Portraits by Sophia Donohue
At 16, Emi Richard has accomplished more in her Junior career than most equestrians achieve in a lifetime. Akin to a real-life Disney princess, she has her own secret love language, with ponies especially, and they all seem to adore her—even the naughty ones. Thanks to years of hard work, natural talent and a pinch of self-promotion, Emi has become a sought-after catch-rider, and a role model for young equestrians.
A third-generation equestrian, Emi grew up on her grandmother’s farm. “I was 1 year old when I began riding,” she said. “The ponies were all very green, just like me! We learned and grew up together. Riding became second nature.”
Emi’s grandmother, Jill Kulmann, is a lifelong equestrian. In 2010, she relocated her Welsh Pony breeding program from Virginia to her home state of Connecticut, when she purchased land in Middlefield. Jill and her daughter, Jaime Richard, built and started what is now known as Epic Farm. “We were ready to settle down and start a family, and Middlefield seemed like the perfect place,” she said.
Fresh off a career as a professional snowboarder, Jaime realized she wanted to turn her first passion into a career. “I was able to compete and travel around the world—a lifestyle that most people dream of!” she said. “But as I got older, I realized that making horses my livelihood would make me happiest.”
Emi is thankful she was exposed to ponies at such an early age. Her first pony, Royal Treasure, was a home-bred Welsh-cross mare who took Emi from the lead line through the Short Stirrup division. While Treasure taught her many ‘firsts,’ Emi credits a pony named Fairytales for igniting her career. “Fairy changed my life,” she said. “He was my first ‘made’ pony.”
Together with Fairy, Emi competed at her first USEF Pony Finals in the Small Pony Hunter division at just 6 years old. “We were 12th in the under saddle,” she said. “He gave me so much confidence.”
Later that year, Emi qualified for the Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) and the Pennsylvania International Horse Show. “It was my first time competing at indoors, and we came home with ribbons in the Small Pony Hunter division,” she said. “It was a dream come true.”
After another successful season with Fairy, Jaime wondered if Emi might excel at a bigger show barn. Jaime connected with Dottie Barnwell Areson, a trainer at Heritage Farm in Katonah, New York. “We took Fairy there for a lesson,” Jaime said. “We live over an hour away. As a mom, you do what’s best for your child.”
The Heritage team also saw something special in Emi, and she earned the ride on a medium pony named Blue Chip. “Reggie helped me win my first tri-color ribbon at a national final,” Emi said. “We were reserve champion in the Medium Ponies at WIHS in 2019.”
Her positive rides on Reggie paved the way to working with other ponies in Heritage’s training program, including So Charming, aka Ringo. Ringo is owned by Sprucedale Inc., a Canadian business run by sisters Micha and Jessica Zandri, known for its “So” ponies. “We were trusted to bring Ringo back to Epic Farm,” Jaime said. “We trailered him in for lessons, and then to horse shows on weekends.”
Emi continued to work with Ringo throughout the winter and competed at local horse shows. “Earning champion at the Old Salem Farm May Show with Ringo was the ultimate reward,” Emi said. “I felt like the luckiest girl in the world being able to show three different ponies: Fairy, Ringo and Reggie.”
Caroline Passarelli, now a professional trainer at Heritage, also rode Reggie and Ringo. “Caroline became a mentor to me,” Emi said. “She is the ultimate pony specialist; she taught me so much.”
Naturally, 8-year-old Emi was hopeful to take Ringo to USEF Pony Finals 2019, but ultimately Caroline got the ride for her final Junior year. “I learned early that ponies come and go, and most times you will see them again. Sometimes a ride you were offered doesn’t pan out—and that’s OK. It’s not your fault.”
Indeed, Emi got the ride on Ringo a few years later. Being a catch-rider has taught Emi resilience. “When I was younger, it was difficult to understand that ‘catch-rides’ were available for lease or sale,” she said. “That’s the business; I’m learning my role in the process.”
By age 10, Emi was ready to make the leap to horses—despite her small size. “We put Emi on my client’s horse, Jonsnow, a 17-hand Holsteiner,” Jaime said. “He was safe, and he always took care of Emi.”
Shortly after she began riding Jon, the equestrian industry came to a halt. “It was 2020, and the global COVID-19 pandemic shutdown brought uncertainty and show cancellations,” Jaime said. When competitions picked up again outdoors to allow social distancing, most riders had missed the window to qualify for finals.
That fall, entries for New England Equitation Finals (NEEC) became open to all interested competitors. “It was held outside at Fieldstone Show Park instead of The Big E in Springfield, Massachusetts,” Jaime said. “Emi had been to indoor finals at Washington and Harrisburg, so she was used to the pressure of competition. But she had never jumped a Big Eq finals course on a horse!”
Emi’s petite frame atop the enormous grey gelding drew a captive audience at the ingate. “People were shocked to see Emi in braids and bows, jodhpur straps and paddock boots, just cantering around with a huge smile,” Jaime said. “I think they trotted an oxer, but Jon didn’t care—he loved her.”
