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Monday, March 22 2021 / Published in Sidelines Feature

McKenzie Cumbea: Mental Toughness, Consistency & Hard Work

By Lilly Steger

Portraits by Pam Jensen

McKenzie Cumbea is plucky and upbeat, and possesses the gutsy confidence that gets eventers into the startbox. “Fake your confidence if you have to,” she advised.

A Connecticut native, McKenzie grew up riding with her sisters at a local hunter-jumper barn and fell in love with horses. She took every riding opportunity she could and developed a repertoire riding off-the-track Thoroughbreds. When she was a teenager, she started riding with Amie Kersey Loring, an eventing trainer.

All rights reserved: Pamela Jensen, 2020

“That was my first time seeing a functioning event farm,” McKenzie said. “It was such a milestone for me because that’s where I learned I could be a working student.” Growing up in New England, McKenzie didn’t realize how expansive the horse world was. 

“I just thought Pony Club and local shows were the end-all-be-all,” she said. “I had all the Burghley, Badminton and Rolex videos, but I thought that was a one-in-a-million thing. I just didn’t realize normal people were doing that.”

That was when McKenzie decided riding was something she could do professionally. Amie put her in contact with Mark Weissbecker, an eventer who had competed at the Kentucky Three-Day CCI5* and the Burghley CCI5*, represented the United States at the European Eventing Championships and was short-listed for the 1996 Olympic team in Atlanta. “I went and interviewed and I totally found my place. It was where I wanted to be,” McKenzie said of her time with Mark. “The only reason I left was because I met the man who is now my husband.”

While wintering with Mark and his team in North Carolina, Zach, her now-husband, was living in an apartment at the farm. Despite living on a horse farm, he knew nothing about horses. 

McKenzie stayed in the south and married Zach, but not long after, she took a sabbatical from riding. “I went to school and I waited tables and I absolutely hated it,” she laughed. “That made me realize, ‘OK, I guess I should ride.’”

It took a year for her to get back in the saddle. She found a job riding and launched her business. “It was really scary,” McKenzie said. “Not that I was making a killing at the restaurant, but it was steady, and it was somebody else’s responsibility. I realized I just had to commit.” 

McKenzie and Zach purchased a tiny house and farm on seven acres to run the business and named it Morning Line Farm. That’s when McKenzie found Reggie.

Meeting Reggie 

McKenzie had been on the lookout for a horse to compete and found an OTTB at the Maker’s Mark Secretariat Center in Lexington, Kentucky, who was available. McKenzie and her sister took a trip to see him. Halfway through the drive, she learned he had a suspensory injury. “We were in West Virginia and we almost turned around,” she said.

But they kept driving, and when McKenzie saw him, she thought he was beautiful. “He’s just this plain brown horse, but I thought he was incredible,” she gushed. “I saw him moving and I thought, Ugh, I like this horse! Someone said I should hop on, so I did! And it was fabulous, and I was like, ‘This is awful, right?’

“We went back the next day and he had lost his shoe. I rode him again and he stopped at a crossrail in the arena. I said, ‘This horse is a hunk of junk.’ I think he heard me, because then he started being perfect.” The suspensory was a big problem, so McKenzie returned to North Carolina uncertain, but she couldn’t get Reggie out of her head. She ended up taking the risk and shipped him to North Carolina.

The first few months, she treated Reggie like he was still in rehab. They were meticulous about footing and she iced his leg constantly. Slowly, she started to up the ante and he stayed sound. When they began jumping, she realized what an incredible horse he was.

McKenzie entered Reggie in his first event when he was 4. “He just went up the levels no problem,” she said. “I’ve never sat on a horse where everything was so easy. Reggie was the first time I could really get around and show that I can do this.”

At 9, Reggie ran his first Advanced. “He is so amazing on cross-country. He reads questions so well and he can jump a huge table all day long.”

Competing at the FEI level is something that seems out of reach for many riders. “Once you do it, it seems much more obtainable. I remember doing clinics with trainers who were 3* or 4* riders and just thinking they were a god or a goddess. You learn that they’re normal people who have worked really hard and have a good feel. You realize that if you aren’t afraid to get up every morning and work, you can do it too.”

Reggie opened the doors for McKenzie to continue her career at the upper levels. Together, they have competed at the Fair Hill CCI4*, the Great Meadow CCI4*, the Jersey Fresh CCI4* and the Pine Top Advanced Horse Trials with a top 10 finish. “I’m so grateful to Reggie. Because of what he’s given me, I’ve got a couple of young ones I know I can do it with, too. You have to get past that first horse,” she said. “For me, it was special because it was a horse I started. I trust them the most because I know everything about them, and they know everything about me.”

Building the Business

Soon after she bought Reggie, McKenzie and Zach upgraded to a 22-acre farm with a 6-stall barn. Her partnership with Reggie was growing and after so many years of riding OTTBs, she had steady business pulling horses off the track and training and selling them. “I have a knack for it and I’m good at choosing a horse, putting their first few months on them and making them into something anyone can ride,” she said. With a few clients and boarders, the barn was full, and the business was growing.

In February 2020, they stumbled onto a massive 85-acre farm with a 30-stall barn in Aberdeen, North Carolina, on Zillow. “I never thought we would outgrow 22 acres after we came from seven, but we were able to sell our place just as COVID was hitting and get the move done. It all worked out so beautifully,” McKenzie said. 

