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Wednesday, October 21 2020 / Published in Sidelines Feature

Chris Ewanouski and His Passion for Horses

By Tafra Donberger

Portraits by Isabel J. Kurek

When a horse-obsessed kid is born into a non-horsey family, there’s usually a little confusion for the parents. Chris Ewanouski was born into a competitive family — his dad played professional hockey for a time — but the horse gig? That was new to the family, and became uniquely Chris’ passion.

Chris’ mom, Kim, had originally taken an interest in riding and found a local barn near Boston that advertised lessons. He went with her, and that was all it took for Chris to “catch the bug.” The barn quickly became the only place he wanted to be, and since his mother only rode recreationally, she and Chris’ dad, Michael, didn’t expect riding would turn into a career.

As Chris grew increasingly competitive, finishing his last year as a junior strong and considering college, it started to become clear that the horse world would be his calling. He took a position with Geoff Teall, and now works as a trainer at Ñapinday Horse Sales Inc., based in Wellington, Florida, and Lexington, Kentucky, under Federico Sztyrle.

“My parents pretty quickly realized it was all working,” Chris laughed. “They saw how happy it made me and in the end it was fine.”

The biggest motivation for Chris’ career comes down to the horses. While he has the support of his family and the guidance from Federico, the love of the animal has brought him from the hunter equitation classes to the grand prix jumpers, where he’s found success riding a variety of amazing equine partners.

Riding and Showing

Chris’ junior eq horse, Sam I Am, took him to his first big win, in his final year as a junior rider, winning both the horsemanship class and the hunt seat medal final class in October 2005 at the New England Equitation Championship. Not only was he the first to win both, Sam had been a young, green horse.

“That was the first horse I could really compete consistently on,” Chris said. “And we grew together. He wasn’t necessarily the most fancy, but he tried really hard and he was really sweet.”

There was Orbetello, owned by Margie Engel, whom Federico had been showing. When back pain at the spring series in Wellington sidelined him, Federico asked to switch riders, handed the spurs to Chris, and said, “Use those spurs and get on!” 

“I had ridden him a little at home, but it wasn’t a horse I was super familiar with,” Chris said. “First time showing him, and he jumped double clear — it was really cool!”

Another notable mount is Binja, who, at the time Chris competed with her, was owned by Castle Point Farm LLC and Lindsay Strafuss. He rode her to the win at the $35,000 ProElite Spring I Grand Prix at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in April 2018; their next big win was the $25,000 Hagard Lexington Classic in July 2018; then the $30,000 Welcome Stake at the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival in July 2019.

“She’s a really fun horse to ride, and super fast,” Chris recalled. 

It was also rewarding for Chris to see Binja move on to competing with a junior rider. “I love when I’ve brought a horse along and you end up finding the perfect rider for them, or the perfect rider finds you, and you watch them go on to have a really nice life.”

Currently in the string, and one that Chris has thoroughly enjoyed, is Vagabon De La Vallee, owned by Cavalli Reale Stables LLC. Chris had begun following the horse in winter 2018, watching him through the following year. He was always really impressed with the horse. 

When a stall opened, the Bloomen family asked Chris to see if he could help get the horse sold. Though he remains actively for sale, Chris has enjoyed the opportunity to get more involved with the gelding.

“He reminds me of myself in horse form,” Chris explained. “He gets excited at the show; he’s totally game to show or jump in any ring and he’s really tries. I really liked him from moment one.”

Loving Happy Horses 

Chris began training at Ñapinday in 2010, when Federico started the business. 

“He’s really dedicated,” Federico said. “All the horses he has had are very successful, and go on to have very successful lives after him. He builds them up and educates them very well.”

Chris has had the opportunity to really focus on his own riding in the past year, even as he continues teaching the students and training the sale horses. Like many others, representing the United States in international competition would be a dream come true, but for now he hopes to be able to compete on the circuits in Europe. 

Of course, the coronavirus pandemic changed the course of 2020’s equestrian activities and put a damper on everyone’s show schedule, but Chris viewed it as a way to really check in with his horses, keeping them fit and ensuring they’re as happy as possible, which is a priority for him.

