I was blessed with my first horseback riding lesson when I was just 10 years old. What was one lesson for a birthday gift, has turned into a passion and love that drives me every day to do my best. I started with the saintly lesson horses at Judgement Farms in Oswego, Illinois and very quickly my trainers and parents knew this was not going to be a hobby but rather my forever passion and hopefully career!
I went to my first show when I was 11 years old just to watch my teammates and looked at my parents and said I need to do this! That was the beginning of my show opportunities. I started on my short stirrup pony where I began my equitation career in the pony equitation 11 and under and quickly moved up to the rated ponies and 12-14 eq when I was 12. I quickly and sadly outgrew my amazing pony and I moved up to the 3’3″ medals with my equitation horse. I worked hard and pushed myself as hard as I could to be the best version of myself. My perseverance through hard lessons at home and in the show, ring has allowed me to now be competing in the 3’6″ Equitation classes, Medals and aged eq. While, for many, that would be enough, I also had to dive into the jumpers! I am now competing about twice a month throughout the year on my equitation horse and jumper horse. I also am blessed with many opportunities to catch ride a horse and even sometimes a pony at a show or home. I am so thankful and appreciative when my trainers and other trainers notice my sincere dedication and horsemanship iq and trust me with their own horses.
I have been blessed with amazing support from my family and trainers which has helped me qualify for Maclay Finals, Jumper Medal finals, Pony Finals, Dover finals, IHJA finals and more throughout the years!
I am currently a sophomore at Joliet Catholic Academy with focus on my sitting GPA of 4.25 while competing regularly. I believe that the skills I have learned at the barn have helped me be focused, organized and how taught me how to handle pressure both at school and in the show ring. I ride 6 days a week at my barn and have the opportunity to ride about 5-6 horses each day to further my horsemanship knowledge. I help around the barn as much as I can, grooming, bathing, clean up, watching and listening to the professionals teach other lessons, I learn just as much on the ground as I do while mounted. I have also been given the opportunity to help my trainer with a younger horse and am involved in teaching him and bringing him along. While I give him the knowledge as he grows up, he gives me the horsemanship to understand the baby brain and how they think. We teach each other and it is a great reward when it all pays off and it is a feeling I am very thankful for.
Due to my birthday, 9/16/2005, I will lose my junior year of riding when I enter into my senior year of high school. This has also driven me to be my best and work hard daily to accomplish my goals of riding in the NCAA Division 1 level! Having the opportunity to ride at the collegiate level would confirm all the time and effort I have put into my equestrian youth career. I am very passionate about finding the right team to ride from as an NCAA Division I Equestrian. I’m truly blessed by the equestrian sport because of the way it has matured me, taught me patience, and most of all taught me how to be a humble winner and a respectful loser. I cannot wait to commit myself to my future team!
~Jackie Stary