While the world was shutting down, McKenzie and Zach were transforming their new property. “We feel lucky that the owner before us rehabbed the ground. We put concrete in the aisles, matted the stalls, and graded the ring. We figured in a few years we’d be full, but it only took a couple of months.”

Oct. 11, 2020 – Raeford, North Carolina, USA – MCKENZIE CUMBEA riding Regiment competes at the Southern Pines Equine Associates War Horse Event Series, Oct. 11 at Carolina Horse Park in Raeford, N.C. Founded in 2013 as the Cabin Branch Event Series, the War Horse Event Series consists of five horse trials and combined tests and attracts riders and their horses from across the eastern United States.

With her husband and four employees, the team learned how to run a smooth operation. “We’re just making improvements as we go. We’ve got a half-mile track and 30 acres of trails,” she said. “We just put in a huge Grand Prix show-jumping arena. It’s been really fast-paced.”

McKenzie has built a strong support system. Her husband; her parents, Gemmy and Joseph Day; her long-term border and barn manager, Jamie; and her other employees keep the farm running. “I’m so lucky; I have a great group of clients and a great team. Now my job is to find the balance of getting back to the FEI scene while keeping the business running.”

McKenzie has learned to juggle her life as a high-performance athlete and a business owner. “Anyone can do it, it just takes something that not everyone is willing to give, which is time and mental toughness,” she explained.

Her biggest advice is simple. “Have good morals, stick by them, and be consistent. Just do your work — people will notice if you work hard.”

For more information, visit morninglinefarm.com 

Photos by www.pamjensenphotography.com

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Tagged under: eventing, ottb, secretariat center

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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

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A column from Liz Halliday-Sharp herself The spor A column from Liz Halliday-Sharp herself 
The sport of eventing is a demanding and mentally challenging discipline that requires a combination of physical and mental fortitude from both the rider and horse. While having a coach can be incredibly beneficial, self-coaching can also play a crucial role in a rider’s success.

I think that given the opportunity, most riders would like to be coached every day. The reality of life in the horse world, however, is that the majority of us need to absorb as much from the lessons we have on a limited basis and then practice those skills at home to improve.

When I am riding, I try to have a plan for the horses each day and focus on what I’m looking to achieve. It’s important to be aware of the steady improvements rather than trying to solve everything all at once. This is especially important when teaching horses new movements or exercises that they might struggle with, and we need to give them time to learn and understand what we are asking for.

I have a couple of quotes that I use regularly when I’m teaching, and these are mottos that I hold myself to in my daily work as well.

The first is, “If you do what you have always done, you will get what you have always gotten.” This is a quote that was said to me many years ago when I was still motor racing and I keep it in the back of my mind each day. It’s easy to get stuck doing the same thing every day with your horse and bad habits are hard to break, from both riders and horses!

This leads me to my next quote, which is, “If what you are doing isn’t working, try something else.” It really is as simple as that! Many riders I see keep asking a horse to do something the same way over and over with an ongoing negative response and they wonder why things don’t get better. In these circumstances, I recommend that the rider change something, even if it’s wrong.

Read the full article by clicking the link in our bio! Don’t forget to keep your eye out for our April subscription!
📸Photo by Alex Banks Photography
The✨April issue✨ of Sidelines Magazine is here The✨April issue✨ of Sidelines Magazine is here and we are so excited to feature three-day eventer Liz Halliday on the cover! Big thanks to photographer Melissa Fuller for the beautiful photo of Liz and Cooley Nutcracker- Liz Halliday-Sharp - HS Eventing. Liz and her horses have taken the eventing world by storm - and find out how Liz is at the top of the sport as a female eventer! As the horse world gears up for the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event 2023, it's the perfect time to enjoy our eventing issue!! We also feature eventer and woman entrepreneur Frankie Thieriot Stutes, who is not only an eventer, but also runs Athletux and FRANKIE CAMERON handbags and accessories. And don't miss our eventing story on Robert "Bobby" Costello, who will be leading the US Eventing team to the 2024 Paris Olympics- and US Equestrian has named Bobby the eventing technical advisor/chef d'equipe!! Liz, Frankie and Bobby all have GREAT stories - don't miss any of them and don't forget to get your tickets for the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day event! We are also excited to introduce you to hunter-jumper rider Casey Lorusso Smith, who is not only a talented rider but also a psychotherapist and incorporates horses into her career. If you are up for adventure, then read the story on dressage rider Priscilla Baldwin who certainly doesn't let any grass grow under her feet! We also head to the west coast to catch up with hunter-jumper trainer Jim Hagman of Elvenstar Farm, we feature beautiful art by equestrian artist Tammy Tappan, and we get to know Miranda Jones and her family. Miranda is not only an attorney who spends a lot of time in the courthouse, but she's a rider and spends lots of time riding, and is joined by her daughters also! We are excited to feature Stephanie Lightner in our Unbridled column, and don't miss our columnists George Williams, Robert R.L. Jacobs and Margie Sugarman! It's a great issue - and you can read it online, but don't forget to go to the website and order a subscription and get every issue delivered to your mailbox!! Enjoy this issue and enjoy the ride: Link in bio!!
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