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Wednesday, April 18 2018 / Published in Sidelines Spotlight

Laura Bowery: Balancing Life, Horses and Children

By Heather Wallace

Equestrians know true balance appears effortless to the observer, but it takes a lifetime of dedication, training and practice to master. How do you balance a successful equestrian business, competitions, teaching and motherhood? Show jumper Laura Bowery knows.

Laura has made a name for herself in the show jumping world. She joined the US Equestrian Team in 1999 and won in the 1999 Pan American trials and the Nations Cup as a team in Sweden. “I won one of the trials for the Pan Am Games, which secured me a spot on the team to Europe,” Laura said, “George Morris was helping me at the time. I was on a fairly new horse, Altesse du Boule, and we weren’t doing well in the first few trials. George encouraged me to keep going and I won the seventh trial.”

Later, Laura won the 2007 Winner Grand Prix on Indy Star in Lexington, Kentucky, and became the 2008 Winter Equestrian Festival Circuit Champion on Palona in the 1.40m speed division.

Laura works hard to balance her family life with her horse life
Photo by Lexey Hall

Laura’s focus shifted away from competition when she had her children, Jackson and Ella, now 7 and 5 years old. “I’m very competitive,” Laura said. “I’ve had my time in the sport, although I’m still extremely active. I really love being a mother and it’s been the best experience of my life. Now I’m always looking for the perfect balance. As a single mother, I have to maintain a healthy business. It’s hard work providing for yourself, your staff and your family.”

Hard work, yes, but Laura has made adjustments to her career to prioritize her family life. Now, she actively trains amateurs rather than juniors because they stay in the United States and travel is limited to no more than a week.

Laura is the proud owner of Sea-Aire Inc., a top show jumping, hunter and equitation stable. She is based both in Southampton, New York, and Wellington, Florida, depending on the season. In recent years, she’s also been creating the perfect match between horses and riders.

At the heart of it all, Laura is a competitor and attends many shows as a rider or trainer. Laura turns traveling for competition into family trips, renting a house for the family and spending quality time together. But if the children have activities or express disinterest, Laura makes arrangements for them to stay home, noting, “I eat, sleep, and breathe the sport but the kids don’t have to.”

Last year during the Hampton Classic, longtime friend Frank Madden and his family stayed with Laura and her children. “During our stay Laura was able to compete, train and still have a great time with us,” Frank said. “We had evening cookouts and a nice beach outing with both our families.”

All Work and No Play

Laura didn’t come from a horse riding family. “My father had an incredible love for animals, especially horses,” Laura said. “He put me on my first horse at 3 years old. We worked hard from a young age grooming, braiding, anything we could do to afford an opportunity to ride. When I was 7, my father passed away suddenly. My sister and I carried on our love for horses from him.”

 

Laura with her children Jackson and Ella
Photo by Lexey Hall

Family is incredibly important to Laura and she prioritizes time with her children. Like her mom, Ella is extremely passionate about horses. Partnering with 31-year-old pony Frosty, she has competed in lead line classes since she was 2 years old and can often be found playing with the pony in the backyard. But Laura stresses that she secretly wants her daughter to continue in the sport only as long as she has balance. “If she wants to be a superstar in the sports, that’s her decision,” Laura said. To keep it interesting and fun, they ride bareback and go on a lot of trails.

 

Jackson, on the other hand, loves horses but doesn’t show the same affinity for riding. While he can be found playing at the barn, helping the grooms or riding his bicycle on the farm, he prefers swimming, soccer and karate.

In fact, Laura considers swimming her second sport. Growing up near the ocean, water safety was important for her family, especially since her son is profoundly deaf and cannot wear his cochlear implants or “magic ears” in the water.

Horsing Around

The horse world is full of ups and downs, and Laura recently experienced a “down” with a horse she purchased from longtime friend McLain Ward. She intended to compete Zerly at the 2017 Hampton Classic. Unfortunately, one week before the show, the mare suffered a suspensory injury.

