By Helen Townes
Portraits by Kristen Scholten
There are moments in life when destiny is determined. For Neveah Barraza, that moment came at the age of 9 when she was watching the Netflix-produced British equestrian drama “Free Rein” and realized that she wanted to ride.
The Barraza family lives in Arlington, Texas: Neveah and her mother, Camille; father, Nieves; and brother, Jaden. “No one in my family has ever ridden before, so that makes me a first-generation rider,” Neveah said. Her parents could see that Neveah’s interest was genuine, and luckily there was a hunter-jumper barn close to their home: Smallside Farm. Neveah started taking hunt seat riding lessons in December 2019 with Smallside’s assistant trainer, Emily Maahs. Neveah devoted herself to riding the stable’s lesson ponies and it was immediately evident that she had a strong aptitude for the sport.
When Neveah’s parents could see that riding wasn’t just a casual hobby, they decided to buy her a pony of her own. “The head trainer at Smallside Farm, Jordan Mallard, found a contact in New York who was selling a small pony,” her mother, Camille, remembered. “The COVID-19 pandemic had limited travel, so we made the purchase sight unseen!”
Fozzie Bear in Texas
Neveah’s first pony, a palomino Welsh Pony gelding named Fozzie Bear, came home to Texas in April of 2020. Neveah began to train in earnest and soon her hard work was paying off with winning rounds. She competed on the local circuit with the North Texas Hunter Jumper Club (NTHJC) during 2020 and 2021 and won several champion and reserve ribbons.
When Neveah had achieved all she could on the local level, the Barrazas decided it was time for a new barn where she could compete at the state level with the Texas Hunter Jumper Club (THJC). So began the next chapter at Cedar Haven Stables, a hunter-jumper barn near Dallas, under the direction of head trainer Kelsey Marcus.
Neveah’s accomplishments over the next several months of training at the new barn paid off in spades: She and Fozzie qualified for the 2022 USEF Pony Finals in Lexington, Kentucky, and the duo ended up being crowned the 2022 Small Pony Hunter Champions of the Texas Hunter Jumper Association (THJA). In November 2022, Neveah and Fozzie ribboned in all their rounds at the Marshall & Sterling/USHJA National Championships in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Of course, children grow—and fast. Neveah’s parents soon realized that she was outgrowing the pony phase, and they began the search for her next mount. It was sad to say goodbye to Fozzie, who was sold in December 2022 to another 9-year-old. The Barraza family used the proceeds to buy Neveah’s first full-sized horse, Gaspari.
New Chapter, Experienced Horse
Imported from the Netherlands, Gaspari was an 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood, a striking 16.2-hand flea-bitten rose-grey gelding. He had previously trained in jumpers, had experience in cross-country and had also shown in dressage up to Second Level. “It was a little tricky transitioning from a pony to a horse, but having a partner like Gaspari made it a lot easier!” Neveah said. “He’s very experienced at his job. He’s loyal and very understanding. Sometimes he gets me out of tricky situations as we navigate a course.”
With the addition of Gaspari came Neveah’s decision to change to jumpers and move to a new barn to ride with Grand Prix rider and trainer Happy Comly of Comly Sport Horses. The new partnership produced immediate results. In January 2023, Neveah began lessons with Happy and started competing on Gaspari, earning several champion and reserve champion ribbons over the next several months. The duo quickly accelerated from 0.75m to 1.05m jumps, and Neveah started competing outside of Texas for the first time against other Junior competitors from states including Colorado, Mississippi and Tennessee.
Comly Sport Horses has been a great environment for Neveah to move up and expand skills. “She sometimes gets the opportunity to catch-ride in the hunter division; she really enjoys that and does really well!” Camille said. “It’s been wonderful to see her continue her journey with Gaspari, getting better with each ride and expanding her knowledge in the saddle.”
Neveah’s love for Gaspari is evident. “I feel like anyone who’s changing from a pony to horse, or from hunters to jumpers, should have a horse like Gaspari. He’s been a great horse to learn the ropes on!” she said.
Balancing “Real Life” and Riding
Of course, balancing the demands of school, family, social life and daily lessons at the barn at the age of 13 can be challenging. “I just think about what school assignments are most important that day. School always comes first because it’s fundamental for my future, but horseback riding is usually right behind that,” Neveah said. “Luckily I still have time to hang out with my friends on weekends when I don’t have shows or any assignments due.’’
Just as she has a plan for handling the pressures of balancing life, Neveah has a strategy for dealing with the inevitable pressure before a competition. “I make it a goal to watch a few horses go before my round so I can see what the lines are like and the little spots on the course that might get difficult,” she said.
And as rare as it might be for this young up-and-comer, when a show doesn’t go her way, Neveah doesn’t get discouraged. “I mainly focus on what went wrong and how I can practice fixing the problem at home so I’m more prepared for my next show,” she said.
Like many riders, Neveah has her show superstitions. “I always wear a bracelet on my left hand, and I don’t wear gloves. I feel like ever since I started doing those things, I’ve been having much better rounds!” she laughed.
Neveah is looking forward to what’s next. “A goal that I have for the rest of the 2024 and into the 2025 show season is to be consistent in my placings and pick up a few champions and reserves along the way,” she shared. “I would also like to win an end-of-the-year award with Gaspari.”
Looking back, Neveah says that the connection with horses and her relationships with fellow riders have been exactly what she hoped for after watching “Free Rein.” “There is an amazing bond between my horse and me, formed with love, trust and companionship,” she said. “And I really enjoy the friendships and the support we show each other even though we’re competing!”
Photos by Kristie Scholten, kristiescholten.com
