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Friday, June 16 2017 / Published in Weekly Feature

A Life-Changing Gift: Anna Rossi’s Trip Around the World

Anna and her horse, Cakebread, in Wellington, Florida.
Photo by Isabel Kurek

By Dani Moritz-Long

Anna Rossi was 12 years old when her parents told her, “You’re not going back to school for a year because we’re going to travel the world.” For many pre-teens, hearing these words would be euphoric. No homework or studying, no middle school drama, and the chance to see the world.

Anna and her mother Lisa
Photo by Isabel Kurek

But then there was Anna, who, consumed with her life as a budding equestrian, had quite a different perspective on packing her things for a year-long expedition around the globe.

“I was actually a little upset,” she explained. “It was going to be my last year on my small pony, I had all of my friends at home and I was going into middle school. I didn’t know what it would be like. I had watched reality shows and they had shown Third World countries [which were on the Rossis’ itinerary] in a very negative light. I was scared.”

Anna protested the trip, hid the countdown clock her father gave her in the closet and begged her father to postpone this disruption to her pre-teen life.

Her protests, of course, didn’t faze her father — who had long dreamed of enabling his children to see and experience the world. While he was willing to amend their trip so Anna and her mother, who competed as an amateur owner, could still compete in some of their favorite shows stateside, the trip would go on. “You’re going to thank me,” he said simply, completely unperturbed.

Spoiler alert: He was right.

Anna “riding” in India.
Photo courtesy of Anna Rossi

Around the World
Now 22 years old, 10 years after her trip, Anna recounts her travels fondly — grateful for every single experience her family enjoyed on their journey around the world.

One of her favorite parts of the trip, Anna poses with penguins.
Photo courtesy of Anna Rossi

Describing their journey, she said, “That year of travel took us to the ends of the earth. We circled the world twice, stepped foot on every continent and stood on both the equator and the Greenwich meridian. I came home with endless stories to tell, plenty of selfies with penguins and a new appreciation for a world many of my friends only knew from their textbooks.”

Her favorite stops included Turkey, Australia and Antarctica — but each stop along the way proved eye-opening for Anna and, in more ways than one, each stop changed her life.

Anna and her family in front of Stonehenge.
Photo courtesy of Anna Rossi

“I felt very special because I had seen things, done things nobody else my age had,” she explained. “When I went to high school, I learned about Masada and I had already been there. It was a way to get ahead that I never anticipated. I never thought I could write my reflection papers about actually being there.”

Proudly wearing her 2004 Pony Finals baseball cap, Anna smiles in front of the Buckingham Palace.
Photo courtesy of Anna Rossi

Horse Sense
Her international “studies” weren’t limited to the traditional historic and cultural sites most might pay heed to. She also saw the world through horses’ eyes and, in return, gained a newfound appreciation for the equine species. Most vividly she recalls her first stop in the Middle East, where she came face-to-face with a culture very different from her own.

“When I arrived in Cairo, Egypt, one of the first things I noticed was the abundance of horses pulling carts that brought tourists up to the base of the Giza Pyramids,” she said. “These horses were clearly underweight, with their ribs showing and minimal topline, but their hind-end muscles were powerful as they pulled heavy loads up a steep hill to the pyramids. The horses I saw in Egypt were viewed as equipment, and, while I was conditioned to a world where veterinarians regularly checked horses when they weren’t performing up to our standards, some of the carthorses were openly limping and exhausted. I got pretty emotional seeing some of these hardworking horses struggling to do their jobs, but still working with so much heart.”

Anna and her family coming face-to-face with the reality of life as a cart horse in Egypt.
Photo courtesy of Anna Rossi

Likewise, she was astonished by the culture in India, which dictated that if a horse’s whorl on his forehead is below the eye, he should not be purchased. On the other hand, she was pleasantly surprised to find Indian horsemen’s pride in their indigenous Marwaris — a breed best known for its unique inward-pointing ears.

Anna meeting a Paso Fino on her trip.
Photo courtesy of Anna Rossi

Lessons Learned

Whether she was admiring the Indian breed, Peruvian Pasos or Turkish show jumpers, the lesson she learned was very much the same.

“I learned about the value of the horse,” she said. “I’ve always seen a good horse as having one redeeming quality: It is a good mover, a good jumper or is easy to ride. That’s how I was raised; it had to check one of those boxes. But there’s a whole world where that doesn’t matter. It’s not just about aesthetics, it’s not just about something that goes around and jumps. There’s a huge world out there that values their power, beauty and strength and speed. The horse has a place all over the world that’s so different from what I knew.”

While it was difficult for Anna to learn this lesson — to come face-to-face with sometimes horrifying differences in equestrian culture — by the end of her trip she understood.

She understood that the horse’s value is universal; that value doesn’t speak a language or isn’t exclusively embodied in one discipline or role. It crosses borders and oceans, and is found in all breeds of horses.

A horse’s value, she came to understand, is in his heart.

Taken at a polo stable in Jaipur, India, this photo features a horse being poulticed and bandaged after a match.
Photo courtesy of Anna Rossi

“Ten years after my year of travel, I am still struck every day by the privilege I have to have horses in my life,” she said. “These noble creatures, who give their hearts to us regardless of whether they are pulling a cart in Cairo, running the polo fields of Jaipur or galloping the international ring at the Winter Equestrian Festival, should be revered and honored.”

I Told You So
Today, she’s never been so ecstatic about being wrong and having lived the greatest “I told you so” moment of her life. “I have the best parents in the world,” she said, looking back on what she considers the greatest gift she was ever given. “I didn’t know it then, but I know it now.”

Anna in Machu Picchu
Photo courtesy of Anna Rossi

 

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Tagged under: Anna Rossi, dani moritz-long, isabel j. kurek

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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!!! 🎉
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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
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