Alise focused on horse development, she took a step back from competing in the bigger Grand Prix. When she had a good horse that she’d purchased as a 6- or 7-year-old, spent the time training and adding value to it, they were sold to fund future business. Financially it made more sense to sell the horses at the right time than to keep them for future sporting endeavors.
“While I initially went to Europe to learn about horse sales, it morphed into developing horses over there. There are a lot more options for shows in Europe, it’s cheaper and just a great place to put education on young horses,” Alise said. “Now I try to keep horses in Europe until they are 8 years old or ready for the big environment that is Wellington.”
In an industry built on achieving quick results, especially in the United States, Alise embraced the more laid-back and relaxed training philosophy she experienced in Europe. “A lot of time we expect instant results and instant gratification but through working with horses, I’ve learned that patience and not rushing them is a huge factor in how they will develop in their later years. I take my time with them, maybe almost to the point where I might miss a result here or there, but I think it’s beneficial to let the horses grow at their own pace,” she said.
Giving young horses space to develop in a way that works best for them has been extremely gratifying for Alise. “You grow with them for a couple of years and then when it all comes together, it’s so rewarding,” Alise said.
Alise didn’t just find quality horses in Europe, she found a quality husband in Sean Crooks. “We started dating 8 years ago and got married last September. He’s been a great constant in my life. He holds me to the highest standards because he really cares about my career,” she said.
It was with Sean and her family’s support that Alise was able to develop a new program for Hi Hopes. “I’ve built a business model where, rather than having every horse for sale, I can keep one or two of them and build them up for the bigger sport. Sean entered my life at a time where I needed to figure out how to develop sales horses, while also being able to keep myself in the FEI classes,” Alise said.
Sean has also been instrumental in helping Alise up her mental game. “Sean has lent me suggestions and tools for managing the tough mental aspect of the sport, which I think is so important for every rider. He’s given me a bunch of books to read by Bob Rotella, John Wooden and other great coaches and sports psychologists. It’s really helped me when I’m in a rut or experiencing a mental block,” she said.
With a husband who completely understands her devotion to the sport, Alise is on cloud nine. “I’m just so thankful to be living the life I am today. The main reason I do show jumping is because of my love of the horse. I’ve learned to really enjoy the sport; working with the horses and being with them every day is a privilege,” Alise said. “I’ve been so lucky to have shown at some of the biggest five-star competitions in the world. That’s part of the beauty of this sport: It’s taken me to the most incredible places to compete, like Abu Dhabi and Rome.”
Alise is grateful for the lessons she’s learned from horses along the way. “Working with horses has taught me to be humble and not have an ego. I’ve learned if I put in the hard work at home, eventually the results at the competitions will come,” she said. “Winning is just the cherry on top for all the effort put in on a daily basis.”
She hopes to see those results turn into more opportunities to represent Team USA at the highest level in the future. “Right now, I have Forrestal, Oraline, Lady Lex and Caramia who I think are horses for the top level of the sport. I’m also really excited to see my business continue to grow and evolve,” she said.
Though still newlyweds, Alise and Sean have future plans on expanding the Crooks family. “It’s going to be very fulfilling to have a family together within a sport that gives so many wonderful life lessons and experiences,” Alise said. “I think as a female professional athlete, it’s difficult but doable to have both a career and a family. What’s needed is a strong and supportive group of people around you.”
Follow Alise on Instagram @alisevoken
Photos by Melissa Fuller, melissafullerphotography33.mypixieset.com
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