EN’s Rising Stars: Grace Fulton

EN’s Rising Stars is a new weekly series about up and coming riders in the sport of 3-Day Eventing who are exceptional in their performances and personalities. Spotlighting riders under the age of 15, the series is meant to call attention to the next generation of talent before they even become Young Riders. Have a child, sibling or student who you think deserves some notice and praise? Please email me at [email protected] with information and pictures!

 

Grace Fulton & Leo The Lionhearted flying into the water at Southern Pines II (photo by Mikaela Kantorowski)

Name: Grace Fulton

Age: 13

Hometown: Finksburg, Maryland

Horse: Leo The Lionhearted (Leo), a 16.1 hand eleven year old chestnut Thoroughbred gelding, bred by Dennis Glaccum to be an Eventer, brought to Grace through the kindness of Sharon White

Level of Competition: Training

How did you get started in Eventing? 

“My family owns Full Moon Farm, and we do a bit of everything. We mostly focus on Eventing, but with the young horses and the students we go to Hunter shows and Jumper Shows too. My mom and dad both evented when they were younger, my dad went all the way through Intermediate. My older sister Woodge was on the Area II Young Rider’s team the past two years in the CCI*. She’s a great, she helps me with my horse and sometimes gives me her older experienced mounts to learn on. My mom is our trainer, and my dad is our farrier, so everybody helps out. It’s very much a family affair. We have a really big lesson program, with about 60 horses boarded here. I was basically thrown on a miniature pony before I could walk, but that’s just fine with me.”

Older sister Woodge & Grace at the VA CCI* this year

Recent accomplishments?

“I was lucky enough to be one of the winners of the PRO Professional Junior Young Rider Training Level Scholarship Award Program, and actually was the highest score overall. It was really cool because we judged not only on our weekend score, but also on categories such as knowledge of your dressage test, ability to handle your horse, and your mental preparation under pressure as well as your horsemanship capabilities in the stable. In the jumping phases, you were judged on your position, your ability to see a distance as well as the effectiveness of your warmup. You got extra points for going double clear, and even more extra points for being within 10 seconds of the optimum time on cross country. The three competitions to qualify were Southern Pines II, Surefire and Millbrook. I went to Southern Pines, and was second in my division, so I didn’t have to go to the other two. The judges [Kristin Schmolze & Lainey Ashker] even inspected the cleanliness of my trailer! Because I won, I was given a week of training and board with Marcia Kulak in New York, and I’ll probably go up there in the spring for extra training.”

What are your plans for the future?

“I’m going to the Waredaca Training 3-Day in two weeks with Leo, and I’m really excited. This actually isn’t my first long format event though. My farm hosts a few unrecognized events every year, and we have long format divisions from Elementary through Training. The Novice and Training have little steeplechase fences, and it certainly feels like you’re going fast when you’re on a pony! My dad is also doing the Training 3-Day with me on his mare, so it’s exciting to do it together.”

Grace & Leo cruising to a 2nd place at Southern Pines II

“Next year I’m planning on moving up to Preliminary, because I’ll be turning 14. Ideally, I want to qualify for the Area II Young Riders Championships, and it would be really nice to go with my sister Woodge if she qualifies for the CCI** team. It’s a lot of work though, and a quick move up. Leo has already been Preliminary in his career, before I got him, so I know he can do it.”

“I really want to stick with riding, and go all the way to the upper levels. People always say that they want to represent the United States and go to the Olympics, but I think that’s a little unrealistic for me to say at age 13. It’s such a big game, and horses are so unpredictable, we’ve all had the horse that’s always sound until it’s not. I’ll take it a day at a time, and keep working until my riding is as good as it can be.”

 

Please email me at [email protected] if you know of a young Eventer who deserves some notice! 

 

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