While it was a major disappointment, Laura focused on the health of her horse first. It’s been a long road to recovery for the mare. Keeping her active with hand-walking and aqua therapy was key to her overall fitness, and she’s back in training stronger than ever. The goal is always to “keep her moving.”

Laura at her Sea-Aire Farm
Photo by Shelby Phillips, www.shelbyphillipsphotography.com

McLain, a close friend and colleague, said, “One characteristic that’s reflected in Laura’s riding and training is her sympathy. She treats her horses, students and children with care, generosity and warmth that really shines through.”

Zerly’s newest scans look good and Laura remains flexible about her training. The ultimate goal is to prepare for the 2018 Hampton Classic this August without overdoing it. It’s very close to her heart as a member of the advisory board for this competition and because it’s her hometown event. The pair may be spotted at Lake Placid, HITS Saugerties or Old Salem this show season as they prepare.

Lessons Learned

Laura knows the path to success starts by watching and listening, and recommends that up-and-coming riders become ring rats. “Watch and listen,” Laura said. “I learned about the sport standing by the schooling area and watching great riders. We’re never done learning. If you want to be good at this, you take from everyone.”

The learning never ends. In four decades of riding, Laura has had a lot of influences and mentors in her life: renowned equestrians George Morris, Katie Prudent, Margie Engle, Barney and McLain to name just a few. But Laura has become an influencer herself. Don Stewart said, “Laura and I have been friends for longer than either of us wants to admit. One of the reasons for our closeness is that family comes first. Laura is so cute with her children and they love her so much. She shows kindness to her horses, clients, friends and staff. Horses are her family, too. Her dedication is rewarded and proven in her results.”

On Deck

While still actively competing, Laura’s focus is now on teaching and clinics, which she particularly loves because of the intensity and involvement within those two days. She’s also turning her hand to getting her judge’s card for hunters and equitation. But Laura finds true inspiration in sales — pairing perfect horse-and-rider combinations.

“What draws me most to the sport of show jumping is the extreme difficulty of it,” Laura said. “To me, it’s a very mental sport as well as physical. The courses today are big, technical and careful. Finding the right horse that has all of those attributes is fascinating to me. I believe it to be a top rider’s ultimate quest.”

Laura has clear goals moving forward: “running a successful business, being relevant in the sport and being a great mother.” No easy task, but like the competitor she is, Laura Bowery will keep learning and aiming for perfect balance.

 

 

 

 

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Tagged under: heather wallace, Laura bowery, lexey hall, shelby phillips

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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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Marie Meyers has been around the world because of Marie Meyers has been around the world because of dressage, but it’s her farm in Moorpark, California, that has captured her heart. The farm and the business that thrives there represent Marie’s lifelong journey—a journey made up of good friends, spectacular horses and relationships made to last.

Marie was raised in Southern California, and spent her childhood playing just about every sport under the sun, but she didn’t discover riding until she was 14 years old. “I loved animals so much, so I started taking lessons. I did jumping at first, but I was very bad at that, for sure!” Marie laughed.

After some time, Marie moved on to take lessons at Foxfield Riding Academy and began riding dressage. “I fell into dressage by accident,” Marie said, “At the beginning, I thought it was extremely boring, but then I got hooked. By the time I graduated from high school, I had plans to travel to England to work for Franz Rochowansky, a former head of the Spanish Riding School.”

In 1988, Marie’s hard work paid off, and the pair was selected as alternates for the 1988 Summer Olympic Games. “They didn’t take the alternates that year, so we didn’t go to Seoul, but the experience, the training and the European Tour afterwards set me up for the 1990 World Equestrian Games in Stockholm, Sweden,” Marie said.

In addition to having success representing her country, Marie was busy with her life—marriage, a business, teaching lessons and clinics. 

Learn more about Marie in this month's edition of Sidelines Magazine. Click the link in our bio for more 🦄

📸Photos by Lindsey Long Equine Photography, www.lindseylong.com

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