IHSA Featured Riders

I am currently a junior at Texas State. I started riding horses at age 6 and got my first horse at age 12. She is still my only horse and we’ve been together for 10 years. I mostly rode western (barrel racing/gymkhana) but decided to try my hand at hunter seat when I moved to Central Texas from Southern California last fall. I have fallen head-over-tall-boots-heels in love with the discipline! Thanks to the incredible coaching from Texas State Equestrian’s coach Katherine Deichmann, I brought home a couple primary-colored ribbons last season in the Walk-Trot-Canter, advanced division. I loved being on the team so much that I decided to run for captain, and lo and behold, I was elected! I’m looking forward to the 2018/2019 year with Texas State Equestrian and IHSA. My main goal is to point out of W/T/C and move up into the Novice division. 

I am from Madison, Alabama, and I am majoring in Chemical Engineering at the University of Alabama. My favorite thing about the IHSA is the unique challenge it presents, because you can't become too used to riding one horse. You have to learn to adapt and ride a horse that you've never really interacted with before while riding at a competitive level, which is difficult in and of itself. That forces you to be more aware of not only the horse you are riding, but also yourself. You can't change the horse to fit your own riding style, but instead, you have to fit your riding style to the horse that you're on.

I began showing for St. Andrews University in 2014 as an Intermediate rider. I enjoyed being a rider for the team and went to Regionals, Semi-Finals, and Nationals as the Intermediate team rider and placed 7th overall. In 2015, I pointed up to Novice and began showing the Novice for our team. I also qualified to show the Individual Intermediate and went on to win Regionals, Semi-Finals, and Nationals. In 2015, I also placed 4th in the Team Novice at Nationals. In 2016, I pointed up to the Advanced class and began showing the Advanced for our team. Pointing up to the Advanced also qualified me to compete in the Individual Novice. In 2016, I won Regionals, Semi-Finals, and Nationals in the Individual Novice. In 2017, I continued showing the Advanced and am currently still showing in the Advanced class and hope to keep excelling to compete in the Open. Showing at St. Andrews University has taught me so much about being a horseman, allowed me to meet many influential individuals, and has also helped me to make some of my dreams come true. None of the teams’ success could be possible without Carla Wennberg or Lindsey Trockenbrot.