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Wednesday, June 07 2017 / Published in General

Unbridled with Betty Oare

 

Betty Oare
Photo by Bob Bell

Lisa Engel

 Betty Oare is considered the Grande Dame of the Hunters. A lifelong equestrian of over 70 years, Betty rode professionally for her father, J. Arthur Reynolds, in Tryon, North Carolina, until 1981. She has won at most of the nation’s top hunter shows and is also a USEF R judge. An iconic horsewoman, Betty is highly regarded not only for her riding and judging, but most importantly for her kindness, class and warm personality.

How did you start riding?

My dad was in the horse business and it was a natural. I started riding pleasure ponies and I was 5 when I did my first lead line class. I started showing and hunting when I was 13.

Who has inspired you most in life?

My parents. My mother and father have been my inspiration all my life. Something they taught me was to try your hardest and be a good competitor, but not a bad sport.

Who has inspired you the most in riding?

Probably my dad, my brother and husband. The men in my family. My dad really taught me and had horses for us to ride. My brother has also been great, as well as my husband.

When did you meet your husband Ernie?

It was around 1960 or 61 at the Ox Ridge Horse Show and he was mucking a stall. I thought he was someone else and I said “Hi, Bill!” — but it wasn’t Bill. I was embarrassed and I just walked on. Later I met him at the horse show.

What three things are most important to you?

How about four things? My family, our good name in the horse world, my children’s families and their well-being and, of course, my horses.

What three traits in a person are most important to you?

Honesty and trust, genuineness and a good sense of humor

How do you relax? 

Truthfully, riding is relaxing. But sometimes I just like to play the piano and sing along.

If you could talk to anyone, who would it be and why?

My mom and dad. I’d like to ask them if they know what we’ve been up to and if they have any suggestions — are we doing OK? They guided me, so that would be important to me.

What’s the best feeling you’ve ever had?

Being so old, I’ve had a few of them. One of them was when I finally had my first my child without any complications. It was a long, drawn out deal and he was healthy and it was one of the best feelings.

What career path would you have chosen if horses weren’t an option?

Probably music. It’s hard to make a living with it. Or theater, if I could. I took voice in college but the horses always won out.

What’s your favorite piece of clothing?

Probably my shadbelly that was my graduation present from college! I still fit in it!

If you could tell every hunter or jumper rider one thing, what would it be?

Enjoy the ride. Love your horse. Be in sync with your horse. Relax and go with what’s good for that horse. Ride what you have and adjust to it. Embrace your horse’s differences and ride it like that.

What is life like with your husband Ernie?

It’s been a great one. He’s willing to try things and is a doer. We’ve been married 53 years and I would not have changed it. I’m glad I met him mucking that stall years ago. We all have our ups and downs but it’s been a good life.

How many weeks of the year do you travel?

Probably 30 weeks a year

If you had a week off, what would you do?

We really enjoyed the Keys. Cheeca Lodge in Islamorada brings back great memories with our children. We used to take them there for spring break.

Where would you like to be right now?

Right where I’m at is pretty good — I’m home. We don’t stay here enough so I’m fine with it.

What are your favorite movies?

Dr. Zhivago and Gone With the Wind

What’s your favorite food?

Chocolate

What was your best vacation?

We went to California and Napa Valley about 20 years ago, before the kids were married and had children. We flew out and took the train back. Our one son is a train person and we came across the country on the scenic route and it was really great.

Do you have a “bucket list”? If so, what tops that list?

Probably but not much. I like life and we’ve been so fortunate. I guess that Ernie and I would like to go to Ireland, go to the races and ride in the country. And probably go see the Grand National in England, too.

Do you have a personal motto?

Be true to yourself

 

 

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Tagged under: Betty Oare, lisa engel, unbridled

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Hot horseman takeover day 6️⃣!!! 🔥Jorge Va Hot horseman takeover day 6️⃣!!!

