By Britney Grover
Featured Photo by Julie Ann Media
It could be said that Alyce Bittar lives two lives: She splits her time between Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she is an engineer at Boston Dynamics, and Los Angeles, California, where she rides and competes as a co-founder of Bittar Stables. But really, it all works in beautiful synchronicity. “While forging her path as an engineer, Alyce brings her expertise to streamline operations and enhance efficiency within our equestrian operation,” said Alyce’s sister, Amelie. “Just like me, she’s passionate and dedicated, with the aim to carry on our legacy by implementing innovative ideas and strategies and utilizing the wealth of knowledge that has been passed on to us.”
That wealth of knowledge came to Alyce and Amelie from their father, Georges Bittar. Georges competed nationally and internationally for his native Lebanon for over 40 years, including at World Cup and Olympic qualifiers. His veterinary education helped round out his knowledge of horses. “Throughout the years, he has invested a tremendous amount of time and effort into understanding bloodlines, genetics and the results of horse breeding,” Alyce said. “He’s been patient and dedicated, knowing that creating a truly exceptional horse takes time, expertise and a deep connection with our horses. The question has never been whether he would make a good horse; it has always been when this vision and dedication would lead to success.”
In addition to receiving their father’s training, Alyce and Amelie grew up learning from the likes of Ashley Bond, Kent Farrington, McLain Ward, Richard Spooner, Anne Kursinski, Greg Best, Linda Allen, Rusty Stewart, Abdullah Al Sharbatly and more. Both sisters have impressive records of their own in the saddle, including earning gold medals representing the USA internationally. Amelie is studying to become a sports psychologist specializing in equestrian athletes, while still actively participating in furthering Bittar Stables’ breeding and competition goals. “Alyce has always helped me pursue my dreams and push through setbacks to achieve success,” Amelie said, “and now, we can collaborate to become the best versions of ourselves.”
How long have you been part of the horse world?
Horses are not just a passion but an integral part of our family. Growing up with my father as our trainer, my sister and I have been surrounded by these majestic creatures our entire lives. Our father instilled in us a deep connection to horses, as they’ve been woven into the fabric of our family for generations. Having the last name Bittar is also monumental for our family. It carries an aligned meaning in relation to horsemanship—it signifies the association of a man and his horse.
How did you get started in breeding and showing?
My journey into breeding and showing began the day I was born, as my first destination from the hospital was the barn. Once we arrived, my father—inspired by our family’s horsemanship tradition—placed me on a horse in front of him. From then on, I remember growing up at the barn, working hard and aspiring to be the best rider and horsewoman I could be.
With a legacy deeply rooted in the equestrian world, my father sought knowledge from the top riders and breeders of his era. His connections and passion for success helped cultivate me and my sister into professionals from a young age. He has shared all he knows with us on how to raise, care for and connect with horses to get the best out of them—and ourselves. Growing older, I observed the meticulous approach my father took in training, purchasing and breeding horses, laying the foundation for our own collaborative efforts.
What do you love about breeding?
Having spent my entire life immersed in the world of riding and breeding show jumpers, I’ve come to appreciate the significance of selecting top-quality and compatible horses. I love the research and patience involved in bringing great horses into the sport. The intricate dance of bloodlines, pedigrees, show records, genetics and training all contribute to each offspring, such as athleticism and overall temperament.
Witnessing the growth and development of the horses we breed and cultivate brings me a profound sense of fulfillment, as the love we put into the animals we raise is proven by their blossoming success through their career at every level. For us, it’s more than a profession; it’s a lifelong passion that involves continuous learning and a dedication to the future of this sport.
How did you find Cézanne B?
Cézanne B is one of our homebred stallions with world-renowned bloodlines: Chacco-Blue X Laurenz X Good Times X Fernando X Lehre X Wildfeuer. Recently approved in the Holsteiner Verband and Westphalian studbooks scoring a rare 9/10 for his spectacular way of jumping, he has a bright future both in the show ring and at the breeding farm.
His story started long before he was born as Cézanne’s mother, Latoya 39, was one of my father’s Grand Prix horses that he rode internationally, representing Lebanon. When she was imported from Europe, my sister and I showed her as well. After Latoya continuously proved herself as a top competitor, we decided to breed her with Paul Schockemöhle’s Chacco Blue.
When Cézanne B eventually came into training, we started him out slowly, knowing that Chacco Blue stallions tend to mature late. He began under saddle as a 5-year-old, and we have moved him up at his own pace in the show ring.
As he continued to grow, all of his lovely qualities began to come to fruition. He is kind, caring and almost human-like in his smarts. With natural athleticism and a mind eager to learn, he gives a feeling that few horses can. As we continue to move him up, he proves himself time and time again in the show ring. Now at the Grand Prix level, he is earning his mileage in the ring and has given us more than we could have ever expected. When I’m riding him in the ring, I can feel him learning how to perform better throughout the course. He’s one of the most intelligent horses I’ve had the pleasure of riding.
How has Cézanne B impacted your family?
Looking back over Cézanne’s life, I can say he has done something beautiful for our family. Bringing together our collective knowledge and training to cultivate such a lovely partner is a priceless gift we all get to enjoy.
To us, Cézanne B represents more than a skilled athlete; he symbolizes a shift in our approach, proving that a horse can be both exceptional in competition and a joy to understand and work with on a daily basis. All these reasons led us to approve him as a stallion and share his quality traits with the world.
What part do you play in the horse world or at your farm?
The business is a family affair, with each of us tackling tasks suited to our individual strengths. While I’m not at the stable daily due to my engineering work in Boston, I play a crucial role in supporting the business, refining our breeding goals, maintaining a strong connection to the sport and keeping my body in shape for when I return to compete whenever possible. I also handle the social media and branding for our team, since I can do that virtually.
During my time back at the stable or at competitions, my focus shifts to connecting with my horses, educating the younger ones, and sharing knowledge with our riding team. Being part of this incredible team and sport allows me to integrate the art of horsemanship and riding, something I can never imagine living without.
What are the goals for Bittar Stables?
Photo by Bella Saville Farris, www.bellasavillephotography.com
With an overarching goal to develop winning riders and horses, the future of our stable is to continue breeding, raising, training and competing horses as a team. Bittar Stables has come a long way being focused on success, and we’ll continue to pursue big goals in multiple facets of equestrian riding and breeding to achieve that.
Good horses are critical in this sport. We would like to leave a positive impact on the sport by producing and cultivating quality horses for the future of show jumping. Now that Cézanne B is officially approved as a stallion in Holsteiner Verband and Westfalen studbooks, he’s helping us achieve this by allowing us to continue sharing his successful bloodlines with the world.
What’s the best-kept secret about what you do?
When I’m not at the barn, I’m working on robots! I’m a rotational engineer at Boston Dynamics and I get to work on amazing technologies that mimic the motion of animals. There are three robots that my company is working towards productizing as they push the boundaries of today’s technology.
For more information, visit bittarstables.com or follow @AlyceBittar and @BittarStables on Instagram
Featured Photo by Julie Ann Media