“I like for my horses to be really sound, with a really good training program, so that when I go to the shows I know they’re the happiest, most fit and strong selves they can be,” he explained. “I know a lot of people feel that way, but that’s a big thing for me!” 

In truth, it’s Chris’ connection with the horses he rides that also provides the most challenging obstacle he faces — he really loves the horses he rides. 

“I have a weakness which, as someone that makes a living developing and training horses to be sold, kind of works against me,” Chris said. “I don’t view them as just something to compete on. They’re more like my partners in crime.”

Returning to the Ring

As restrictions on traveling and competing continue to loosen, Chris hopes to get to show under the lights in Lexington, where they have what Chris considers some of the best footing and competition.

“I have a little bit of a casual, easygoing way, but when I’m actually showing and training, I get very competitive!” Chris said. 

With a little extra time on his hands due to less competitions, Chris thinks he might try something new to go with the new normal: polo.

“It’s ridiculous that I’ve never tried polo; it’s so common in Wellington!” Chris laughed. “I don’t have great hand-to-eye coordination, but it looks really cool. I also think riding for a team would be neat.”

For more information, visit www.teamnapinday.com/

Photos by Isabel J. Kurek

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Tagged under: grand prix, junior rider, show jumping, wellington florida

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❗️George Williams column❗️ The FEI World ❗️George Williams column❗️
The FEI World Cup Final in Omaha is coming up quickly. That means that it’s starting to heat 
up as the end of the qualifying period for both the Western European League (WEL) and the 
North American League (NAL) nears. I started to write this column before the Amsterdam CDI- W, and I was using the FEI Ranking List from January 15 as a reference. As I sit down to finish 
my column, I’m now looking at the results from Amsterdam. While the list of the top contenders 
for the WEL hasn’t changed, they’re definitely moving around on the ranking list. The WEL has 
three more legs, as they’re referred to: Neumünster February 16–19, Goteborg February 23–26, 
and ’s-Hertogenbosch March 9–12, and they could change things dramatically.
Looking at the top 12 athletes from the WEL as they were ranked on January 15, there are five 
from Germany, three from the Netherlands and one each from Great Britain, Denmark

➡️Read Georges's full column by clicking the link in our bio, and never miss an article by subscribing to Sidelines Magazine 🦄 

#horse #horses #horsesofinstagram #equestrian #horseriding #equine #pony #pferd #equestrianlife #horselove #dressage #horselover #instahorse #love #cheval #showjumping #horselife #photography #nature #pferde #horseofinstagram #caballo #riding #horsebackriding #pferdeliebe #caballos #horsepower #horsephotography #instagram #Sidelinesmagazine
Lisa Goldman-Smolen and Ivaro N strike gold in Gre Lisa Goldman-Smolen and Ivaro N strike gold in Great American $300,000 Grand Prix at HITS Ocala!! 🏆🥇

Crowds filled the stands at the HITS Ocala Grand Prix Ring on Sunday afternoon to watch the world’s top athletes compete in the Great American $300,000 Grand Prix. The day concluded with a thrilling five-horse jump-off featuring athletes 
representing four countries. In the end, it was Lisa Goldman-Smolen (USA) and Ivaro N who produced the only double clear effort of the day, claiming one of the biggest wins of her career. Scott Keach (AUS) and Noble De La Chapelle earned the second-place prize with the fastest 4-fault jump-off, while Aaron Vale (USA) and Obi Wan placed third as the day’s pathfinders.

“I'm still on cloud nine, I still can't believe it – I’ve used up all my luck for the year,” smiled Goldman-Smolen after her win. “I've been knocking on the door a long time in these bigger classes. I am so proud of my horse – he gave every ounce of effort.”