🔥Jorge Vasquez🔥
Between his polo career—from groom to coach—and a love of travel, Jorge Vasquez has been to 60 countries, all seven continents, all 50 states and seen all seven wonders of the world—some of them twice. “I’ve been to China, Egypt, India, Dominican Republic, Argentina, a lot of places to play polo,” Jorge said. “I wish travel was my full-time job!”
Jorge is originally from Santiago, Chile, where his dad was a racehorse trainer and his uncle played polo. “I was too cool for school,” Jorge joked, “So I ended up having to do polo.” But Jorge isn’t complaining. There are “a million things” he loves about polo. “Obviously the 
adrenaline, and then the horses—the horses are very special,” he said. “They’re very well trained, and there’s something really special about a polo pony that can read your body and take you wherever you want to go—most of the time without asking any questions!”
Now living in Lexington, Kentucky, Jorge coaches the University of Kentucky polo team, is the U.S. Polo Association midstates circuit governor and is the polo manager at Gainesway Farm, 
where he also recently became the official tour guide. “I stay busy when I’m at home—that’s why I travel!” Jorge laughed, a common occurrence with his easygoing personality. “I like to think I’ve lived a pretty good life, and I get rejuvenated by teaching the game and teaching 
young horses how to play polo. That’s my favorite thing about the sport—teaching horses to play.”

With over 30 years in the industry, Jorge’s biggest takeaway from horses is, “The nicer you 
ask, the easier you’ll get results.” With all his experience, Jorge hopes to pass on the gifts of patience and understanding to those within his sphere of influence. “And that if you pay it forward long enough,” he added, “it will eventually pay you back.”
📸Photo by Kacy Brown
Hot horseman takeover day 5️⃣!!! 🔥Jet Rusi Hot horseman takeover day 5️⃣!!!

🔥Jet Rusidovski🔥
It wasn’t horses that took Jet Rusidovski from his hometown of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to where he lives now in Austin, Texas, in 2008. It was the weather. “I came down to visit family down here and it was negative 30 degrees in Wisconsin and it was 60 degrees here, and that was the end of it,” Jet said.

He grew up braving the cold on horseback in Wisconsin, riding and showing hunter-
jumpers from the time he was 4 all through his Junior career. “When adult life started, I had to juggle adult life and horses, and then it became my profession,” he said. Jet now works for Kelly Lorek at Southern Way Farm, training both horses and clients and traveling to shows all over the country. “Our program has been growing by leaps and bounds in the last year, and that says we’re doing something right!”

Jet hopes his experience as part of a successful program will help instill in others that everyone deserves a chance. “There were definitely times in my career I was not given a chance, and Kelly is the one who really gave me that chance,” Jet shared. “She didn’t judge me for mistakes I made in the past, she didn’t hold anything against me—she saw that I had the potential and she gave me the chance to actually show it. She gave the right coaching and the right guidance to get me where I am today, and I feel I’m in a really great place with unlimited opportunities at this point in my career.” When not traveling to shows, Jet travels to Wisconsin to visit family (weather permitting, of course) and would love to revisit childhood vacation spots in Greece and Europe, or check out the weather in Hawaii. He also prioritizes catching up with friends outside of the horse world. “If people see me around at a horse show, don’t be afraid to say hi!” he said. 
“Sometimes I’m so concentrated it looks like I want nothing to do with anyone; I’m actually just deep in thought or something. But I love to say hi to everybody.”
📸Photo by Kristie Scholten
Day 4️⃣ of our hot horseman takeover! 🔥Jo Day 4️⃣ of our hot horseman takeover! 
🔥Jonathan Cohen🔥
Most riders aren’t born into professional equestrian families; some lucky ones, like Jonathan Cohen, end up spending so much time at the barn they are practically adopted into them. 
Jonathan fell in love with horses at a friend’s birthday party while he was growing up in downtown Chicago, Illinois. At 16, he began riding with Alex Jayne—and now works for Alex’s Our Day Farm. “I’m sandwiched right between his three children in terms of age, so apart from missing their earliest years, we’ve basically grown up together,” Jonathan said. “I’m incredibly fortunate to work for a family that treats me like family.”
Jonathan’s title is barn manager. “But the job description is very loose—that’s what keeps it interesting,” he said. After he gets done riding in the morning, he starts on whatever needs to be done around the farm—which perfectly suits his love of “projects.” Outside of work and horses, Jonathan puts that passion for building into home renovation; when he’s completely renovated one home, he sells it and moves on to the next. “I love building stuff, especially when it’s something that meets a very specific need and can’t just be bought,” he said. “I’ll see things I can make better, I start working on the idea in my head, and more often than not I end up building it.”

Our Day Farm splits its time between Elgin, Illinois, and Wellington, Florida. When in Illinois, Jonathan spends much of his time building jumps. “I like to replicate some of the more interesting things we see over the course of the season, as well as anything our horses might need to practice,” he said. Clearly, Jonathan loves what he does. “I’m super lucky that when I wake up every day, I don’t have to go to work. I just go to the barn. It’s my job, and it’s definitely a lot of work most days, but really I’m just going to the barn like any other day.”
📸Photo by Melissa Fuller
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