As the USEF calendar year came to a close, Emi looked forward to joining her mom in Florida for the winter season. Little did she know a special gift from Santa Claus would change her life.
On Christmas morning, Emi found an electric bike under the tree that became her lifeline in Florida while Jaime spent time at work. “That year I took a job for Joey Currais at Hunter’s Landing. Emi would buzz around from farm to farm, offering to ride their ponies,” Jaime said. “She was safe in our little neighborhood, and I could focus on work.”
That winter, Emi ended up competing in a record number of classes. “Most pony riders are in brick-and-mortar school at home, and they fly down to Wellington to show on the weekends,” Emi said. “I am so thankful to Ocean’s Edge, Courtyard Farm and Carolex Stables for giving me so many opportunities that winter.”
Jaime recalls asking her daughter about her day over dinner each night, but Emi was quiet on the details. “I hadn’t a clue as to the extent of her daily adventures,” she said. “It was wild to me how she marketed herself as a pony rider and successfully built a portfolio thanks to her electric bike!”
Emi’s adventures in catch-riding helped her to become a better rider, and she was ready to focus on her skills in the equitation ring at the highest level. Drake, a tall, bay Holsteiner, became her first true equitation horse. “Emi’s grandfather had just passed away. He loved flying planes, so we renamed him TopGun, and kept Drake as his barn name,” Jaime said. “Emi is named after Amelia Earhart, but spelled Emilia for a unique twist.”
Drake and Emi had instant chemistry. That fall, she returned to NEEC at The Big E in Springfield, Massachusetts. At just 11 years old, Emi finished 11th out of 125 riders. They also earned Champion in the 14 & Under Section A Equitation division at Capital Challenge 2022, took third place at NEEC 2022 and were 12th overall in the Hamel Foundation 3’3” Equitation Medal at the National Horse Show.
For Emi, having long-term equine partners is just as important as learning to catch-ride effectively. “Riding different horses and ponies has made me a better competitor. I enjoy preparing ponies for younger riders, qualifying them for finals and producing results for owners,” Emi said. “I have a great USEF birthday. I was born on December 9, which means I can show ponies one year longer than most Juniors.”
In 2024, Emi was reunited with Sprucedale through Heritage trainer Patricia Griffith, and began working with So Dashing, a large bay pony with a loyal social media following. “We couldn't have asked for a better, more keen Junior to help our green ponies figure it out, and fill in the gaps from our professional trainers to their eventual lease jobs,” Micha said. “No Junior or family deserves the success more.”
When Emi began riding Dash, he was very green. “He came from a dressage background, but had a hard time paying attention. Dash always jumped and had good lead changes,” she said. “He jumped best from a little gap, so I had to figure that out.”
Emi earned the opportunity to take Dash to USEF Pony Finals 2024, and was crowned Large Green Pony Hunter National Champion, and Overall Grand Champion in the Green Pony Division. “It was a dream come true,” Emi said.
Every year, Emi looks most forward to competing at the Devon Horse Show. “Ever since that first year with Fairy, it’s become my favorite place,” she said. “The tradition, the lemon sticks, the pony hunt teams—it’s all so much fun!”
At Devon 2025, Emi and her new mount, Kingsroad, aka Roady, competed in the WIHS Equitation Division, ASPCA Maclay and Dover USEF Medal. “After winning the Medal, my barn mate Adrianna Forte said, ‘If you win the Maclay, you could earn the Ronnie Mutch Equitation Championship,’” she said. “I said to Adrianna, ‘I guess I’ll have to ride really well then!’”
For years, Emi has narrowly missed being champion at Devon on various point technicalities. “The officials were deliberating for what seemed like hours about whether there could be a tie between two riders. Clayton Farrell and I had earned the same number of points,” she said. “It was agonizing! Everyone was just sitting and waiting for a decision.” Finally, there was an announcement that Emi and Clayton had tied for the prestigious award.
This year, during the Junior Hunter National Championships, Emi bested a field of 122 riders to win the prestigious Gladstone Cup Equitation Classic – East.
“Emi has an innate ability to rise to the occasion,” Dottie said. “When the pressure is on, she has the focus and the drive to be able to deliver the round in the moment. Her success is closely tied to her empathy, and feel for the horses she rides. Her natural understanding of her horse’s needs gives her trainers the freedom to focus on the finer details of the rounds.”
Throughout the years, Emi has experienced many ups and downs. “Many times I wanted to give up, but I’m finally at the stage where I can have fun,” she said. “I do get nervous, but Andre Dignelli and my trainers always remind me that I have done this before, and in fact, I’ve done harder. Just because I’m competing doesn’t mean it’s any different.”
As one might guess, Emi dreams of a future in horses. “I hope to ride on a Division I NCEA team in college,” she said. “I plan to become a professional one day.”
Follow Emi on Instagram @emirichard09
Photos by Sophia Donohue, sophiadonohuephotography.com
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