Sunday’s Great American $300,000 Grand Prix marked the conclusion of the 2023 HITS Ocala circuit. HITS CCO Joe Norick concluded, “We are so excited about the new HITS, with 2023 as the launch. New footing, many new arenas here, and a lot of our facilities across America are getting a lot of love and new footing. Our partnerships with Worldly Martin and others across America including our footing leader Bart Poles overseeing our operations – it really makes a big difference for us. Today is about Ocala and these three riders sitting next to me who supported us this entire winter. We want to be a proud destination for our exhibitors and our friends. We know we have to provide them a beautiful showplace to work from that's horseman friendly, and that's our go goal. 

Congratulations to all of the riders, horses, owners, and groom who participated in this prestigious class!!! 🎉
📸 @esi_photography 
#horseshow #horses #horse #horsesofinstagram #equestrian #horseriding #horselove #horsestagram #instagram #showjumping #equestrianlife #equine  #horsebackriding #dressage #horselife #pony #of #horserider #horseshoe #horsemanship #horseshowlife #riding #instahorse #horseaddict #horseofinstagram #sidelinesmagazine
It's #STUDSunday and today's featured stallion is. It's #STUDSunday and today's featured stallion is...

 ✨PF'S DIAMO BLUE✨
Diarado-Diamant de Semilly- Chacco Blue
17.0hh, Oldenburg International Hunter Derby/ Jumper Stallion
An outstanding Pedigree- Chacco Blue and Diamant de Semilly
WBFSH/ Rolex top ranking Jumping Sires 2017 thru 2022
Standing at Ryan Pedigo Sport Horses, in California

For more information, you can contact 
🖥Ryanpedigosporthorses.com
🖥Ryan.p.f@hotmail.com
☎️(714) 357-2714

You can find ALL of the stallions featured towards the back of the magazine in the equestrian gallery. Keep a look out EVERY Sunday for a new handsome STUD muffin🧁 and don't forget to subscribe to get your very own edition of Sidelines Magazine, the magazine for horse people, about horse people 🦄

@ryanpedigosporthorsespf_

#stallion #horse #horses #horsesofinstagram #equestrian #equine #dressage #pferd #equestrianlife #mare #hengst #horseriding #instahorse #cheval #pferde #equinephotography #horselove #dressagehorse #pony #horselover #caballo #foal #quarterhorse #aqha #arabianhorse #sidelinesmagazine
Annette Longenecker wasn’t just born into horses Annette Longenecker wasn’t just born into horses—in a way, she was born into her career. She grew up in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, where her parents ran a farm. Her mother taught, and her father had a jump business and then created one of the first horse show software programs: Ryegate Show Services, Inc.

Riding all her life, Annette spent many years as a groom and loved it, but knew it wasn’t what she wanted to do as a career. After she finished college, Annette’s father recruited her to help process entries at Ryegate. Since her father, Lloyd Longenecker, founded it in 1981, Ryegate has provided show management and office staff for some of the largest shows in the country. Now, Annette has taken over from her father and directed the company as it focuses on managing memberships and rankings for organizations such as the North American League, WIHS Championships and Equitation, Rolex/USEF Computer Ranking and National Medal Series (THIS NCM and Ariat NAM). Ryegate also provides scoring software for use with video walls, and production teams for hunter and jumper shows.

“Besides running Ryegate Show Services and its various organizations, I can be found in the show office, running a scoreboard or judging jumpers at most shows,” Annette said. “I love getting to wear a few different hats at the show.”

When she’s not busy at a show, Annette lives in Annville, Pennsylvania, with her “fur-baby,” Maggie Mae, and enjoys spending time with her many godchildren. Though she doesn’t currently own any horses, Annette rides when she can at Rolling Acres Farm with Patty Foster, Ashley Foster-Worthington and Mary Lisa Leffler.

Read this month unbridled with Annette Longenecker by clicking the link in our bio. Never miss a story by subscribing to Sidelines Magazine! 🦄
📸Photo by Sheryl Sutherby

#horse #horses #horsesofinstagram #equestrian #horseriding #equine #pony #pferd #equestrianlife #horselove #dressage #horselover #instahorse #love #cheval #showjumping #horselife #photography #nature #pferde #horseofinstagram #caballo #riding #horsebackriding #pferdeliebe #caballos #horsepower #horsephotography #instagram #Sidelinesmagazine
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