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Monday, October 25 2021 / Published in Sidelines Spotlight

Junior Showing All Across North America

Ella McHardy

Junior Rider

Toronto, Canada

How old are you?

I just turned 16 in February, but I ride as a 15-year-old.

How did you get introduced to horses? 

My family has been coming to South Florida for more than 20 years. During one holiday break, we were in Wellington and I saw someone riding on the side of the road and begged my parents to sign me up for lessons. I had my first lesson at a small, private farm off Southshore and was hooked. From that day forward, I rode as much as I could. My mom rode when she was young and both of my parents are very supportive of my riding, and now it’s a family affair. They spend most of the season in Florida and love coming to the shows. I feel fortunate that I get to share this with them.

When did you start showing and get competitive?

I’ve been riding for nine years—since that winter holiday in Wellington, I have never stopped. I began showing in the Short Stirrup divisions when I was 9 years old and showed competitively on the A-circuit in the Mediums on a pony named Charming in 2016. In 2017, I moved to the Larges with my pony Foxlair Tango. I was fortunate to qualify both ponies for the Canadian indoor finals called the Royal Winter Fair, where I was Reserve Champion in the Larges.  Over the past years, I have traveled to shows all over North America; it has been so much fun!

What’s the horse scene like in Canada? 

I live in Toronto, and our horse scene is quite similar to the U.S. but just concentrated in a smaller area. Over the past five years, I have trained with Erynn Ballard and Looking Back Farm. It gets very cold here, so typically our horse show season is from May to October. During the cold months, I’ve been lucky enough to travel down to Wellington to compete. It’s an incredible opportunity to travel to Florida: The grounds, horses and competition make it like no other place. I find traveling to the U.S. just gives me a lot more experience; I love getting to compete against new people and horses all the time. Throughout the summer, I’ve also travelled to some fantastic shows like Kentucky, Tryon, Upperville, WEC, and the Hamptons. The great range of competition all over the country pushes me to be the best I can be.

Tell us about your horses.

I have two horses currently—Fabio, whom I’ve had for two years, and he’s a three-ring horse. I show him mainly in the jumper and hunter 3’6” equitation. Bugatti, who I just got this past November, my trainer shows in the greens, and throughout WEF I showed him in the children’s hunters but have just moved him up the 3’3” as we want to keep his green status for the upcoming year.

How long have you been training with Tori Colvin? 

We met Tori Colvin through our friends Ashley and Parker Peacock. Parker used to show one of our ponies and Ashley and my mom are good friends. This is my first season with Tori, and it has been amazing; learning in the ring and on the side of the ring with Tori and her mom, Brigid, has been incredible. I have always looked up to her as a rider, and being able to train with her was surreal. I saw things very differently and became very patient and tried not to rush. The learning experience has changed my outlook on so many aspects from the stall to the ring. It has been life changing.

How do you juggle school and riding?

I’m in 10th grade, and sometimes juggling riding, school and regular life is not the easiest. Usually, during average years, I fly back and forth between Canada and the U.S. to compete, but this year, I switched to online school because of COVID-19. It’s been nice not to have to go back and forth all the time, and I can fully immerse myself in riding. Online school has been a different experience because I’m not used to managing my school work myself. It has pushed me to be more independent and to learn how to balance friends, riding and school a lot better. At home it’s a little harder to get up to the farm to ride as often, as we live right downtown in Toronto and it takes 75 minutes or more to get there and I don’t yet drive. I really depend on the team at Looking Back to keep my horses in shape.

What are your plans for the future?

When I think about my future goals, many things come to mind, but some of the most important things are continuing in the equation ring, getting to the Maclay Finals and to the U.S. indoors. I have two-and-a-half more years as a Junior and I’m going to take advantage of every minute of it. Another future goal I’d love to complete is riding on a team in college somewhere in the United States. Getting to ride and compete with a team would be so fun, and it would add such a cool dynamic to go to school and continue what I love to do. American schools offer more opportunities to be able to study and stay in the saddle. This academic year, I will start the application process, and I’m so excited!

Casual clothes provided by Fab Finds by Sarah of Wellington, Florida. Riding clothes provided by Equestrian Team Apparel.

Photos by Evelyn Szczepanek, www.esequinephotography.com

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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 
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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_

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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

#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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